News

Violet Evergarden Film Stays at #2 in 2nd Weekend, Eizouken Debuts at #5

Kyoto Animation's Violet Evergarden: The Movie anime film stayed at #2 in its second weekend. The film earned 131,910,200 yen (about US$1.25 million) from Friday to Sunday. As of Sunday, the film has sold over 566,000 tickets to earn 813,039,200 yen (about US$7.70 million).

The film opened in Japan on September 18, and it ranked at #2 in its opening weekend. As of September 22, the film had sold 390,000 tickets to earn 559 million yen (about US$5.31 million), and had a per-screen average of 1.64 million yen (about US$15,600).

The film's official website announced on April 6 that Kyoto Animation postponed the film's opening in Japan due to concerns over the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The film was slated to open in Japan on April 24. This was the second delay for the film, as it was originally slated for a January 10, 2020 opening in Japan.

The franchise's separate side-story anime, titled Violet Evergarden I: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eien to Jidō Shuki Ningyō), opened in theaters in Japan last September, and it screened for at least five weeks. The film eventually earned a cumulative total of 831 million yen (about US$7.90 million). Netflix debuted the anime on April 2.

The Eiga Crayon Shin-chan Gekitotsu! Rakuga Kingdom to Hobo Yonin no Yūsha (Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Crash! Rakuga Kingdom and Roughly Four Heroes) film stayed at #3 in its third weekend. The film earned 101,628,900 yen (about US$963,400) from Friday to Sunday. The film has earned a cumulative total of 849,613,900 yen (about US$8.05 million).

The film opened at #1. The film sold 212,000 tickets and earned 262 million yen (about US$2.47 million) in its opening weekend.

Takahiko Kyōgoku (Land of the Lustrous, Love Live! School idol project, GATE) directed the film, and Ryō Takada (Meow Meow Japanese History) wrote the script. Shin-Ei Animation, TV Asahi, ADK, and Futabasha are credited for production. musician Takafumi Ikeda's "solo unit" Rekishi performed the film's theme song "Giga Aishiteru."

The live-action project of Sumito Ōwara's Eizouken ni wa Te o Dasu na! (Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!) manga ranked at #5 in its opening weekend.

The film opened in Japan last Friday, September 25. The film was originally scheduled to open on May 15, but TOHO and the film's production committee delayed the film's opening until further notice, due to the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Nogizaka46 idol group members Minami Umezawa, Asuka Saitō, and Mizuki Yamashita star in the live-action project as the characters Sayaka Kanamori, Midori Asakusa, and Tsubame Mizusaki. They also perform the film's theme song "Fantastic Sanshoku Pan" (Fantastic Three-Filling Bun). Rock band Thinking Dogs perform the series' theme song "Heavenly ideas."

A six-episode television series premiered on April 5 on MBS, and on April 7 on TBS. The film and series have the same staff and cast. Oto Abe and Satoshi Uekiya co-star in the series.

The manga inspired a television anime by Masaaki Yuasa and Science Saru that premiered on NHK General on January 5. Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired in Japan.

The Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Shin Kyoryū (Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's New Dinosaur) anime film dropped from #6 to #7 in its eighth weekend. The film earned 57,732,850 yen (about US$547,400) from Friday to Sunday. It has earned a cumulative total of 3,115,915,200 yen (about US$29.54 million).

The film opened at #1 in 377 theaters in its first weekend. The film sold 630,000 tickets for 761 million yen (about US$7.13 million) from August 7-9. The film sold 334,000 tickets for 413 million yen (about US$3.86 million) on Saturday and Sunday. The film opened in Japan on August 7, after being postponed from its original March 6 opening in order to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The film's story begins with Nobita meeting two twin dinosaurs named Kyu and Myu. Despite the film's similarity in title to Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Dinosaur, the first film in the franchise, the story is completely different. The new film is the franchise's 40th, and it marks the 50th anniversary of the original manga.

Kazuaki Imai, an episode director on the Doraemon television anime, and the director of 2018's Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Treasure Island film, directed the 40th film. Genki Kawamura also returned from the 2018 film to pen the new film's script. Mr. Children performed the theme songs "Birthday" and "Kimi to Kasaneta Monologue" for the film. The film is the franchise's first to feature two theme songs, and it is also the first work for which Mr. Children have written two songs. The 28th Crayin Shin-chan film opened on September 11 after it was delayed from its April 24 opening due to the effects of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The third film in the Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel film trilogy Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel III. spring song dropped from #8 to #9 in its seventh weekend. The film earned 49,595,600 yen (about US$470,200) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 1,815,660,200 yen (about US$17.21 million). It is now the highest-grossing film in the trilogy.

The film opened at #1 and sold 270,000 tickets for 474,890,600 yen (about US$4.48 million) in its opening weekend. The film opened in Japan on August 15, after being postponed from its original March 28 opening in order to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Fathom Events had planned to screen the first two films as a double feature on April 23 in North America, and had planned to screen the third film on May 7. However, the company announced in March it was postponing the screenings. Aniplex of America also announced that it is canceling the North American premiere of the third film, which was scheduled to be held at The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on April 17 at 7:00 p.m.

The live-action film of Setona Mizushiro's The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese (Kyūso wa Cheese no Yume o Miru) and The Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice (Sōjo no Koi wa Nido Haneru) manga dropped off the top 10 in its third weekend, but it still earned 42,862,460 yen (about US$406,400) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 524,498,820 yen (about US$4.97 million). The live-action film of Hiroyuki Nishimori's gag comedy manga Kyou Kara Ore Wa!! likewise dropped off the top 10 in its 11th weekend, but it still earned 29,815,900 yen (about US$282,700) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 5,265,764,650 yen (about US$49.93 million).

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin (link 2), Eiga.com, comScore via KOFIC