Exciting Updates from the Japanese Anime and Film World

This weekend's box office results reveal some fascinating trends and new releases in Japan's entertainment scene.

Top Performing Films

• Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: A Lonely Dragon Wants to be Loved opened at #9, earning approximately US$1.07 million in its first three days.
• Lupin the IIIrd The Movie: Fujimi no Ketsuzoku debuted at #10, with a first-weekend earning of about US$909,500.
• The 36th Anpanman film, Soreike! Anpanman: Chapon no Hero!, secured #8, earning over 132 million yen (around US$924,000).

Highlights of the Films

Chapon no Hero!

• The story follows Chapon, a mysterious boy who falls from the sky and dreams of becoming a hero like Anpanman.
• Yū Aoi stars as Chapon, with guest appearances by comedy trio Panther.
• The film explores themes of identity and dreams, especially when Chapon's origins are revealed.

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: A Lonely Dragon Wants to be Loved

• Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, this film continues the beloved series.
• New cast members include Fumihiko Tachiki and Nobunaga Shimazaki.
• The film features theme songs by fhána, Sachiko Kobayashi, and kotringo.
• Notably, Crunchyroll has acquired worldwide theatrical rights, and the film will be screened in North America with English subtitles.

Lupin the IIIrd The Movie: Fujimi no Ketsuzoku

• Directed by Takeshi Koike, this film marks the first new 2D feature-length Lupin film in nearly 30 years.
• The story follows Lupin and his team on a treasure hunt on a mysterious island.
• The film features new cast members Ainosuke Kataoka and Aoi Morikawa.
• The theme song is performed by rock band B'z.

Other Notable Releases

• The Detective Conan film, One-eyed Flashback, dropped off the top 10 after 11 weeks.
• The Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning- anime film is no longer in the top 10.
• The Virgin Punk series' first episode, Clockwork Girl, topped the mini-theater rankings.
• The live-action adaptation of Saburō Nagai's Smells Like Green Spirit opened at #3 in mini-theater rankings.

Industry Insights

• The Lupin franchise's latest film is the first in nearly three decades to be a full-length 2D anime, since Lupin III: Dead or Alive in 1996.
• The franchise has seen various formats, including CG films and crossovers, but this marks a return to traditional animation.

Sources

• Kōgyō Tsūshin
• KOFIC

Stay tuned for more updates on your favorite anime and movies!