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2nd Code Geass Film Opens at #8, Macross Delta Film Tops Mini-Theater Ranking

Code Geass - Hangyaku no Lelouch - Handō (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion - The Rebellion Path), the second film in the compilation film trilogy for the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 anime series, ranked #8 in its opening weekend. The film opened in Japan on February 10 in 79 theaters.

The films recap all 50 episodes of both Code Geass series. The cast are re-recording all their lines for the films, and the films include new scenes.

The first film, Code Geass - Hangyaku no Lelouch - Kōdō (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion - The Awakening Path), opened in Japan last October. The third film, Code Geass - Hangyaku no Lelouch - Ōdō (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion - The Imperial Path), will open in Japan on May 26.

The live-action film of Yūya Kanzaki and Arata Miyatsuki's Funōhan (Impossibility Defense) manga stayed at #3 in its second weekend. The film earned 88,368,700 yen (about US$826,200) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 418,985,300 yen (about US$3.91 million). The film sold 93,000 tickets and earned 128 million yen (about US$1.17 million) in its opening weekend.

The suspense manga centers on Tadashi Usobuki, a man who wears a black suit and is able to kill others through the power of suggestion and by warping their thoughts. Although Tadashi often appears at the scene of the crime of these unnatural deaths, no one is able to prosecute him because police can never find any proof.

A four-episode mini-series premiered on dTV last December. The cast for both the film and the mini-series includes Tori Matsuzaka (live-action Gatchaman's Ken Washio the Eagle, Samurai Sentai Shinkenger's Takeru Shiba) as Tadashi Usobuki and Erika Sawajiri (live-action Helter Skelter, Shinjuku Swan) as Tomoko Tada.

The live-action film of Tatsuhiko Yamagami and Mikio Igarashi's Hitsuji no Ki (The Sheep's Tree or The Scythian Lamb) manga fell from #2 to #5 in its second weekend. The film earned 82,762,100 (about US$773,800) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 328,792,200 yen (about US$3.07 million). The film sold 95,000 tickets and earned 129 million yen (about US$1.18 million) in its opening weekend.

The manga's story is set in a former seaport town that becomes the center of a secret government project. The project involves sending former convicts to live in the town, with almost no one in the town aware that they are former criminals. The story depicts the tension between the former convicts, whose intentions are unknown, and the citizens.

Ryo Nishikido stars in the lead role as Hajime Tsukisue, a kind-hearted public servant who is one of the few who know about the government project central to the story.

The Gekijō-ban Macross Delta: Gekijō no Walkūre (Macross Delta the Movie: Passionate Walkūre) compilation film topped the mini-theater ranking in its opening weekend. The film opened in Japan on February 9.

Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Trilogy: Another Ending Part I - Kamen Rider Brave & Snipe, the first film in a trilogy that provides an epilogue to the Kamen Rider Ex-Aid series, fell from #1 to #2 in the mini-theater ranking.

"Tenmei-hen" (Karma Chapter), the fourth film in 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, fell from #2 to #4 in the mini-theater ranking in its third weekend. The film ranked at #9 on the overall ranking chart in its opening weekend, and also topped the mini-theater ranking.

Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆ Miracle6, the anime film of Konami and Koei Tecmo Games' Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆ smartphone game, ranked #5 in the mini-theater ranking in its opening weekend. The film opened in Japan on February 10.

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