News

Japanese Box Office, December 14-15

Lupin III vs. Detective Conan The Movie stayed at #1 during its second weekend. In the film, the "Cherry Sapphire," an illusive secret treasure that holds the key to the entire world, will bring the two titular characters in a "head-to-head confrontation." Lupin is suspected of stealing the gem, and "when the truth is revealed, the curtain will open on the greatest battle in the world." The film earned 473,126,798 yen (US$4,547,221) on 329 screens for a new total of 1,445,987,935 yen (US$13,897,390)

Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard Tenkawakeme no Sengoku Movie Daigassen, the Movie War crossover between Kamen Rider Gaim and Kamen Rider Wizard, debuted at #3. Box Office Mojo did not list the film on its chart.

The live-action film adaptation of Kotomi Aoki's Kanojo wa Uso o Ai Shisugiteru manga debuted at #4. The story centers around Aki Ogasawara (played by Rurouni Kenshin's Takeru Satoh), a "sound creator" who composes for the popular band Crude Play and earns over 100 million yen (about US$1.3 million) a year. Despite this, he conceals all of this and calls himself a NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). Seeking a life outside of music, he begins seeing a high school girl named Riko Koeda (played by newcomer Sakurako Ōhara). However, what Aki does not know is that Riko is actually a huge fan of Aki's music. Even with his girlfriend, Aki cannot escape the world of music. Box Office Mojo did not list the film on its chart.

Kaguya-hime no Monogatari (The Tale of Princess Kaguya), the latest film from Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, fell from #3 to #6 during its fourth weekend. The film is based on the famous Japanese folktale Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter), which centers on a princess named Kaguya who was discovered as a baby inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo plant. The film ranked at #3 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned 105,630,670 yen (US$1,015,216) on 456 screens for a new total of 1,349,556,101 yen (US$12,970,583).

Gekijō-ban Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magica Shinpen: Hangyaku no Monogatari (Madoka Magica The Movie -Rebellion-), the third film in the Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise, ranked at #8 on Box Office Mojo's chart in its eighth weekend (the film did not rank on Kogyo Tsushinsha's chart). Akiyuki Shinbo and Yukihiro Miyamoto directed the film at SHAFT with original character designs from manga creator Ume Aoki (Hidamari Sketch). Yuki Kajiura provided the music. The main cast returned from the television series and previous two films, and Kana Asumi joined the cast as the new magical girl Nagisa Momoe. The film earned 49,679,138 yen (US$477,466) on 120 screens for a new total of 1,978,241,522 yen (US$19,012,879).

The first Persona 3 film, Persona 3 The Movie #1 Spring of Birth, fell from #9 to #12 on Box Office Mojo's chart in its fourth weekend. The cast from Atlus's original PlayStation 2 game returned for the film. In the game's story, there is a hidden time known as the "Dark Hour" that exists between one day and the next when all movement in the town stops. During this time, terrible creatures called Shadows roam, and a group of high school students in the city of Iwatodai are drawn into the Dark Hour to fight these creatures and explore the mysterious tower of Tartarus. This group uses weapons called Evokers that are used to summon Personas. The film earned 13,711,565 yen (US$131,781) on 26 screens for a new total of 201,886,754 yen (US$1,940,333).

Toei's Eiga Dokidoki! Precure Mana Kekkon!!? Mirai ni Tsunagu Kibō no Dress (Dokidoki! Precure the Movie: Mana's Getting Married!!? The Dress of Hope Linked to the Future) film fell from Box Office Mojo's chart in its eighth weekend.

Sources: Kogyo Tsushinsha, Box Office Mojo