Earthbound Creator Shigesato Itoi Is all About Chiikawa and Shared Art

Shigesato Itoi has recently taken a liking to Chiikawa and started sharing art he’s drawn of the characters. The creator of the Mother (Earthbound) RPG series released on Nintendo consoles has been spotted increasing his social media posts about the franchise ever since Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island launched in Japanese theaters in late July 2026. He eventually started drawing Chiikawa characters on his own from August 20, 2026. Most recently, Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island launched in theaters, first in Japan on July 24, 2026.