Japanese Box Office: Doraemon Continues Its Reign
The Japanese box office charts saw familiar names holding strong and new contenders making their debut. The latest Doraemon adventure maintained its dominant position for a fifth consecutive weekend, while other anticipated films like the second live-action Golden Kamuy installment and Assassination Classroom shifted their ranks. Anime and live-action adaptations continue to captivate audiences across Japan, showcasing a dynamic and competitive film market.
Doraemon Stays Unchallenged at Number One
Eiga Doraemon: Shin Nobita no Kaitei Kiganjō, or Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil, solidified its box office supremacy, holding the number one spot for a remarkable fifth weekend. The 45th 2D anime film, a remake of the beloved 1983 classic, drew 223,000 moviegoers and grossed an impressive 284,425,400 yen (approximately 1.78 million US dollars) from Friday to Sunday. Its cumulative earnings have now reached a staggering 3,046,103,850 yen (approximately 19.1 million US dollars) from 2.39 million tickets sold since its February 27 opening. This latest entry showcases the enduring appeal of the Doraemon franchise, with Tetsuo Yajima returning to direct and Isao Murayama penning the screenplay, bringing a fresh take to a classic story.
New Arrivals: The Ogre's Bride and Poupelle's Sequel
Two new films successfully entered the top ranks. The live-action adaptation of Kureha's light novel series, The Ogre's Bride (Oni no Hanayome), debuted at number three. It garnered 202,395,960 yen (approximately 1.27 million US dollars) from 146,000 tickets in its first three days. Directed by Chihiro Ikeda and starring Ren Nagase and Ai Yoshikawa, the film explores a Japan where humans and demons coexist, focusing on a high school girl’s unexpected encounter with an ogre. This tale is also set to inspire a television anime series premiering in July.
Meanwhile, Studio 4°C's anime sequel, Entotsu-chō no Poupelle ~Yakusoku no Tokeidai~ (The Promised Clock Tower), opened at number five. The follow-up to Poupelle of Chimney Town sold 88,000 tickets, earning 122,348,500 yen (approximately 767,000 US dollars) over its opening weekend. Akihiro Nishino supervised the production and wrote the script for this film, which features returning director Yūsuke Hirota and actor Masataka Kubota as Poupelle, with Yuzuna Nagase joining as Lubicchi.
Golden Kamuy Live-Action Continues Its Run
The second live-action Golden Kamuy film, Golden Kamuy: Abashiri Kangoku Shūgeki-hen (Golden Kamuy: Attack on Abashiri Prison Arc), experienced a slight drop from fourth to sixth place in its third weekend. Despite the dip, the film added 129,552,200 yen (approximately 812,000 US dollars) to its earnings, pushing its cumulative total to 1,060,255,900 yen (approximately 6.64 million US dollars) from 710,000 tickets. Released on March 13, the film, featuring Kento Yamazaki as Saichi Sugimoto and Anna Yamada as Asirpa, continues to draw fans with its IMAX screenings and intense narrative, building on the success of the first film released in January 2024. Kenji Katagiri directed this installment with a script by Tsutomu Kuroiwa.
Assassination Classroom and Cosmic Princess Kaguya Updates
Gekijōban Ansatsu Kyōshitsu Minna no Jikan (Assassination Classroom the Movie: Everybody's Time) moved from seventh to eighth place in its second weekend. The anime film collected 101,957,900 yen (approximately 639,000 US dollars) over the weekend, bringing its total to 366,901,070 yen (approximately 2.30 million US dollars). This unique film, which opened on March 20, presents episodes previously left out of the television anime due to time constraints, and author Yūsei Matsui confirms it as a continuation of the main story, not just a 10th-anniversary project. Masaki Kitamura directed the film at Lerche, with Makoto Uezu handling the script.
Meanwhile, Shingo Yamashita's Cosmic Princess Kaguya! (Chō Kaguya-hime!) surprised many by staying at number ten in its sixth weekend. Its limited one-week theatrical screening run, which began on February 20, was extended due to overwhelming demand. The film earned 103,174,600 yen (approximately 647,000 US dollars) over the weekend, adding to its cumulative total of 1,521,590,100 yen (approximately 9.54 million US dollars). This success follows its Netflix debut on January 22, showcasing a unique distribution model. Yamashita made his feature-length directorial debut on this collaboration between Studio Chromato and Studio Colorido, featuring music by prominent Vocaloid producers.
The Ever-Changing Landscape of Japanese Cinema
The recent Japanese box office results highlight the diverse tastes of audiences, from long-running anime franchises like Doraemon to live-action adaptations and original animated features. The continued success of films like Doraemon and the extended run of Cosmic Princess Kaguya demonstrate strong fan engagement, while new entries like The Ogre's Bride find their footing. The coming weeks will undoubtedly bring more shifts as new releases challenge the current chart toppers.
