Why Japanese adults turn to 'Chiikawa' for everyday comfort

Nov 04, 2026, 04:13 pm

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A poster for the animated film Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island. /Yonhap News Agency

"The main audience for Chiikawa, whose film released this summer topped the Japanese box office with revenue exceeding 16 billion yen, is surprisingly not children but adults. Analysts suggest that behind this phenomenon lies a psychological shift driven by a society where competition and uncertainty have become part of everyday life, rather than simply a preference for cute characters."

On Tuesday, economic commentator Mikey Sano offered this analysis of the Chiikawa craze, which is spreading not only across Japan but also around the world, in the cultural magazine DIME. "Cute characters eat meals, play with friends and sometimes shed tears. Chiikawa has captured the hearts of many people with its simple and endearing everyday life. But the world depicted in the series is not entirely peaceful. The characters must pull weeds to make a living, undertake dangerous monster-hunting missions and take qualification exams. Even hard work does not necessarily guarantee a stable future," Sano explained, pointing out that the labor structure depicted in Chiikawa resembles that of modern society.

He also observed that the system in which characters earn greater rewards by fighting stronger opponents or acquiring particular abilities mirrors the reality that increasing one's income is difficult without acquiring new skills and capabilities.

Another notable aspect is that the characters do not fundamentally question the structures surrounding them. They quietly accept poor working conditions and even exams that may seem unfair. Rather than trying to change the social system, they focus on getting through each day. "These settings evoke complex emotions in readers. For some, they may bring a bitter reminder of reality, while for others, they may offer comfort by making them feel that their circumstances are understood," Sano explained.

Chiikawa's appeal lies not in great success or dramatic upward social mobility, but in moments of sharing delicious food with friends, caring for one another and feeling brief relief after a difficult task. Even when exhausting work and danger remain, the characters find the strength to carry on through small but certain happiness in everyday life. This also resonates with the gap between effort and reward that people experience in modern society. If working hard and building skills do little to ease the burden of housing, living and education costs, and future stability remains uncertain, immediate emotional security may become more pressing than the long-term goal of success.

This narrative contrasts with the heroic stories traditionally featured in mainstream Japanese animation. While popular works of the past depicted characters overcoming weaknesses, discovering new abilities and growing stronger, the efforts of Chiikawa's characters are more about enduring their present lives and gradually improving them. Chiikawa repeatedly attempts the weed-pulling qualification exam and eventually passes, but this does not change the world. What the series portrays is not the certainty of success but an attitude of persevering and getting through each day without giving up.

Sano said that "the contrast between Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Chiikawa reveals how the times have changed." Tanjiro, the protagonist of Demon Slayer, takes risks and makes sacrifices to help others. His willingness to consider what is right even in unjust and desperate circumstances, and to fight to save others, is seen as a symbol of active change and hope. By contrast, Sano explained that Chiikawa's popularity shows how public interest has shifted from stories about changing the world to stories about enduring a reality that remains unchanged.

He also raised the possibility that a "psychological polarization" in Japanese society lies behind the Chiikawa craze. This refers to a divide between people who seek new opportunities and personal growth and those who accept their present circumstances and strive to maintain a stable daily life. It does not mean that one group is better than the other, but rather that people are adopting increasingly diverse ways of living in an uncertain era.

In the series, Chiikawa is a character who struggles to express dissatisfaction clearly in words. The protagonist's difficulty showing displeasure or openly expressing feelings of unfairness is reminiscent of modern people who have suppressed their emotions at work or in personal relationships. The series conveys these emotions not through direct criticism but through facial expressions, actions, tears and relationships. In this context, the characters' "cuteness" serves both as an escape from reality and as a means of helping people confront overwhelming emotions from a safe distance.

Sano noted that "Chiikawa's popularity does not simply mean that adults are enthusiastic about cute things," pointing out that the comfort the series provides has two sides. On the positive side, it offers small moments of happiness and rest to exhausted people. However, it also has limitations in that it focuses on individual recovery rather than addressing the root causes of suffering. "If social problems are regarded merely as something individuals must endure, it could lead people to accept unjust social structures as normal," he warned.

Jeong Eun-hye

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