News

Japanese Box Office, July 27-28

Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises (Kaze Tachinu) anime film stayed at #1 during its second weekend. The film centers on Jirō Horikoshi (played by Evangelion director Hideaki Anno), the designer of Japan's famed Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane of World War II. The film earned 810,775,632 yen (US$8,198,725) on 454 screens for a new total of 2,853,272,784 yen (US$28,852,865).

The Pokémon the Movie: ExtremeSpeed Genesect film stayed at #3 in its third weekend. Kunihiko Yuyama's feature film is billed as the final chapter of Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! (Pokemon: Black and White!). It features a confrontation between the legendary Pokémon ExtremeSpeed Red Genesect and Mewtwo, who returns in this installment in an alternate form. The film ranked at #4 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned 177,997,516 yen (US$1,799,946) on 345 screens for a new total of 1,444,364,684 yen (US$14,605,704).

The Gekijōban Gintama Kanketsu-hen: Yorozuya yo Eien Nare (Final Gintama: The Movie: Be Forever Yorozuya) film fell from #6 to #7 in its fourth weekend. The film has a brand-new story written by original manga creator Hideaki Sorachi. The main cast for the original anime is returning once again for the movie. The film earned 82,078,015 yen (US$829,989) on 127 screens for a new total of 1,147,933,254 yen (US$11,608,130).

Gekijō-ban Toriko Bishokushin no Special Menu, the first film based on Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro's Toriko manga, debuted at #8. The movie deals with Acacia the Bishokushin ("Gourmet God") and the secret special menu that lies dormant on a fabled island. Toriko also deciphers the mystery of the ruins there. The "4 Heavenly King Bishokuya" must protect the island and face off against a new foe, the former Bishokukai brass Girimu. Box Office Mojo did not list the film on its chart.

Soreike! Anpanman: Tobase! Kibō no Handkerchief, the 25th Anpanman film, fell from #7 to #9 in its fourth weekend. The film's theme is "hope" and it continues the theme of cheering up those affected by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster. The film is screening simultaneously with the "Minna de Teasobi: Anpanman to Itazura Obake" (Playtime for Everyone: Anpanman and the Mischievous Ghost) short. The film ranked at #8 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned 24,604,501 yen (US$248,805) on 143 screens for a new total of 246,838,957 yen (US$2,496,084).

Nintama Rantarō: Natsuyasumi Shukudai Daisakusen! no Dan (Ninja Kids!!! Summer Mission Impossible), the second live-action adaptation of Soubee Amako's long-running Rakudai Ninja Rantarō ninja gag manga, stayed at #10 in its fourth weekend. In the film, the ninja apprentice Rantarō (Seishirō Katō) and his friends Kirimaru (Roi Hayashi) and Shinbei (Juri Shingetsu) have to reclaim the mystical Gokurakumaru sword. It is said that the wielder of Gokurakumaru shall rule the world. The film ranked at #9 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned 14,474,876 yen (US$146,372) on 290 screens for a new total of 185,132,237 yen (US$1,872,094).

The Short Peace anime anthology featuring works from Katsuhiro Ōtomo, Shuhei Morita, Hiroaki Ando, and Hajime Katoki ranked at #12 during its second weekend. The project earned 9,215,972 yen (US$93,193) on 25 screens for a new total of 42,842,696 yen (US$433,233).

Sources: Kogyo Tsushinsha, Box Office Mojo