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2nd Space Battleship Yamato 2202 Film Opens at #8

The second film of the Uchū Senkan Yamato 2202: Ai no Senshi-tachi (Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love or Star Blazers 2202: Warriors of Love) anime sequel project, titled Hasshin-hen (Departure Chapter), debuted at #8 at the Japanese box office during its opening weekend on Saturday and Sunday. The film screened in 20 theaters over the weekend.

The anime's story is set in the year 2202, three years after the Yamato's return from the planet Iscandar. The people of Earth restored their Planet With the Cosmo Reverse System, and they signed a peace treaty with Garmillas. In addition to reconstruction, Earth developed a new defense fleet that includes the state-of-the-art battleship Andromeda. The Earth goes down a path of military expansion, despite Starsha Iscandar's wishes. The Yamato helps accomplish this so-called peace, but it comes at the price of many invaluable sacrifices. The goddess Teresa, who prays for tranquility in space, summons the Yamato on a new voyage. The threat of Gatlantis is sweeping over the universe and approaching Earth.

Nobuyoshi Habara (Fafner and Fafner EXODUS director, episode director and storyboard writer for Star Blazers 2199) is directing the new anime, and Harutoshi Fukui (Mobile Suit Gundam UC original novel writer, screenplay for Harlock: Space Pirate) is writing and overseeing the scripts. The late Yoshinobu Nishizaki is credited with the original work, and his son Shōji Nishizaki (Star Blazers 2199 planning, producer for Space Battleship Yamato Resurrection) is the executive producer. Additionally, Makoto Kobayashi is serving as assistant director, and Junichirō Tamamori and Yasushi Ishizu are the mechanical designers. Nobuteru Yuki is the character designer, and Akira Miyagawa is composing the music.

The project is a seven-part theatrical anime project, and the first film, subtitled Kōshi-hen (Starting Chapter), premiered in Japan on February 25. A trailer for the second film debuted in April.

The irregular at magic high school The Movie: The Girl Who Summons the Stars (Gekijōban Mahōka Kōkō no Rettōsei: Hoshi o Yobu Shōjo) anime film fell from #5 to #6 in its second weekend. The film opened on June 17 and debuted at #5 at the Japanese box office, earning about 163 million yen (about US$1.47 million) and selling approximately 107,000 tickets. The film screened in 59 theaters over the weekend.

The Detective Conan: The Crimson Love Letter (Meitantei Conan Kara Kurenai no Love Letter) anime film fell off the top 10 box office charts in its 11th weekend. The film had earned more than 6.5 billion yen (about US$59 million) as of June 4, setting a new record for the Detective Conan film series. The film is the fifth film in a row to set a new franchise record. The film has sold over 5 million tickets since opening in Japan on April 15.

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin, Movie Walker, Eiga.com