Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback Remains at #1

Image via Detective Conan films' X/Twitter

Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback (Meitantei Conan: Sekigan no Flashback) held onto the top spot in its fifth weekend at the Japanese box office. This is the 28th film in the Detective Conan franchise.

Box Office Performance

• Tickets sold: 346,000
• Revenue: 516,244,100 yen (approx. US$3.56 million)
• Total tickets sold: 8.43 million
• Cumulative earnings: 12,200,988,300 yen (about US$84.21 million)

The film opened at #1 and earned 3.44 billion yen (roughly US$24.15 million) in just the first three days, setting a new opening record for the franchise. It screened in 522 theaters across Japan, a record number for the series.

About the Film

Set in the snowy mountains of Nagano, the story features Conan and characters connected to Nagano, including inspector Yamato, who has a unique injured eye, and Kogoro, last seen in the 9th film. Other local characters like Taka'aki and Yui also appear.

Directed by: Katsuya Shigehara (known for Detective Conan: Kurogane no Submarine)
Script: Takeharu Sakurai

The movie features IMAX, MX4D, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema screenings, reflecting its big-budget presentation.

Theme Song

The theme song, "Twilight!!!," is performed by King Gnu.

The story unfolds on the snowy peaks of Nagano, combining mystery and regional charm with iconic characters Conan, Yamato, and Kogoro.

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Other Notable Releases

Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey

Image via Blank Canvas official Twitter

This semi-autobiographical live-action film of Akiko Higashimura's manga ranked #4 in its opening weekend:

• Tickets sold: 125,000
• First weekend earnings: 169,750,080 yen (~US$1.17 million)
• Opening date: May 16

Starring Mei Nagano as Akiko and Yō Ōizumi as teacher Hidaka, the film was directed by Kazuaki Seki with a script co-written by Higashimura herself.

The story follows high school girl Akiko, who dreams of becoming a mangaka. Her journey is guided by an unconventional art teacher who aims to help her improve.

Licensed by: Seven Seas, providing the manga worldwide.

Gekijōban Utano☆Princesama♪ TABOO NIGHT XXXX

The latest Utano☆Princesama film dropped from #4 to #6 in its second weekend, earning about US$817,200 and bringing its total to approximately US$2.19 million.

• Opened: May 9 in Japan
• First three-day earnings: 189 million yen (~US$1.29 million)

A special encore screening of previous franchise films also ran in theaters starting March 7.

Other Noteworthy Films

• Tabekko Dōbutsu THE MOVIE: Based on animal-shaped butter biscuits, this film stayed at #7 in its third weekend, earning over US$542,600. It opened on May 1.
• Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- the movie: Despite not ranking in the top 10 in its 13th weekend, it earned approximately US$432,000 recently, with total earnings surpassing US$10.7 million.
• Stage performance of Mankai Stage A3! Four Seasons Live 2024 ranked #1 in mini-theater sales during its opening weekend.

Production Highlights

• Director: Hitoshi Takekiyo (After School Midnighters, FLCL: Grunge) for Tabekko Dōbutsu.
• Music: Elements Garden for Utano☆Princesama.
• Key staff: Featuring talented character designers and animation teams responsible for the visual excellence of these projects.

Background and Distribution

Tabekko Dōbutsu biscuits are a beloved product, shipping worldwide since 1978 and shaped like animals with names in English.

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin, comScore/KOFIC