TL;DR, Kinema Citrus’ original anime Goodbye, Lara will begin airing in Japan on July 5 at 24:30 JST (effectively July 6, 0:30). The cast includes Hana Hishikawa as Lara, with Takushi Koide directing, and the story reimagines The Little Mermaid set around Lake Biwa.
Kinema Citrus confirmed the Goodbye Lara anime release date and time: Japan broadcast begins Sunday, July 5 at 24:30 JST, announced on the official site after an advance screening in Tokyo. The original TV anime reimagines The Little Mermaid in modern Japan with a late-night slot many fans track closely. Hana Hishikawa stars as Lara, with Takushi Koide directing at Kinema Citrus.
Set around Lake Biwa, the project commemorates the studio’s 15th anniversary and spotlights an all-new story rather than a franchise installment.
Goodbye, Lara release date and broadcast time
According to the anime’s official website, Goodbye, Lara begins airing in Japan on Sunday, July 5 at 24:30 JST. Late-night schedules list 24:30 to keep programs within the same calendar block, which converts to Monday, July 6 at 0:30 JST. That is the confirmed Goodbye Lara anime release date and time.
The update follows an advance screening in Tokyo. The website post focuses on the domestic window and lists the Japan air date 24:30 JST, a late-night convention that places the show after midnight. Local TV guides will bracket it as Monday, July 6 at 0:30 while keeping it in the Sunday block.
For more summer scheduling coverage and context on how premieres roll out, see the Second Prettiest Girl PV. It tracks another title’s marketing beat as July approaches. Check local listings for any last-minute slot tweaks.
Who is in the Goodbye, Lara cast and staff
Hana Hishikawa leads the Goodbye Lara anime cast as Lara. Takushi Koide, previously assistant director on Revue Starlight, directs at Kinema Citrus. Series composition is by Anna Kawahara, character designs by Shiori Tani, and the score by Yuma Yamaguchi.
- Lara: Hana Hishikawa
- Mari: Nana Kawaishi
- Grace: Rika Fukami
- Luca: Ayumu Murase
- Yoshiya: Tomohiro Ono
- Makoto: Mitsuaki Madono
- Ema: Nanae Sumitomo
- Rowan: Masaki Terasoma
This lineup pairs Takushi Koide with Kinema Citrus on an original TV production. If you track voice talent moves, see our update on the Eren the Southpaw cast. It is a useful snapshot alongside this show’s ensemble.
What Goodbye, Lara retells and where it takes place
Goodbye, Lara reframes Hans Christian Andersen’s tale as a present-day drama in Shiga Prefecture. In the Goodbye Lara Little Mermaid anime setup, a mermaid becomes human to chase a prince, fails, and dissolves into sea foam. Two hundred years later, Lara reincarnates in Lake Biwa, anchoring the Goodbye Lara Lake Biwa setting.
The new timeline shifts the focus to modern relationships and everyday life. According to the official outline, the project was created to celebrate the Kinema Citrus 15th anniversary, highlighting an original concept from the studio. That framework invites a fresh reading of themes of longing, sacrifice, and second chances.
Scenes are set around the lake and its surrounding communities in contemporary Japan. By trading royal courts for real places, the series grounds Lara’s search for love while keeping the fairy-tale DNA intact.
Source: Crunchyroll