Kinema Citrus Returns With New Original Anime Goodbye Lara in 2026

Kinema Citrus, which was formed back in 2008, is now they are going to do something original again. On July 1, they announced a new anime titled Goodbye, Lara. They said it will come out in 2026, as part of their 15th anniversary. The first image and a teaser video have already been posted, and people can check them if they want.

But actually, this anime was already kind of mentioned last year during Anime Central in May 2024. But back then, not much was clear. Now it's fully shown and looks like it’s a bit more serious story. There’s this mermaid named Lara. She fell in love with a human prince around 200 years ago. But sadly, it didn’t end well, and she turned into sea foam. Now in present days, she comes again, this time as a human, and starts to live near Lake Biwa in Shiga. The place seems calm, but her old memories might not be.

The Voice Feels Like It Might Fit

Lara will be voiced by Hana Hishikawa. She isn’t a super big name, but few anime fans already know her voice from before. Her voice has a soft and emotional feeling, so maybe that’s why they select her. It probably suits the character, who is not loud but deep inside.

The staff seems like a mix of new and different. Takushi Koide is directing. Character designs are from Shiori Tani. Then the writing part is by Anna Kawahara, and the music comes from Yuma Yamaguchi. He usually does gentle background music, which could be right for this kind of story. So it’s looking like they are going for something not big, but more feeling-based.

That teaser video, it’s not saying much. It’s slow and calm. The animation is quiet, and the sound is soft. Looks like not much action will be there. But maybe it’s the type that speaks more with feelings than fighting.

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Kinema Citrus has made a few popular anime before. Like Made in Abyss, The Rising of the Shield Hero, and My Happy Marriage. The new season of Shield Hero is coming on July 9. So they are busy with multiple tasks at the same time.

So, Goodbye, Lara may not be loud or action-heavy. It looks more like a soft and quiet anime, with deeper emotion that maybe takes time to understand. We have to wait a bit longer, but it might be something that some viewers don’t forget so easily.

Written By “Sujoy Bhowmik - India Today Gaming”