The short-form anime Chiikawa will pause new episodes for the last three months of 2026. From October 2 to December 25, the series' time slot switches to rebroadcasting stories that have already aired; new episodes are expected to return in January 2027. The announcement does not say the anime is ending or has been canceled.
Chiikawa Rebroadcast Schedule
- Starts: Friday, October 2, 2026.
- Ends: Friday, December 25, 2026.
- Number of airings: 25, on a Tuesday and Friday schedule within Fuji TV's Mezamashi TV program.
- New episodes return: expected January 2027; no specific date has been announced.
The first slot rebroadcasts episode 6, "Tomodachi / Dorayaki." From the week beginning October 6, the program picks multi-episode stories that viewers love, starting with the "Nantoka Bania" arc. This scheduling lets viewers revisit one storyline instead of watching random standalone episodes.
Where to Watch the Rebroadcasts
In Japan, Chiikawa airs within the morning program Mezamashi TV. After broadcast, the content is available for a limited time on YouTube, FOD and TVer. Some multi-episode arcs may be stitched into one complete video on online platforms even though TV airs only a portion in each time slot.
Availability depends on region and licensing windows. Viewers in Vietnam should check the YouTube channel and whichever service holds the rights at the time they watch; not every episode on Fuji TV is open worldwide.
Why Is the Anime Pausing?
The official announcement only gives the rebroadcast schedule and the plan to return, without stating a cause. So there is no basis for claiming the pause is due to production quality, staff health or the schedule of a film project. This is a time-limited interruption, similar to how the series has used older episodes to fill its broadcast schedule before.
What Kind of Anime Is Chiikawa?
Chiikawa is adapted from Nagano's manga and follows Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi in a world that is both cute and full of strange rules. Each episode lasts only a few minutes, but the short stories can connect into arcs about work, friendship or dangerous creatures. Doga Kobo handles the animation, and the series began airing in 2022.
OtaHub's Take
For a short-episode anime that airs inside a morning program, using the last three months of the year for rebroadcasts is not necessarily the bad sign many viewers fear. It is a fairly common model for series running a few minutes per episode in Japan, which often need a buffer so a small animation team can prepare the next arc without lowering the quality of the visuals. More notable, in OtaHub's view, is how Fuji TV chose to rebroadcast multi-episode arcs as continuous storylines instead of shuffling them randomly, a way of using the break to help new viewers catch up with the world of Chiikawa more easily rather than simply filling the schedule.
Cross-checked against: the official Chiikawa anime account, the Mezamashi TV schedule and the rebroadcast announcement of September 24, 2026. Updated September 30, 2026.
