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The Laws of the Universe: Part 1 Stays at #1, Nanoha Detonation Opens at #6

The Laws of the Universe: Part 1, HS Pictures Studio's new anime film sequel to the The Laws of the Universe Part 0 religious anime film, topped the Japanese box office again on its second weekend. The film sold 108,000 tickets to earn 134 million yen (about US$1.18 million) during the weekend, and the film has earned a cumulative total of 429,029,450 yen (about US$3.80 million).

The film opened in Japan on October 12 on 206 screens, topping the Japanese box office in its opening weekend. It sold 134,089 tickets for 166,907,400 yen (about US$1.49 million) from Saturday to Sunday, and 176,210 tickets for 220,113,150 yen (about US$1.96 million) on that weekend. The film earned 42.4% more in its opening weekend than the previous The Laws of the Universe Part 0 film, and Eiga.com reports that the new film may reach a final total of 1 billion yen (about US$9 million).

Eleven Arts Anime Studio hosted the film's world premiere with an English dub at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles on October 6. The film then premiered theatrically in the United States, Canada, and Japan on October 12. Screenings in the United States and Canada are English-dubbed.

Eleven Arts describes the film's story:

University students, Ray, Anna, Tyler, Halle, and Eisuke are enjoying college life and pursuing their dreams, but in reality, They have a secret mission, to fight against invading Reptilians from outer space. One day, Ray travels back in time to 330 million years ago on Earth, to find his missing friend Tyler who has fallen into a trap set by the evil alien, Dahar. During that time, Alpha, the God of the Earth, was planning to create a new civilization on Earth and invited Queen Zamza and her fellow Reptilian from the planet Zeta, to Earth.

What is the intention of Dahar? What will happen to Ray and Tyler?

And what is “the plan of the God of the Earth"?

Part 1 is the first part of a trilogy. Ryuho Okawa, the founder of the controversial religious organization Happy Science (Kōfuku no Kagaku), is credited with the original work and as the chief production supervisor for the first film. As in Part 0, Isamu Imakake directed Part 1 at HS Pictures Studio, and was also the character designer and chief animation director. Yūichi Mizusawa once again composed the music. Nikkatsu Corporation is distributing the film, with distribution assistance from Tokyo Theatres.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Detonation, the second anime film in a two-film project, ranked at #6 in its opening weekend. The film opened in Japan last Friday on 90 theaters.

The film's new cast includes Kōichi Yamadera as the head of the Planet Reclamation Committee, Eiji Miyashita as Andy Penton, and Yumiko Ōfuku as Jessica Waverly.

The first film in the two-film project, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Reflection, opened in Japan in July 2017. Eleven Arts screened the film in U.S. theaters on February 9 in Japanese with English subtitles, and also screened the film in Canada on March 2.

Masaki Tsuzuki, the franchise creator and scriptwriter, is credited with the original work, and also penned the scripts of both films. Takayuki Hamana (The Prince of Tennis, Library War, Appleseed XIII) directed the first film at Seven Arcs Pictures, and both returned for the second film. Kana Hashidate (Dog Days) drew the character designs, and Shochiku is distributing the films.

Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond (Natsume Yūjin-Chō: Utsusemi ni Musubu), the anime film of Yuki Midorikawa's Natsume's Book of Friends (Natsume Yūjin-Chō) manga, dropped from #5 to #8 in its fourth weekend. The film earned 51,359,880 yen (about US$455,500) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 725,058,820 yen (about US$6.43 million).

The film opened in Japan on September 29. It topped the Japanese box office rankings in its opening weekend, and sold 117,473 tickets to earn 172,144,780 yen (about US$1.5 million). It is projected to eventually earn over 1 billion yen (about US$9 million).

Aniplex of America will screen the film at the Anime NYC convention on Friday, November 16 at 7:45 p.m. EST.

The film features a returning cast. In addition, Kengo Kōra plays Mukuo Tsumura, a young man whom Natsume meets and befriends. Sumi Shimamoto plays Yorie Tsumura, Mukuo's mother. Ayumu Murase plays Daisuke Yūki, Natsume's schoolmate from elementary school. Viking comedy duo member Eiji Kotōge plays Monmonbō, a yōkai who has come to take its name back from Natsume. Viking comedy duo member Mizuki Nishimura plays Roppon-ude, a six-armed yōkai who aims to take Natsume's book.

Midorikawa supervised the film's original story. Animation studio Shuka returned from the television anime's fifth and sixth seasons to animate the film. Takahiro Ōmori again served as chief director, but Hideki Ito was the new director. Sadayuki Murai again handled series composition, Tatsuo Yamada returned for yōkai design, and Makoto Yoshimori again composed the music. Uru performed the film's theme song "remember."

The 4D screenings for Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer (Meitantei Conan: Zero no Shikkōnin), the 22nd film in the Detective Conan franchise, ranked #9 in its opening weekend. The 4D screenings began last Friday on 360 theaters. Including this week's screenings, the film has earned more than 8.8 billion yen (about US$78.06 million).

The film opened on April 13, and earned the highest opening weekend record for the franchise. It is now also the highest-earning film in the franchise.

Yuzuru Tachikawa (Mob Psycho 100, Death Parade) directed the film. Masaharu Fukuyama performed the film's ending theme song "ZERO." Aya Ueto played the character Kyōko Tachibana, a lawyer representing Ran's father Kogorō Mori. Daikichi Hakata played Fumikazu Haba, a deceased judicial intern and former colleague of Tachibana. Tachibana once worked with him at the same law firm.

The film is a sequel of the series' 20th film, Detective Conan: The Darkest Nightmare, and centers on Tōru "Zero" Amuro. Police chief Hyōe Kuroda, who is rumored to be Rum in the Black Organization, appears for the first time in a film for the franchise.

The live-action film of Rie Aruga's Perfect World manga fell from #8 to #10 in its third weekend. The film earned 39,257,400 yen (about US$348,200) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 479,467,400 yen (about US$4.25 million).

Kenji Shibayama (Nagareboshi ga Kienai Uchi ni, Kimi no Suki na Uta) directed the film, and Keiko Kanome (Time Slip Megane, Chibi Maruko-chan) wrote the script. Takefumi Haketa composed the film's music. E-girls performs the film's theme song "Perfect World."

The film stars Sandaime J Soul Brothers and Exile member Takanori Iwata (live-action Crows Explode film, right in visual right) as Itsuki Ayukawa, and Hana Sugisaki (live-action Blade of the Immortal film, left in visual right) plays Tsugumi Kawana.

Kodansha Comics is publishing the manga in English digitally, and it describes the story:

26-year-old Tsugumi Kawana reunites with her first crush from high school, Itsuki Ayukawa, at a get-together between an architecture firm and the interior design company she works at. He sends her heart aflutter, until she realizes he's now disabled, and in a wheelchair. At first she feels she couldn't date a guy in a wheelchair, but then her feelings begin to change …

The Monster Strike The Movie: Sora no Kanata (Beyond the Sky) 3DCG anime film dropped off the top 10 in its third weekend.

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Memory Snow, The first OVA episode in the Re:Zero franchise, earned 39,257,400 yen (about US$348,200) in its third weekend, and has earned a cumulative total of 255,261,500 yen (about US$2.26 million). The film dropped off the top 10 in its second weekend.

Studio 4°C and Ankama's MFKZ (Mutafukaz) film dropped from #4 to #5 in the mini-theater rankings in its second weekend.

Sources: Eiga.com, Kōgyō Tsūshin (link 2), comScore via KOFIC