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3rd Psycho-Pass SS Anime Film Opens at #10 at Japanese Box Office
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
Eiga Doraemon no Nobita no Getsumen Tansaki (Doraemon the Movie: Chronicle of the Moon Exploration), the Doraemon franchise's 39th film, remained at #1 at the Japanese box office in its second weekend. The film earned 612,046,700 yen (about US$5.49 million) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 1,491,610,300 yen (about US$13.38 million).
The film opened on 382 screens on March 1 and sold 645,000 tickets for 757 million yen (about US$6.77 million) to top the Japanese box office in its opening weekend. The figures include 586,000 tickets for 696 million yen (about US$6.23 million) on Saturday and Sunday, which represents 82.6% of the earnings from last year's Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Takarajima film in its opening weekend. Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Takarajima holds the record as the highest-grossing film in the current 14-installment Doraemon film series after earning a total of 5.37 billion yen (about US$48.1 million) at the box office. Each Doraemon film in the past three years has set a new franchise box-office record.
The film's story relates to the Japanese folkloric belief that a rabbit resides on the moon. The film is set on the moon and centers on strong friendships bound together by the "ability to believe." Luna is a mysterious girl who lives on the far side of the moon. Diabolo and his subordinate Goddard stand in the way of Nobita and his friends on their moon exploration journey.
Shinnosuke Yakuwa (Doraemon the Movie: Nobita and the Birth of Japan 2016, Doraemon the Movie: Nobita in the New Haunts of Evil - Peko and the Five Explore) directed the film, which is his first work directing from an original script. Naoki Prize-winning mystery author Midzuki Tsujimura (Tsunagu, Kagami no Kojō) wrote the script, and she also wrote a novel adaptation, which debuted on November 16.
The live-action film adaptation of Mineo Maya's Tonde Saitama (Fly Me to Saitama) manga remained at #2 at the box office. The film earned 270,444,500 yen (about US$2.42 million) from Friday to Sunday. and has earned a cumulative total of 1,534,444,100 yen (about US$13.77 million).
After opening on February 22, the film sold 191,000 tickets for 259,038,800 yen (about US$2.33 million) on Saturday and Sunday to top the Japanese box office in its opening weekend. The film is expected to surpass 3 billion yen (about US$26.8 million) at the box office.
Hideki Takeuchi (live-action Nodame Cantabile, Thermae Romae) directed the film, and Tomokazu Tokunaga (live-action Densha Otoko) wrote the script. Hanawa performed the film's theme song "Saitama-ken no Uta" (The Song of Saitama Prefecture).
There are two parts to the film: a "legend part" that focuses on Rei and Momomi, and a "modern part" that focuses on a certain Saitama family through whom the legend is told.
In the story, those who live in Saitama Prefecture are ruthlessly persecuted by those who live in Tokyo, so the citizens of Saitama Prefecture hide this fact from others. High school student Momomi Dannoura is the son of the governor of Tokyo, and he is also the student council president at Hokuhodo Academy, the top high school in Tokyo. One day, he meets Rei Asami, a mysterious transfer student who has returned from America. Rei and Momomi are captivated by each other, but Momomi knows Rei is from Saitama Prefecture. The manga tells the story of two people split by a prefectural border, a Saitama "Romeo and Juliet." The couple try to elope and start a revolution to liberate Saitama Prefecture.
Gekijōban Ultraman R/B Select! Kizuna no Crystal (Ultraman R/B The Movie Select! The Crystal of Bonds), the film based on the newest Ultraman series Ultraman R/B, opened on Friday and ranked at #9 at the box office for the weekend.
Shochiku Media Division is distributing the film. In the film's story, monsters and a mysterious Ultraman named Ultraman Tregia appear in front of the Minato family. The Minato family's passionate feelings give birth to a new "Ultraman G/R/B." Ultraman Geed protagonist Riku Asakura (played by Tatsuomi Hamada) also appears in the film.
Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System Case.3 Onshū no Kanata ni ____ (In the Realm Beyond Is ____), the third film in the three-film Psycho-Pass SS or Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System project, opened on Friday and ranked at #10 at box office.
Naoyoshi Shiotani again directed the film, with a screenplay by Makoto Fukami.
The films also have 4D screenings with both 4DX and MX4D in Japan. Those who attend any screenings of the film in Japan receive a bonus present of an image board with character visuals by character designer Naoyuki Onda while supplies last.
Production I.G animated all three films, and TOHO is distributing.
Alita: Battle Angel, James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez's live-action film of Yukito Kishiro's Battle Angel Alita (GUNNM) manga, and City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes, the new anime film adaptation of Tsukasa Hōjō's City Hunter manga, dropped off the top 10 this past weekend. Alita: Battle Angel still earned 58,315,500 yen (about US$523,200) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 843,394,100 yen (about US$7.56 million) in Japan, while City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes earned 56,977,300 yen (about US$511,200) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 1,328,388,620 yen (about US$11.92 million). Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection is also off the top 10, but still earned 37,935,000 yen (about US$340,400) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 894,563,400 yen (about US$8.02 million).
Sources: Eiga.com, Kōgyō Tsūshin (link 2), comScore via KOFIC
