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100 Theaters Reopen in Japan; Weathering With You, your name. Rank

Film news firm Kōgyō Tsūshin resumed reporting the box office rankings in Japan on Monday after 100 theaters reopened this past weekend. Many theaters remain closed in Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa, and other metropolitan areas due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and Kōgyō Tsūshin compiled ticket sales data for about one fourth of the normal number of theaters. Shinrei Kissa Extra no Himitsu: The Real Exorcist, which opened on Friday and ranked at #1, was the only new film to rank in the top 10 at the Japanese box office for the weekend on Saturday and Sunday.

Makoto Shinkai's Weathering With You film ranked at #2. The film opened in 359 theaters and 448 screens in Japan last July. It became the #7 highest-earning domestic film of all time in Japan and was the highest-grossing film in Japan in 2019.

The film centers on a runaway high school boy named Hodoka. He ends up working at an occult magazine in Tokyo to support himself. One day, Hodoka meets a girl who can control the weather, and they start a new business together.

The film debuted in North America on January 15 and ranked at #2 at the box office in North America in its first two days. The film had earned an estimated total of US$6,552,876 in North America as of January 26.

Shinkai's your name. anime film ranked at #5. The original film opened in Japan in August 2016, and has become the fourth highest-grossing film of all time in Japan, the second highest-grossing Japanese film, and the second highest-grossing anime film.

The film centers on Tokyo high school boy Taki and high school girl Mitsuha, who lives in a rural town. They begin switching bodies with each other whenever they sleep. When they finally meet in person, they have to race against time and fate to save each other.

The film opened in 92 countries and territories, and earned box-office achievements in South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Taiwan, in addition to Japan. Funimation Films screened the film in North America.

Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi's Shin Godzilla film ranked at #6. Shin Godzilla earned 8.2 billion yen (US$75.6 million) at the box office in Japan after opening in Japan in July 2016. Funimation screened the film in theaters in North America in October 2016.

The 4K remaster of Katsuhiro Ōtomo's Akira anime film ranked at #9. The film opened in 36 Japanese IMAX theaters on April 3. The anime was originally scheduled to debut at Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF) 2020 event on March 14, but organizers cancelled the event due to COVID-19. The 4K remaster will also receive a release in the United States.

With the release of many new films postponed, the top 10 rankings for this past weekend include nine previously released films. Japanese theater chains began to shut down in March due to the effects of COVID-19. Box office performance fell 90% by the first week of April compared to the same period last year, and all theaters closed by mid-April after Japan declared a nationwide state of emergency.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe officially confirmed the lifting of the state of emergency in 39 prefectures on Thursday. The eight prefectures that remain in a state of emergency are Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa, Hyogo, and Hokkaido.

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin, Cinema Today (海江田宗)