News

Japanese Box Office, August 18-19

The fourth live-action film based on Shuho Sato's (Say Hello to Black Jack, The Isle of TOKKOU) Umizaru coast guard manga, Brave Hearts Umizaru, fell from No. 1 to No. 2 during its sixth weekend. The film adapts the "largest sea disaster" from the original manga: the water landing of a jumbo jet. The film earned US$2,742,894 on 450 screens for a gross-to-date of US$78,881,029.

Mamoru Hosoda's Ōkami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki (Wolf Children) film fell from No. 2 to No. 3 during its fifth weekend. This is the latest film by the director of Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. The film's story covers 13 years and begins with a 19-year-old college student named Hana who encounters and falls in "fairy tale-like" love with a "wolf man." After marrying the wolf man, Hana gives birth and raises two wolf children — an older sister named Yuki ("snow") who was born on a snowy day, and a younger brother named Ame ("rain") who was born on a rainy day. When the wolf man suddenly dies, Hana decides to move to a rural town far removed from the city. The film earned US$2,577,486 on 381 screens for a new total of US$38,236,170.

Gekijōban Pocket Monster Best Wishes! Kyurem Vs Seikenshi Keldeo fell from No. 4 to No. 5 in its sixth weekend. The film features the new legendary Pokémon, Keldeo. Kunihiko Yuyama returned to direct the film after directing most of the previous films and the Slayers films. The film earned US$1,353,262 on 357 screens for a new total of US$38,585,473.

The Kamen Rider Fourze the Movie: Minna de Uchū Kitā! (Kamen Rider Fourze the Movie: Everyone, Space Is Here!) and Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters the Movie: Tokyo Enetower o Mamore! (Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters the Movie: Protect the Tokyo Enetower!) films fell from No. 5 to No. 6 during their third weekend. The live-action special-effects films ranked at No. 7 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned US$1,218,637 on 304 screens for a gross-to-date of US$12,423,158.

The first film in the Fairy Tail franchise, Fairy Tail: Hōō no Miko (Fairy Tail: Priestess of the Phoenix), debuted at No. 9. The film revolves around a mysterious girl named Éclair who appears before Fairy Tail, the world's most notorious wizard's guild. She lost all of her memories, except for the imperative that she must deliver two Hōōseki (Phoenix Stones) somewhere. The stones may spell the collapse of the magical world, and Natsu, Lucy, and the rest of the Fairy Tail guild are caught up in the intrigue. Fairy Tail manga creator Hiro Mashima was in charge of story planning and visual design for the film's all-new plot, and he also drafted the guest character designs and image concept art. The film earned US$768,533 on 73 screens for a per-screen total of US$10,528, the highest per-screen average from that weekend.

The Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie film fell from No. 8 to No. 10 in its fourth weekend. The sixth Naruto Shippūden film and ninth Naruto film overall features a story and character designs personally created by manga creator Masashi Kishimoto. The film ranked at No. 11 on Box Office Mojo's chart and earned US$705,766 on 262 screens for a new total of US$15,879,730.

Mika Ninagawa's Helter Skelter live-action film fell from No. 10 to No. 12 on Box Office Mojo's chart in its sixth weekend. Based on Kyoko Okazaki's award-winning Helter Skelter manga, the film stars Erika Sawajiri (SHINOBI - Heart Under Blade, 1 Liter of Tears drama series) as Ririko, a model who underwent extensive plastic surgery to attain her beauty. The clinic who performed Ririko's surgeries goes under investigation for questionable business practices, and Ririko's body starts to deteriorate. As the model's prominence in the entertainment industry begins to falter, so does her sanity. The film earned US$523,138 on 200 screens for a new total of US$24,231,554.

The live-action adaptation of Yukito Ayatsuji's horror novel Another fell from No. 11 to No. 13 on Box Office Mojo's chart during its third weekend. Kento Yamazaki (Control Tower) plays lead protagonist Koichi Sakakibara alongside Ai Hashimoto (Confessions, Avatar) as Mei Misaki, the mysterious girl whose eye-patch hides a secret. Takeshi Furusawa (Avec Punch, Ghost Train) is directing the film. The film earned US$465,333 on 230 screens for a new total of US$5,588,517.

The Starship Troopers: Invasion CG film fell from No. 16 to No. 17 during its fifth weekend. The new film draws design cues from Paul Verhoeven's loose 1997 live-action film adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's original novel and is directed by Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed). The film earned US$354 on two screens for a gross-to-date of US$190,471.

Eiga Jewelpet Sweets Dance Princess, the first film in the Jewelpet magical girl anime franchise, fell from Box Office Mojo's chart in its second weekend.

The highest-grossing film of the weekend of August 18-19 was The Avengers.

Sources: Kogyo Tsunshinsha, Box Office Mojo