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Japanese Box Office, December 7-8

Lupin III vs. Detective Conan The Movie debuted at #1 during the December 7-8 weekend. In the film, the "Cherry Sapphire," an illusive secret treasure that holds the key to the entire world, will bring the two titular characters in a "head-to-head confrontation." Lupin is suspected of stealing the gem, and "when the truth is revealed, the curtain will open on the greatest battle in the world." Box Office Mojo did not list the film on its chart, but the film sold 539,132 tickets to earn 649,835,000 yen (about US$6,288,900).

Kaguya-hime no Monogatari (The Tale of Princess Kaguya), the latest film from Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, fell from #2 to #3 during its third weekend. The film is based on the famous Japanese folktale Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter), which centers on a princess named Kaguya who was discovered as a baby inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo plant. The film ranked at #1 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned 149,282,481 yen (US$1,446,696) on 456 screens for a new total of 1,120,459,084 yen (US$10,858,368).

Gekijō-ban Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magica [Shinpen]: Hangyaku no Monogatari (Madoka Magica The Movie -Rebellion-), the third film in the Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise, fell from #7 to #10 in its seventh weekend. Akiyuki Shinbo and Yukihiro Miyamoto directed the film at SHAFT with original character designs from manga creator Ume Aoki (Hidamari Sketch). Yuki Kajiura provided the music. The main cast returned from the television series and previous two films, and Kana Asumi joined the cast as the new magical girl Nagisa Momoe. The film ranked at #8 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned 24,898,195 yen (US$241,288) on 128 screens for a new total of 1,903,310,658 yen (US$18,444,983).

The first Persona 3 film, Persona 3 the Movie #1 Spring of Birth, rose from #10 to #7 on Box Office Mojo's chart in its third weekend (the film did not rank on Kogyo Tsushinsha's chart). The cast from Atlus's original PlayStation 2 game returned for the film. In the game's story, there is a hidden time known as the "Dark Hour" that exists between one day and the next when all movement in the town stops. During this time, terrible creatures called Shadows roam, and a group of high school students in the city of Iwatodai are drawn into the Dark Hour to fight these creatures and explore the mysterious tower of Tartarus. This group uses weapons called Evokers that are used to summon Personas. The film earned 25,046,650 yen (US$242,727) on 26 screens for a new total of 174,192,301 yen (US$1,688,097).

Toei's Eiga Dokidoki! Precure Mana Kekkon!!? Mirai ni Tsunagu Kibō no Dress (Dokidoki! Precure the Movie: Mana's Getting Married!!? The Dress of Hope Linked to the Future) film fell from #8 to #10 on Box Office Mojo's chart in its seventh weekend (the film did not rank on Kogyo Tsushinsha's chart). The story begins when the main lead, Mana Aida, inherits the same wedding dress that her mother and her grandmother wore. However, a mysterious cloaked figure named Mashū appears aboard an airship while playing a clarinet, and people start losing their memories or worse. Mana is transported to the past, and while she gets to see her beloved grandmother and dog Maro, the future is in jeopardy. The film earned 14,266,575 yen (US$138,257) on 168 screens for a new total of 948,649,896 yen (US$9,193,366).

The Bad Boys J live-action film based on Hiroshi Tanaka's Bad Boys manga fell from Box Office Mojo's chart in its fifth weekend.

Sources: Kogyo Tsushinsha, Box Office Mojo