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The First Slam Dunk Film Stays at #1 for 6th Straight Weekend, Suzume Stays at #2

The First Slam Dunk, the new anime film of Takehiko Inoue's Slam Dunk basketball manga, stayed at #1 for its sixth weekend. The film sold 319,000 tickets and earned 480,867,330 yen (about US$3.63 million) from Friday to Sunday. The film has sold a total of 5.27 million tickets for a cumulative total of 7,685,000,000 yen (about US$58.2 million) in the 38 days since the film opened in Japan.

The film ranked at #1 in its opening weekend. The film sold 847,000 tickets and earned 1,295,808,780 yen (about US$9.50 million) over its opening weekend.

The film opened in Japan on December 3. The movie has IMAX screenings in 40 cinemas all over Japan, and Dolby Atmos screenings in 34 cinemas. The movie added Dolby Cinema screenings on December 10.

Inoue personally directed the film at Toei Animation and wrote the script. Among the listed staff members are character designer/animation director Yasuyuki Ebara (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress) and technical directors Katsuhiko Kitada (Attack on Titan episodes, Major: Yūjō no Winning Shot), Naoki Miyahara (Digimon Adventure, Popin Q), Toshio Ōhashi (LayereD Stories 0), and Yū Kamatani (Looking for Magical DoReMi, Precure Super Stars!).

Daiki Nakazawa directed the CG, and Yūta Ogura produced the CG. Kazuo Ogura directed the art. Yota Tsuruoka directed the sound with Koji Kasamatsu.

Makoto Shinkai's Suzume (Suzume no Tojimari) film stayed at #2 in its ninth weekend. The film sold 281,000 tickets and earned 375,243,090 yen (about US$2.83 million) from Friday to Sunday. The film has now sold a cumulative total of 9.13 million tickets for 12.13 billion yen (about US$92 million). It is now the #27 highest-grossing film of all time in Japan, and the #10 highest-grossing anime film of all time in Japan.

The film opened at #1 on November 11 and sold 1.33 million tickets to earn 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."

Meitantei Conan Haibara Ai Monogatari ~Kurogane no Mystery Train~ (Detective Conan Ai Habara's Story ~Jet-Black Mystery Train~), a new compilation film for the franchise, ranked at #4 in its opening weekend. The film sold 136,000 tickets for 191,786,610 yen (about US$1.45 million) in its first three days from Friday to Sunday, and sold 177,000 tickets for 246 million yen (about US$1.86 million) in its first four days from Friday to Monday.

The compilation film recompiles the anime's four-episode "Jet-Black Mystery Train" arc (episodes 701-704), while also including key scenes centering on the character Ai Haibara from other parts of the television anime's run, as well as new footage connecting the film to Detective Conan: Kurogane no Submarine, the upcoming 26th franchise film, at the end of the film.

The Detective Conan: Kurogane no Submarine film will open in Japan on April 14, 2023.

The live-action film adaptation of Takatoshi Yamada's Dr. Koto Shinryojo (Dr. Koto's Clinic) manga dropped from #4 to #5 in its fourth weekend. The film earned 87,912,440 yen (about US$664,800) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 619,441,320 yen (about US$4.68 million).

The film opened in Japan on December 16. Isamu Nakae directed the film, with a script by Noriko Yoshida. Hidetaka Yoshioka reprised his role as the film's titular doctor from the earlier 2003 and 2006 live-action television series.

Crunchyroll previously streamed the 2003 and 2006 live-action series under the title Dr. Coto's Clinic.

The anime film of Mizuki Tsujimura's Lonely Castle in the Mirror (Kagami no Kojō) novel dropped from #6 to #7 in its third weekend. The film earned 52,687,780 yen (about US$393,600) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 392,196,110 yen (about US$2.93 million).

The film opened in Japan on December 23.

Keiichi Hara (Colorful, Miss Hokusai, The Wonderland) directed the film at A-1 Pictures. Miho Maruo, who wrote the script for Hara's Miss Hokusai and The Wonderland films, penned the script. Keigo Sasaki (Blue Exorcist, ERASED, The Seven Deadly Sins) designed the characters, and was also the chief animation director. Russian artist Ilya Kuvshinov, who drew the character designs for The Wonderland, was credited for visual concept and castle design. Harumi Fuuki, who has composed the music for Hara's prior films, returned for this new film. Shochiku is distributing the film.

The live-action film based on Hikaru Nakamura's Black Night Parade comedy manga dropped from #8 to #10 in its third weekend. The film earned 54,465,600 yen (about US$411,800) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 597,691,710 yen (about US$4.51 million).

The film opened in Japan on December 23.

The story follows Miharu Hino, a young man who could not get into college or a steady gig, so he ends up spending every day at his part-time convenience store job. However, this man who is good for nothing somehow lands a job via "Black Santa Claus" at a company that delivers terrible presents to naughty children. ("Black companies" is a Japanese slang for exploitative workplaces.)

Yūichi Fukuda (live-action Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, Gintama, HK/Hentai Kamen) directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Tetsuo Kamata.

One Piece Film Red dropped off the top 10 once again for a second time in its 23rd weekend, while That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Scarlet Bond dropped off the top 10 in its seventh weekend. The Kamen Rider Geats x Revice Movie Battle Royale film also dropped off the top 10 in its third weekend.

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