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Live-Action Fullmetal Alchemist Film Tops Japan's Box Office
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The live-action film of Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist manga opened at #1 on Japan's box office chart for the weekend of December 2-3. The film had opened on December 1 on about 400 screens in Japan, including on IMAX and 4DX screens. The film earned a total of 264,065,100 yen (about US$2.34 million) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 373,330,500 yen (about US$3.31 million).
Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru ~Makuai Kaisōroku~, the compilation film based on the first season of the Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru television anime series, opened at #7 in tickets sold, and also topped the mini-theater rankings. The film had also opened on December 1. The series and the film tells a year in the life of the Tōken Danshi, human forms of ancient famed swords who must protect Japan's history from being changed by the "historical revisionists." The anime's first season premiered in October 2016 and the second season will premiere on January 7.
Eiga Kaiketsu Zorori: ZZ no Himitsu (Kaiketsu Zorori the Movie: Secret of Double Z), the Kaiketsu Zorori franchise's 30th anniversary work and fifth anime film, stayed at #8 in its second weekend. The film earned 23,346,840 yen (about US$207,300) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative 63,647,640 yen (about US$565,800). The film sold 30,000 tickets in its first two days to earn 34 million yen (about US$306,000). Masaya Fujimori (Tribe Cool Crew, Izetta: The Last Witch) directed the film off a script by Reiko Yoshida (K-ON!, Yowamushi Pedal) at BN Pictures and Ajia-do. In the film's original story, Zorori is sucked into another time with Ishishi and Noshishi.
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (Godzilla: Kaijū Wakusei), the first film in the Godzilla anime trilogy, dropped from #6 to #10 in its third weekend. The film earned 25,896,300 yen (about US$229,900) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 342,349,800 yen (about US$3.04 million). It is projected to earn more than 500 million yen.
Kobun Shizuno (Detective Conan: The Darkest Nightmare and other Detective Conan movies, Fist of the North Star: The Legend of Kenshirô, Fist of the North Star: The Legend of Toki) and Hiroyuki Seshita (Ajin, Knights of Sidonia) are directing the films at Polygon Pictures. Gen Urobuchi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, Psycho-Pass) of Nitroplus is credited with the story concept and screenplay. Urobuchi is also responsible for series composition with Yūsuke Kozaki.
The Eiga Kirakira ☆ Precure a la Mode: Paris to! Omoide no Mille-Feuille! (Kirakira ☆ Precure a la Mode the Movie: With Paris! Mille-Feuille of Memories) anime film dropped from the top 10 chart in its sixth weekend. Gochūmon wa Usagi Desu ka?? Dear My Sister — the new special episode for the Is the order a rabbit? (Gochūmon wa Usagi Desu ka?) anime — also fell off the top 10 chart in its fourth weekend.
Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. presage flower, the first film in the Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel anime film trilogy, earned 22,793,500 yen (about US$202,600) in its 10th weekend, and has earned a cumulative total of 1,390,944,580 yen (about US$12.36 million).
Sources: Kōgyō Tsushin (Link 2), Eiga.com, comScore via KOFIC
