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Makoto Shinkai's Suzume Film Opens at #1, One Piece Film Red Drops to #3

Makoto Shinkai's Suzume (Suzume no Tojimari) film opened at #1 on Friday. The film sold 1.33 million tickets and earned 1.88 billion yen (about US$13.49 million) in its first three days.

The film sold 38.7% more tickets and earned 47.4% more than Shinkai's acclaimed your name. film, which earned 1,277,960,000 yen (about US$12.51 million at the time) in its first three days. It also sold 14.8% more tickets and earned 14.4% more than Shinkai's previous film Weathering With You, marking the strongest opening three days of Shinkai's films.

Actress Nanoka Hara voices the heroine Suzume Iwato in the film. SixTONES idol group member Hokuto Matsumura (live-action Liar × Liar film's Tōru, live-action xxxHOLiC film's Shizuka Doumeki) made his voice acting debut in the film as Sōta Munakata, a young man who embarks on a journey with Suzume as the "Door-Closing Master."

Shinkai (your name., Weathering With You) directed the film and wrote the screenplay. He is also credited with the original story. Masayoshi Tanaka (your name., Weathering With You) designed the characters. Kenichi Tsuchiya (your name., Garden of Words) was the animation director. Takumi Tanji (Children Who Chase Lost Voices) was the art director. CoMix Wave Films and STORY inc. produced the movie. Toho is distributing the film. RADWIMPS scored the film. Seattle-based Hollywood film composer, Kazuma Jinnouchi (Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, RWBY: Ice Queendom) scored the film alongside RADWIMPS. TikTok performer Toaka performed one of the film's theme songs "Suzume."

The One Piece Film Red anime dropped from #1 to #3 in its 15th weekend at the Japanese box office. The film earned 147,225,740 yen (about US$1,04 million) from Friday to Sunday. The film has sold a total of 13.16 million tickets, and has earned a cumulative total of 18,250,210,670 yen (about US$129 million).

One Piece Film Red opened in Japan on August 6. The movie has become the franchise's highest-selling and highest-earning film installment, in terms of both the number of tickets sold and yen earned at the box office. The film has also topped Top Gun: Maverick to become the highest-earning film to open in Japan so far this year. The anime is both the #6 all-time highest-earning anime film in Japan and the #9 all-time highest-earning film in Japan.

Crunchyroll released One Piece Film Red in the United States and Canada on Friday, and in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday. The film earned an estimated total of US$9,475,251 in its first three days in the United States to rank #2 overall in the U.S. box office for the weekend.

The film centers on a new character named Uta, Shanks' daughter. Kaori Nazuka is the speaking voice of Uta, while Ado is the character's singing voice. Ado also performs the film's theme song "Shinjidai" ("New Genesis"). Goro Taniguchi (Code Geass, One Piece: Defeat The Pirate Ganzak! special) directed One Piece Film Red. Tsutomu Kuroiwa (One Piece Film Gold, One Piece: Heart of Gold, GANTZ:O, live-action Black Butler) wrote the screenplay, and One Piece manga creator Eiichiro Oda himself served as executive producer.

Gekijō-ban Utano☆Princesama♪ Maji Love ST☆RISH Tours, the latest film in the Utano☆Princesama franchise, rose back up from #8 to #4 in its 11th weekend. The film earned 85,439,310 yen (about US$608,400) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 1,706,203,990 yen (about US$12.14 million).

The film ranked at #7 in its opening weekend. The film sold 86,500 tickets and earned 140 million yen (about US$996,400) in its first three days. The film earned about 69.61 million yen (about US$495,400) on its opening day on September 2, earning 63% more than the previous film in the franchise, Uta no Prince Sama Maji Love Kingdom, did on its first day when it opened in Japan in June 2019.

The film — described as part of a "new theatrical film series" — is entirely composed of concert footage of the ST☆RISH idol group. Noriyasu Agematsu was once again credited as the original creator with Broccoli. Elements Garden composed the music, and A-1 Pictures produced the film. Shochiku is distributing the film.

The live-action film of Katsutoshi Murase and Welzard's Karada Sagashi (Body Search) horror manga dropped from #2 to #5 in its fifth weekend. The film earned 57,189,450 yen (about US$407,200) from Friday to Sunday. The film has sold more than 830,000 tickets, and has earned a cumulative total of 1,000,263,950 yen (about US$7.12 million).

The film opened on October 14.

Kanna Hashimoto plays protagonist Asuka Morisaki, and director Eiichirō Hasumi (Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, live-action Assassination Classroom) reunited with Hashimoto for the first time in six years. Harumi Doki penned the script, and Yūgo Kanno composed the film's music.

Welzard's original cellphone novel on the Everystar site inspired Murase's manga adaptation. The manga inspired a series of anime shorts that debuted on Production I.G's Tate Anime (now Anime Beans) app in July 2017.

Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Kuraki Yūyami no Scherzo (Scherzo of a Dark Dusk), the second film in the Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- anime film series, dropped from #3 to #6 its fourth weekend. The film earned 42,896,060 yen (about US$305,400) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 920,918,093 yen (about US$6.55 million).

The second film opened for regular screenings in Japan on October 22 but opened on IMAX and 4DX screenings one day earlier on October 21.

The film features a returning cast. In addition, Kaede Hondo plays Liten, and Yūsuke Kobayashi plays Morte. Ayako Kohno (unit director on Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic, High School Fleet, The Seven Deadly Sins the Movie: Prisoners of the Sky) returned to direct the film at A-1 Pictures, and Kento Toya (Sword Art Online: Alicization - War of Underworld, The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of The Commandments) returned to design the characters. Yasuyuki Kai again served as action director, and Yuki Kajiura returned to compose the music. Eir Aoi performed the theme song "Shinzо̄" (Heart).

Sadako DX, the new live-action film in the Ring franchise, dropped from #5 to #8 in its third weekend. The film earned 17,422,270 yen (about US$124,100), and has earned a cumulative total of 265,240,880 yen (about US$1.88 million).

The film opened on October 28 and debuted at #5. The film earned 78,824,850 yen (about US$531,000) over the weekend, and earned 106,800,720 yen (about US$719,400) in its first three days (including Friday).

Hisashi Kimura directed the film. Yūya Takahashi (Lupin the IIIrd: Fujiko Mine's Lie, Kamen Rider Ex-Aid) wrote the script.

Suzuki's Ring novel series inspired the horror franchise of the same name. The Japanese film series includes two timelines. The first film, Ring, debuted in 1998, and the Spiral sequel followed later that year. Ring 2 premiered in 1999, and Ring Ø: Birthday debuted in 2000. The franchise also includes two Sadako 3D films, as well as a new Sadako film, which opened in Japan in May 2019. The first main film received a Hollywood remake in 2002, and had two sequels. A newer Hollywood film titled Rings opened in February 2017. Additionally, the Japanese franchise includes the 2016 Sadako vs. Kayako crossover film with the Ju-on horror franchise.

The live-action sequel film based on Aoi Hiiragi's Whisper of the Heart (Mimi o Sumaseba) manga dropped off the top 10 in its fourth weekend, but still earned 10,348,440 yen (about US$73,700) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 532,251,310 yen (about US$3.79 million).

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin, comScore via KOFIC