Thought it was just cute... Prep video before "Chiikawa" movie release sparks surprise at the gap: "Much harsher than expected," "It's all about labor"

On the official X account for "Chiikawa The Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island," a video created ahead of the movie's theatrical release on July 24 was posted, generating significant buzz. A prep video that allows even first-time viewers unfamiliar with the work to grasp the world of "Chiikawa" in about two minutes was unveiled, condensing the realistic daily life of the adorable characters as they navigate a harsh working environment and extermination mechanics.

tIn the released video, contrary to their adorable appearance, the reality of how Chiikawa and friends earn a living through daily labor such as weeding, gathering, and sticking labels is revealed. Furthermore, the presence of a high-difficulty qualification system and a system where they challenge harsh "exterminations" fraught with danger if they fail—with top-ranked exterminators treated as heroes—were also explained. For the main movie, a storyline is suggested where an assignment thought to be a simple extermination leads to a confrontation with a giant creature.

tIn response to this post, fans voiced praise while expressing surprise at the gap between the adorable appearance and the harsh world, commenting: "I thought it was just cute, but it was much harsher than expected," "They really dropped quite an intense prep video...", "Finding out they work for a living is such gap-moe," "Even though it's a 2-minute prep video for first-timers, it was all about labor," and "Thanks to the prep movie, I got a grasp of the world setting!"

t"Chiikawa" is a hit manga originating on SNS by Nagano. It depicts the story of the small and cute character Chiikawa and friends spending fun, poignant, and somewhat tough days. "Chiikawa The Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island," the first theatrical movie in the series, is scheduled for release starting July 24.

(C)nagano (C)ナガノ/ 2026「映画ちいかわ」製作委員会