News
Japanese Box Office, January 21-22
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
Always: Sunset on Third Street '64, the third live-action film based on Ryohei Saigan's nostalgic San-chōme no Yūhi - Yūyake no Uta manga directed by Takashi Yamazaki (live-action Space Battleship Yamato, Returner, Ballad) debuted at No. 1 during the January 21-22 weekend. The original manga, a 1990-1991 television anime series adaptation, and the first two live-action films followed the lives of people in a Tokyo neighborhood as the iconic Tokyo Tower rises above them. The film earned $7,212,260 on 473 screens.
Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie, the newest live-action Super Sentai film, debuted at No. 2. The film is related to the Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger live-action television series, which Toei began airing as Super Sentai's 35th anniversary show last February. The film differs from the previous three Super Sentai VS films because it is a crossover with the Space Sheriff Gavan live-action special effects series. The film ranked at No. 3 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned US$2,090,377 on 263 screens.
The anime adaptation of Mary Pope Osborne's American novel series Magic Tree House fell from No. 4 to No. 5 during its third weekend. Since 1992, American author Mary Pope Osborne has been writing the original children's books about Jack and Annie, two siblings who go on adventures throughout time with a mysterious tree house. The anime film is based on Ayana Amako's illustrations for the Japanese edition of the book series, as opposed to Salvatore Murdocca's illustrations for the original American edition. The film ranked at No. 6 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned US$878,713 on 178 screens for a gross-to-date of US$4,436,348.
Kim Byung-Kon's Korean live-action film adaptation of Yayoi Ogawa's Kimi wa Pet (Tramps Like Us) romantic comedy manga debuted at No. 6. The film stars Jang Geun-suk as In-Ho (Momo/Takeshi Goda) and Kim Ha-neul as Eun-Yi (Sumire). The film ranked at No. 5 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned US$893,343 on 92 screens.
Inazuma Eleven GO: Kyūkyoku no Kizuna Griffon (Ultimate Bond Griffon), the second film in the Inazuma Eleven soccer role-playing game franchise, dropped from No. 7 to No. 10 during its fifth weekend. The Inazuma Eleven GO storyline is set one decade after the first Inazuma Eleven storyline; the television anime premiered in May. The film is playing in stereoscopic 3D and traditional 2D. The film ranked at No. 11 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned US$426,737 on 274 screens for a new total of US$14,180,109.
The 3D computer-animated film Friends: Mononoke Shima no Naki (Friends: Naki of Monster Island) dropped from No. 6 to No. 10 on Box Office Mojo's chart during its sixth weekend. The live-action Space Battleship Yamato film's Takashi Yamazaki wrote and directed the film. SMAP band member Shingo Katori stars as Naki, a red oni (Japanese demon/ogre). Veteran voice actor Kouichi Yamadera (Cowboy Bebop's Spike, Evangelion's Kaji) plays a blue oni named Gunjō. The film earned US$438,052 on 334 screens for a new total of US$18,401,601.
Naoko Yamada and Kyoto Animation's K-ON! anime film stayed at No. 13 in its eighth weekend. The film depicts the five female members of Sakuragaoka High School's light music club in a story not seen in the television series. The original television voice cast reprised their respective roles in the movie. The film earned US$289,680 on 100 screens for a gross-to-date of US$20,256,351.
Shion Sono's live-action adaptation of Minoru Furuya's Himizu psychological drama manga fell from at No. 9 to No. 14 during its second weekend. 19-year-old actor Shōta Sometani (live-action Uso-tsuki Mii-kun to Kowareta Maa-chan, Always: Sunset on Third Street '64) plays Yūichi Sumida, a third-year middle school boy who longs for a normal life. A certain incident sets him on the descent into darkness. 16-year-old actress Fumi Nikaidō (Sono's Gama no Abura) portrays Keiko Chazawa, Sumida's classmate. The film earned US$282,438 on 79 screens for a new total of US$1,220,249.
Eiga Kaibutsu-kun, the 3D live-action film adaptation of Fujiko Fujio A's Kaibutsu-kun supernatural action manga starring 30-year-old Arashi band member Satoshi Ohno, dropped from No. 8 to No. 15 during its ninth weekend. Ohno had starred in a live-action television series version and a spinoff television special in 2010. The film earned the equivalent of US$275,040 on 287 screens for a new total of US$39,766,344.
The live-action film adaptation of Mikiya Mochizuki's police action manga Wild 7 directed by Umizaru's Eiichirō Hasumi dropped off of Box Office Mojo's chart during its fifth weekend. The Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie Taisen Mega Max film featuring the first seven Kamen Riders as well as the casts of both the Kamen Rider Fourze and Kamen Rider OOO series also fell off the chart in its seventh weekend.
Sources: Kogyo Tsushinsha, Box Office Mojo
follow-up of Japanese Box Office, January 14-15
