News

Japanese Box Office, August 11-12

The fourth live-action film based on Shuho Sato's (Say Hello to Black Jack, The Isle of TOKKOU) Umizaru coast guard manga, Brave Hearts Umizaru, rose from No. 2 back to No. 1 during its fifth weekend. The film adapts the "largest sea disaster" from the original manga: the water landing of a jumbo jet. The film earned US$3,456,137 on 450 screens for a gross-to-date of US$67,487,836.

Mamoru Hosoda's Ōkami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki (Wolf Children) film rose from No. 3 to No. 2 during its fourth weekend. This is the latest film by the director of Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. The film's story covers 13 years and begins with a 19-year-old college student named Hana who encounters and falls in "fairy tale-like" love with a "wolf man." After marrying the wolf man, Hana gives birth and raises two wolf children — an older sister named Yuki ("snow") who was born on a snowy day, and a younger brother named Ame ("rain") who was born on a rainy day. When the wolf man suddenly dies, Hana decides to move to a rural town far removed from the city. The film earned US$2,884,159 on 381 screens for a new total of US$27,996,865.

Gekijōban Pocket Monster Best Wishes! Kyurem Vs Seikenshi Keldeo stayed at No. 4 in its fifth weekend. The film features the new legendary Pokémon, Keldeo. Kunihiko Yuyama returned to direct the film after directing most of the previous films and the Slayers films. The film ranked at No. 6 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned US$1,946,554 on 357 screens for a new total of US$32,574,951.

The Kamen Rider Fourze the Movie: Minna de Uchū Kitā! (Kamen Rider Fourze the Movie: Everyone, Space Is Here!) and Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters the Movie: Tokyo Enetower o Mamore! (Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters the Movie: Protect the Tokyo Enetower!) films fell from No. 1 to No. 5 during their second weekend. The live-action special-effects films earned US$2,024,123 on 304 screen for a gross-to-date of US$7,583,121.

The Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie film fell from No. 7 to No. 8 in its third weekend. The sixth Naruto Shippūden film and ninth Naruto film overall features a story and character designs personally created by manga creator Masashi Kishimoto. The film earned US$1,332,897 on 262 screens for a new total of US$12,244,463.

The live-action adaptation of Yukito Ayatsuji's horror novel Another fell from No. 9 to No. 10 during its second weekend. Kento Yamazaki (Control Tower) plays lead protagonist Koichi Sakakibara alongside Ai Hashimoto (Confessions, Avatar) as Mei Misaki, the mysterious girl whose eye-patch hides a secret. Takeshi Furusawa (Avec Punch, Ghost Train) is directing the film The film ranked at No. 11 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned US$782,649 on 230 screens for a new total of US$3,371,835.

Mika Ninagawa's Helter Skelter live-action film fell from No. 7 to No. 10 on Box Office Mojo's chart in its fifth weekend. Based on Kyoko Okazaki's award-winning Helter Skelter manga, the film stars Erika Sawajiri (SHINOBI - Heart Under Blade, 1 Liter of Tears drama series) as Ririko, a model who underwent extensive plastic surgery to attain her beauty. The clinic who performed Ririko's surgeries goes under investigation for questionable business practices, and Ririko's body starts to deteriorate. As the model's prominence in the entertainment industry begins to falter, so does her sanity. The film earned US$835,224 on 206 screens for a new total of US$21,886,745.

Eiga Jewelpet Sweets Dance Princess, the first film in the Jewelpet magical girl anime franchise, debuted at No. 14 on Box Office Mojo's chart. Hiroaki Sakurai (Di Gi Charat, Maid Sama!) directed the film off of scripts by Takashi Yamada (Inuyasha, Yumeiro Pâtissière). Studio Comet produced the animation for the film as it has for the previous three television anime series. The story of the film is set in Sweetsland, a country next to Jewelland. Ruby and the other Jewelpets are celebrating the birthday of Sweetsland's Princess Marna with dancing. However, during the preparations for the birthday party, a mysterious object appears from the skies. In the object is a mysterious Sweetspet child named Gumimin. The film earned US$355,395 on 106 screens.

The Starship Troopers: Invasion CG film fell rom No. 15 to No. 16 during its fourth weekend. The new film draws design cues from Paul Verhoeven's loose 1997 live-action film adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's original novel and is directed by Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed). The film earned US$2,297 on 15 screens for a gross-to-date of US$185,242.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha the Movie 2nd A's fell from Box Office Mojo's chart in its fifth weekend. The 24th Anpanman film, Soreike! Anpanman Yomigaere Bananajima, also fell from Box Office Mojo's chart during its sixth weekend. The first installment in the Code Geass: Akito the Exiled OVA also fell from Box Office Mojo's chart in its second weekend.

Sources: Kogyo Tsunshinsha, Box Office Mojo