The official website of the Chiikawa anime announced that the series will temporarily pause new episodes and instead run a "revival" rebroadcast of 25 older "influential" episodes until December 25, 2026.
Which Episodes Return
The rebroadcast focuses on episodes early in the series run and episodes connected to the recent film Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu (Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island). The anime previously aired twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, in Fuji TV's morning program Mezamashi Terebi.
A Box-Office Hit
According to Anime News Network, the film opened on July 24, 2026 and earned over 15.84 billion yen (about US$100 million) with roughly 10.86 million tickets, making it Japan's top film of the year so far.
When Does It Return?
The announcement does not give a reason for the pause or a return date. In 2025 the series had a similar break, rebroadcasting pivotal episodes before new episodes resumed in July 2025.
Sources: Anime News Network.