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Ghibli's From Up on Poppy Hill is #1 Japanese Film of 2011
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
From Up On Poppy Hill (Kokuriko-Zaka Kara), the most recent Studio Ghibli film directed by Goro Miyazaki, has overtaken this year's two Pokémon films to become the highest-earning 2011 domestic film in Japan. About two months after its July 16 Japanese theater release, From Up On Poppy Hill topped ticket sales for Gekijōban Pocket Monster Best Wishes! Victini to Kuroki Eiyū Zekrom and Gekijōban Pocket Monster Best Wishes! Victini to Shiroki Eiyū Reshiram, which opened on July 16.
Distributed by TOHO, the film adapted from Chizuru Takahashi and Tetsurō Sayama's shōjo coming-of-age manga opened at #3, below the Pokémon films' #2 spot. However, as of September 11, From Up On Poppy Hill grossed the equivalent to US$53,799,452, while the two Pokémon movies earned US$53,387,786 combined. The film was seen 445,269 times on 457 theaters in its first three days, and was seen about 3,300,000 times by September 14.
Because of its popularity in theaters, From Up On Poppy Hill will continue to play on 300 screens in Japan beginning in October. In light of its long and successful theater run, From Up On Poppy Hill also received a new poster (pictured) after a suggestion by the film's writer and planner Hayao Miyazaki.
Sources: animeanime.biz, Cinema Today
Image © 2011 Chizuru Takahashi, Tetsurō Sayama, GNDHDDT
