Goodbye, Lara is ending its first season with Episode 12, the season finale, arriving on Sunday, September 20, 2026, on Crunchyroll. The episode will stream at 8:30 AM Pacific Time and will conclude Lara’s 200-year journey to find true love. This finale is expected to resolve the central question of whether Lara chooses Mari or Luca, and whether she can avoid turning into sea foam forever.
OVERVIEW
- Episode 12 is the season finale of Goodbye, Lara Season 1
- Release date: Sunday, September 20, 2026 on Crunchyroll
- Crunchyroll release time: 8:30 AM PT / 11:30 AM ET / 3:30 PM GMT
- Japanese TV broadcast: September 20, 2026 at 12:30 AM JST on Tokyo MX
- Total episodes: 12 episodes
- Studio: Kinema Citrus, created for the studio’s 15th anniversary
- Main cast: Hana Hishikawa as Lara, Nana Kawaishi as Mari Otsu
Episode 12 Release Date and Exact Streaming Time for Every Region
Goodbye, Lara Episode 12 will be available on Crunchyroll on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at 8:30 AM Pacific Time. This is the same weekly slot the series has used since its premiere on July 5, 2026. The episode arrives with both English subtitles and an English dub available on the same day.
Here are the exact release times for major regions and time zones:
- USA and Canada: 8:30 AM PT / 9:30 AM MT / 10:30 AM CT / 11:30 AM ET
- United Kingdom, Portugal, Ghana, and Iceland: 3:30 PM GMT
- Central Europe, Spain, Italy, Poland, Germany, France, Netherlands, and Nigeria: 4:30 PM CET
- Japan and South Korea: 12:30 AM JST (September 21) / 12:30 AM KST (September 21)
- India and Sri Lanka: 9:00 PM IST
- Australia (Sydney, Melbourne) and Eastern Australia: 1:30 AM AEST (September 21)
- New Zealand: 3:30 AM NZST (September 21)
- Brazil and Argentina: 12:30 PM BRT / 12:30 PM ART
- Saudi Arabia, Russia, and East Africa: 6:30 PM AST / 6:30 PM MSK / 6:30 PM EAT
- Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines): 11:30 PM WIB / 11:30 PM ICT / 11:30 PM PHT
Crunchyroll streams the series worldwide excluding Japan and China. Japanese viewers can watch the finale on Tokyo MX, BS Asahi, Yomiuri TV, and AT-X, along with streaming on ABEMA and DMM TV.
Where Can You Watch Episode 12?
Crunchyroll holds the global streaming rights for Goodbye, Lara and will release Episode 12 in all major regions on September 20, 2026. The episode is also available through the Crunchyroll Amazon Channel and can be purchased as a download on the Apple TV Store. There is no free streaming option for the series.
What Happened in Episode 11? A Detailed Recap
Episode 11, titled “Witch Grace” (魔女グレイス, Majo Gureisu), aired on September 13, 2026, and revealed the tragic backstory of Grace, the witch who transformed Lara into a human 200 years ago.
The episode showed that Grace and her sister Rigmor once shared the same dream. That dream eventually led the mermaid world into darkness. Grace’s past mirrors Lara’s own story: she fell in love with a human prince, failed to find true love, and suffered the consequences. The episode revealed that the original Little Mermaid story had happened twice — first to Grace, and now to Lara.
Grace saved Lara’s life before the series began. She used Lara’s cut mermaid’s tongue to ensure Lara could revive and rebuild her body from foam. Grace believed Lara deserved a second chance because her own ending was unfair.
“Grace saved Lara’s life. Quite literally. She used Lara’s cut mermaid’s tongue to ensure she could revive and rebuild her body from foam.” — Fan discussion on Tumblr
The episode also featured a post-credits scene that showed Grace’s final moments. She died as she lived, in a dramatic way, leaving behind her wish for Lara and Mari. The reveal of Grace’s past set up the finale’s central conflict: Lara now believes that humans and mermaids can never coexist, and she is being pressured into believing that the only way to save her family is to kill the person she loves.
How Episode 12 Will Affect the Story
Episode 12 is the final chapter of the season and will resolve the central conflict that has been building since Episode 1. The teaser trailer for the finale, translated from Japanese, shows Lara saying:
“Mari. There’s only one fate for humans and mermaids. So don’t come any closer to me.”
The teaser also reveals that Lara believes the only way to save her family is to kill the person she loves. No other person comes to mind except Mari. Despite unusual weather blocking her path, Mari goes to see Lara.
This sets up the finale as a direct confrontation between Lara’s duty to her mermaid kingdom and her feelings for Mari. The series has been building toward a sapphic romance between Lara and Mari since the early episodes. The finale is expected to resolve whether Lara chooses to stay in the human world with Mari or return to the sea to save her family.
The episode will also address the boxing tournament finals that Mari has been training for. With the finals looming, Mari realizes she has little time left for Lara. While Mari meets Lisa, Lara begins to feel unwell as her time runs out. The finale will show how these two storylines converge.
Unique and Intriguing Facts About the Anime
Goodbye, Lara is an original anime, not an adaptation of a manga or light novel. It was created to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Kinema Citrus, the studio behind Made in Abyss, My Happy Marriage, and The Rising of the Shield Hero.
The series is directed by Takushi Koide, who was born in Shiga Prefecture, the real-life location of Lake Biwa, where the story takes place. This personal connection to the setting shaped the show’s visual identity.
The anime uses traditional cel animation for parts of its opening sequence. The production team had to search for photographers and equipment capable of shooting physical cels, a technique that is rarely used in modern anime. The opening theme song, “Sayonara Lara,” is performed by Ikimonogakari, and the ending theme, “Hearts Glow,” is by Hana Hope.
Unlike Hans Christian Andersen’s original The Little Mermaid, where the mermaid dissolves into foam and is offered a chance to earn a soul through good deeds, Goodbye, Lara gives Lara a second physical rebirth in Lake Biwa. She emerges as a whole mermaid once more, 200 years later.
The series has been praised for its retro 1990s art style, with thick lines and hand-drawn animation. Critics have compared its melancholic tone to Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, noting its themes of loss, time, and the search for love.
You May Also Like:
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Goodbye, Lara Episode 12 release?
Episode 12 releases on Sunday, September 20, 2026, on Crunchyroll at 8:30 AM Pacific Time. It airs on Japanese TV the same day at 12:30 AM JST on Tokyo MX.
Is Episode 12 the last episode of Goodbye, Lara?
Yes, Episode 12 is the Season 1 finale. The anime was produced as a 12-episode season, and no second season has been announced.
What is the title of Episode 12?
The season finale is titled “Goodbye, Lara” (さよならララ, Sayonara Lara), matching the Japanese title of the series.
Where can I watch Goodbye, Lara legally?
Crunchyroll is the main streaming platform worldwide. The series is also available on the Crunchyroll Amazon Channel and for purchase on the Apple TV Store.
Who are the main voice actors in Goodbye, Lara?
Hana Hishikawa voices Lara, Nana Kawaishi voices Mari Otsu, and Rica Fukami voices Grace. Ayumu Murase voices Luca, and Masaki Terasoma voices Rowan.
Discover more anime finales, streaming guides, and hidden gems from the Summer 2026 season only on VvipTimes.
Leave a Reply