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Japanese Box Office, July 14–15: 10th Pokémon at #1
posted on by Egan Loo
For the first time in five weeks, there are anime- or manga-related movies in the top ten chart for this past weekend's box office in Japan. With 2 billion yen (about US$16 million) just in advance ticket sales, exclusive monster transfers, famous Japanese actor cameos, and a Sarah Brightman theme song, Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl: Dialga vs. Palkia vs. Darkrai easily captures first place.
Following right below it is Saiyuki, a live-action mythological film unrelated to the Saiyuki anime and manga except for their common origin in the Chinese Journey to the West/Monkey fantasy novel. The film's story follows a 2006 television remake of a 1978 series (known as Monkey in its BBC adaptation). Not as successful is the 19th Anpanman film, Soreike! Anpanman: Shabondama no Purun (Go! Anpanman: Soap Bubbles Purun)/Horrorman to Hora•Horako (Horrorman and Hora•Horako). The pastry-headed children's animation character debuts at 7th with his double feature.
Source: Kogyo Tsushinsha
Image © Nintendo, Creatures, Gamefreak, TV Tokyo, Sho-Pro, JR Kikaku © Pokémon
follow-up of Japanese Box Office, June 16-17
