Although anime created on cels which only exists as a relic of a bygone era in today’s age of digital animation retro boom Remakes from Mappa Ranma 1/2 Science to SARU Ghost in the Shellan emerging one a sea of jam-packed seasonal anime “old is good” is a clear reminder that it is not just an aesthetic flexibility. Product of 2026 reimagined the classics (executed varying degrees of success), no show has felt so positively inspiring to watch in its attempt to reimagine its original property (in this case, The little mermaid) as Goodbye, Lara.
Goodbye, Lara (also known as Sayonara, Lara), started as a 2024 concept trailer Citrus cinemahit Crunchyroll this summer as one of the most breathtaking anime of the season. Like a fairy tale, this time a naive mermaid named Lara follows the prince (JP: Hana HishikawaIN: Brianna Knickerbocker) who falls in love with a man and is tricked into drinking a witch’s potion to lose his voice in order to be with him. Tragedy strikes and he brings his kingdom to ruin on a boy. You know the story.
But Goodbye, Lara Colors outside the lines of the fairy tale in its first episode, Lara recoils in horror when her mermaid tail, which would have been a princess, explodes grotesquely where her legs once were. Unable to fall in love, Lara turns into a bubble and disappears during the premiere episode. That is, until he was reincarnated 200 years later in modern day Kyoto.
With the royal family scattered to the wind, her witch Aunt Grace (JP: Rika FukamiIN: Tiana Camacho) turned into a sassy talking pet, and Grace’s sole owner, Mari Ootsu (JP: Nana KawaishiIN: Anairis Quinones) – Lara wakes up during a crash landing from Lake Biwa – Lara wakes up once again to find her true love, this time for reals.
What does Goodbye, Lara Standing out from the other remakes to grace us this year, his literal fish-out-of-water tale brings a generous helping of vibrant color, whimsy and grotesque imagery to every corner of its lush watercolor-toned animation. While its first episode effectively knocks on the door repeating the familiar tropes of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale, its second episode packs all the guts and charm of a Studio Ghibli feature film into a quarter of its running time.
Much of that charm comes from the director and creator Takushi Koidekinetic and breathtaking direction for the anime, imbuing each scene not only with the glow of a retro classic, but also with the energy and movement of one. And the lump sum of that charm falls squarely on the shoulders of the show’s heroine, who doesn’t hesitate to love herself every waking moment.
HER ADJUSTMENT TO THE HUMAN WORLD MY BEAUTIFUL GIRL IS SO SCARED😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/ehGbM1YU3R
– avary 💚 (@kyoruyeye) July 13, 2026
Although she endures a disastrous, not-so-good, very-bad first day in the human world—dodging barking dogs, being intimidated by intelligent housekeepers, accidentally fueling cannibalism anxiety by regularly chopping fish or drinking canned hot chocolate—Lara is not exactly a genuine character to fall in love with for the first time. or whatever his heart desires.
She’s a goofy girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders, soaring fearlessly with an infectious optimism that will make you feel like you could walk through a wall when you witness her tenacity against all odds. Mind you, the show pulls off this feat in the first two episodes, leaving plenty to get excited about when Lara’s love story unfolds, though signs separating the sapphic variety between it and Mari.
despite its potential Goodbye, Lara It asks if there are fans of the anime, which unfolds as a quirky romance between the two leads the proverbial dog once again demonstrates his chess prowess He maintains hope through his growing fandom incredible fan artThere is a touching precedent for The little mermaid– inspired the tale to become a quirky love story not only in the source material, but also in the Disney animated film.
For starters, Andersen is the author behind it The ugly duckling, The Princess and the Peaand many more than 150 tales scientists believe that he is bisexual– wrote The little mermaid was sending at the same time strange unrequited love letters to his married friend Edward Collin. Therefore, many scholars interpret the titular prince’s longing for true love, which cannot be spoken aloud. a strange allegory. Similarly, Disney’s 1989 film has its own strange lineage Howard Ashmanopenly gay songwriter and producer, described his experience as “Part of your world,” has been widely adopted as an anthem within the queer community.
(goodbye spoilers) COME ON HOW DO I READ THIS SERIES? pic.twitter.com/fmEYLMCCcSG
— Phra 🦩 WHA brain (@philgollins) July 12, 2026
So, along with that, it is justified Goodbye, LaraReminiscent of a classic fairy tale, an anime series may also choose to make the weird subtext behind the scenes obvious. From what we’ve seen of the episodes that have aired at the time of writing, the signs point to a yes on the front end of Lara and Mari’s endgame, and if their romance doesn’t last through the twelve-episode season, we’ll go down with the ship.
「#Goodbye Lala“in the opening, some cuts are made using analog images.
Enjoy the soft, deep and subtle texture of hand-drawn works, as opposed to the brightly colored styles drawn digitally.https://t.co/Cjk2DcDIKW… https://t.co/GgErJRVUBo pic.twitter.com/72jVVNHDvw— “Sayonara Lala” Official TV Anime ✨ Streaming and streaming from July 2026! (@Goodbye_Lara) July 12, 2026
Added bonus Goodbye, Lara Kinema is already on S to climb to the top of Citrus’s must-watch anime leaderboard in a sea of killer shows. gorgeous opening theme, goes old school at its best with hand-drawn cel animation. These cutscenes, albeit brief, return to the great 2026 undead animation. (screaming Gorillaz) also emulate a nostalgic hand-held camera feel that matches the comfort of the showhealthy vibe. Before each episode, the first thing the audience sees is the definition of good cinema.
Goodbye, Lara now streaming on Crunchyroll.
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