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Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Film Shoots Back to #1 After 1 Weekend Out of Top 10

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time (Shin Evangelion Gekijō-ban :||), the "final" Evangelion film, sold 169,296 tickets and earned 265,876,900 yen (about US$2.42 million), jumping back to the top spot in the Japanese box office (in tickets sold) after it dropped off the top 10 last weekend. This past weekend's box office for the film is 939.5% that of the weekend before (by the number of tickets sold), and 960.5% (by total yen earned). The film has earned a total of 8,965,306,780 yen (about US$81.4 million).

The film's new Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 version began playing on Saturday for the film's "last run." The new version contains "minor revisions" to some animation sequences, but does not change the film's story.

The film opened in Japan on March 8. The film ranked #1 in its opening weekend. The film sold 2,194,533 tickets for 3,338,422,400 yen (about US$30.6 million) in its first seven days in 466 theaters in Japan. The film sold 33.6% more tickets for 45.1% more yen than the previous Evangelion film during their respective first seven days. The film earned the equivalent of US$3.4 million in 38 IMAX theaters during its first seven days— the second-highest opening week for IMAX screenings of a domestic title in Japan, behind only last year's Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Mugen Train. Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 also played in 82 theaters equipped for 4D screenings.

In its third week, the film surpassed the domestic earnings of Evangelion 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, which earned a total of 5.3 billion yen. The new film is now the highest-earning film in the series domestically and internationally.

The staff had delayed the film from January 23 to March 8, after careful consideration due to the state of emergency declared in four prefectures in Japan on January 8, and then extended to a total of 11 prefectures. The film had an earlier delay due to concerns over COVID-19 and its spread inside and outside of Japan. The film was originally scheduled to open in Japan on June 27, 2020.

Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Beginning, the second of two "final chapter" films in the live-action film series based on Nobuhiro Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin manga, dropped from #1 to #2 in its second weekend. The film earned 245,212,670 yen (about US$2.22 million) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 1,088,521,340 yen (about US$9.88 million).

The film topped the Japanese box office in its opening weekend. The film sold 350,000 tickets for over 508 million yen (about US$4.7 million) in its opening weekend. The film opened on June 4.

Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Final, the first of the two films, dropped from #2 to #5 in its eighth weekend. It earned 98,831,960 yen (about US$897,800) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 3,668,995,870 yen (about US$33.33 million). It ranked at #2 and earned 745 million yen (about US$6.9 million) in its opening weekend.

The films were originally slated to open on July 3 and August 7 last year, but were delayed to this year due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Final has an original story that differs from the story in the manga. The film centers on the story from the manga's "Jinchū" arc, which features Kenshin's conflict with the mysterious weapons dealer Enishi. Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Beginning tells the story of how Kenshin got his cross-shaped scar. Kasumi Arimura plays the character Tomoe Yukishiro in the films. Tomoe was Kenshin's wife during his days as the assassin Battōsai, and her story ties into Kenshin's iconic X-shaped scar. Kenshin and Tomoe's relationship was previously portrayed in the Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal original video anime (OVA) project.

Keishi Ōtomo returned to direct the films. The rock band ONE OK ROCK returned to perform the theme song "Renegade" for the films.

The Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway (Kidō Senshi Gundam: Senkō no Hathaway) anime film sold 259,074 tickets and earned 523,943,800 yen (about US$4.77 million) in its first three days at the box office. It ranked at #3 (in terms of tickets sold) in its opening weekend.

The film opened in Japan on Friday after previously being delayed three times. The movie was originally slated to open in Japan in July 2020, but was delayed due to COVID-19. The film was delayed in April from May 7 to May 21, and was then delayed again last month due to the extended state of emergency declared in Japan. The current state of emergency is scheduled to last until June 20.

The film was originally planned to play in 214 theaters, a franchise-record high. Some theaters are screening the film in 4D and Dolby Cinema. Dolby Cinemas are also screening the first 15 minutes and 53 seconds of Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack before the film. The film's limited edition Blu-ray Disc went on sale on June 11.

Netflix U.S. will exclusively stream the film starting on July 1.

The Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet (Meitantei Conan: Hiiro no Dangan) film dropped from #3 to #6 in its ninth weekend. It earned 77,142,500 yen (about US$700,700) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 6,939,659,450 yen (about US$63.03 million).

The film sold 1,533,054 tickets and earned 2,218,130,800 yen (about US$20.5 million) in its first three days to rank #1 in the Japanese box office in its opening weekend.

Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet is the 24th film in the franchise. The film was slated to open on April 17 last year, but was delayed from its original date due to concerns about the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The film opened in Japan on April 16. The film also had a simultaneous release in 22 countries and territories outside of Japan: Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and France.

Tomoka Nagaoka (Detective Conan: Fist of Blue Sapphire) directed the film, and Takeharu Sakurai (Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer) wrote the script. Katsuo Ono returned to compose the music. Rock band Tokyo Jihen performed the theme song "Eien no Fuzaishōmei" (The Eternal Alibi).

Studio 4°C's anime film of Kanako Nishi's Gyokō no Nikuko-chan (Nikuko of the Fishing Harbor) novel ranked at #7 in its opening weekend. The film earned 64,349,070 yen (about US$584,300) from Friday to Sunday.

The film opened in Japan last Friday.

Ayumu Watanabe (Children of the Sea, Space Brothers) directed the anime at Studio 4°C. Satomi Ooshima (Hataraki Man) penned the script. Kenichi Konishi (Children of the Sea, A Good Librarian Like a Good Shepherd) was the character designer and chief animation director. Sanma Akashiya (Santa Claus Tsukamaeta screenwriter and original creator) planned and produced the film. Asmik Ace is distributing the film.

10-year-old Kurumi Inagaki sings a GReeeeN-produced cover of "Image no Uta," the debut single of veteran singer-songwriter Takuro Yoshida, as the film's theme song.

Gentosha published the original novel in April 2014. The "human drama" novel centers on a mother named Nikuko and her daughter, Kikuko, who live on a boat. The novel follows their paths in life, and their growth. The novels have more than 350,000 copies in print.

Both the live-action Kakegurui 2: Ultimate Russian Roulette film and the second Fate/Grand Order The Movie Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot film fell off the top 10, in their second and fifth weekends, respectively.

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin, Eiga.com, comScore via KOFIC