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Rurouni Kenshin Final Chapter Films at #1, #2, Detective Conan Rises to #3

Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Beginning, the second of two "final chapter" films in the live-action film series based on Nobuhiro Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin manga, topped the Japanese box office in its opening weekend. The film sold 350,000 tickets for over 508 million yen (about US$4.7 million) in its opening weekend. The film opened last Friday.

Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Final, the first of the two films, dropped from #1 to #2 in its seventh weekend. This makes the Rurouni Kenshin films the first franchise to take the top two spots in the Japanese box office in a single weekend. Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Final earned 108,505,540 yen (about US$992,800) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 3,451,819,800 yen (about US$31.58 million). The film has sold over 2.45 million tickets since its April 23 opening. It ranked at #2 and earned 745 million yen (about US$6.9 million) in its opening weekend.

The films were originally slated to open on July 3 and August 7 last year, but were delayed to this year due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Final has an original story that differs from the story in the manga. The film centers on the story from the manga's "Jinchū" arc, which features Kenshin's conflict with the mysterious weapons dealer Enishi. Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Beginning tells the story of how Kenshin got his cross-shaped scar. Kasumi Arimura plays the character Tomoe Yukishiro in the films. Tomoe was Kenshin's wife during his days as the assassin Battōsai, and her story ties into Kenshin's iconic X-shaped scar. Kenshin and Tomoe's relationship was previously portrayed in the Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal original video anime (OVA) project.

Keishi Ōtomo returned to direct the films. The rock band ONE OK ROCK returned to perform the theme song "Renegade" for the films.

The Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet (Meitantei Conan: Hiiro no Dangan) film rose from #4 to #3 in its eighth weekend. It earned 97,259,050 yen (about US$889,500) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 6,777,862,250 yen (about US$61.98 million). The film has sold over 4.83 million tickets.

The film sold 1,533,054 tickets and earned 2,218,130,800 yen (about US$20.5 million) in its first three days to rank #1 in the Japanese box office in its opening weekend.

Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet is the 24th film in the franchise. The film was slated to open on April 17 last year, but was delayed from its original date due to concerns about the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The film opened in Japan on April 16. The film also had a simultaneous release in 22 countries and territories outside of Japan: Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and France.

Tomoka Nagaoka (Detective Conan: Fist of Blue Sapphire) directed the film, and Takeharu Sakurai (Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer) wrote the script. Katsuo Ono returned to compose the music. Rock band Tokyo Jihen performed the theme song "Eien no Fuzaishōmei" (The Eternal Alibi).

Kakegurui 2: Ultimate Russian Roulette (Kakegurui: Zettai Zetsumei Russian Roulette), the live-action film sequel based on Homura Kawamoto and Tōru Naomura's Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler manga, ranked at #8 in its opening weekend.

The film opened in Japan on June 1. The film was slated to open in Japan on April 29, but was delayed due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the state of emergency declared in four prefectures on April 25. The film was then slated for May 12 before it was delayed yet again due to COVID-19 and the extended state of emergency in Japan.

Montreal's 25th Fantasia International Film Festival will screen the film's North American debut at the virtual film festival

The film includes a returning cast, but focuses on a new antagonist, the shrewd gambler Makuro Shikigami, played by Johnny's West member Ryūsei Fujii. Tsutomu Hanabusa returned to direct the film, and also wrote the screenplay with Minato Takano.

The live-action film adaptation of Risa Konno's Mune ga Naru no wa Kimi no Sei manga opened at #9.

Paladin: Agateram, the second film in the Fate/Grand Order The Movie Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot (Fate/Grand Order Shinsei Entaku Ryōiki Camelot) film project, stayed at #10 in its fourth weekend. The film earned 52,700,000 yen (about US$481,800) from Friday to Sunday. It has earned a cumulative total of 228,412,800 yen (about US$2.08 million).

The film ranked at #5 in its opening weekend.

The film was slated to open on May 8, but was delayed by one week for a May 15 opening due to COVID-19 and the state of emergency declared in four prefectures.

The first film, Wandering: Agateram, opened on December 5. The first film had been delayed from its August 15 opening, due to the effects of COVID-19 on its production.

The two Fate/Grand Order The Movie Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot films, Wandering: Agateram and Paladin: Agateram, adapt the "Dai Roku Tokuiten Shinsei Entaku Ryōiki: Camelot" (Order VI: The Sacred Round Table Realm: Camelot) story from the game.

Kazuto Arai (FLCL Progressive) directed the second film at Production I.G. Takashi Takeuchi (Fate anime franchise) was the lead character designer, while Mieko Hosoi (Aiura, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions) adapted those designs for animation. Film composers included Keita Haga (Fate/Stay night theme song lyrics) and Hideyuki Fukasawa (Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works).

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time (Shin Evangelion Gekijō-ban :||), the "final" Evangelion film, dropped off the top 10 in its 13th weekend, but the film still earned 27,704,700 yen (about US$253,200) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 8,671,375,950 yen (about US$79.26 million).

The Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train is off the top 10 in its 34th weekend, but still earned 16,293,950 yen (about US$148,900) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 40,096,913,600 yen (about US$366.53 million).

Eiji Han Shimizu's True North animated film ranked at #4 in the mini-theater ranking in its opening weekend in Japan.

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin, Eiga.com, comScore via KOFIC, The Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web