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Chiikawa Anime Film Stays at #1, 5th Live-Action Kingdom Rises to #5 in Japan

Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu (Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island), the first anime film adaptation of Nagano's Chiikawa manga, stayed at #1 in its fourth weekend. The film sold 602,000 tickets and earned 895,266,300 yen (about US$5.62 million) from Friday to Sunday. The film has sold a total of 6.45 million tickets and earned a cumulative total of 9,283,642,700 yen (about US$58.31 million).

The film opened on July 24 and ranked at #1 for its opening weekend. The film earned 990 million yen (about US$6.05 million) on its opening day. The film sold 1,508,500 tickets and earned 2,240,333,500 yen (about US$13.70 million) in its first three days.

The film is based on the manga's arc posted on X (formerly Twitter) from March to November 2023, nicknamed the "Siren Arc" or "Island Arc."

The film's story begins with Chiikawa and Hachiware relaxing, when a rabbit with a flyer on its face suddenly appears. Hachiware looks at the flyer, which reads, "Invitation to a special island." Lured by tempting promises including great rewards for simple hunts on the island and essentially free sweet and spicy dishes such as limited-edition island ramen and sweets, Chiikawa and friends decide to go to the island. Suspicious with the flyer, Rakko goes with them to the island. What awaits them when they arrive on the island?

Nagano is credited for the original story and also wrote the film's script. Under Nagano's supervision, Kei Oikawa (Uma Musume Pretty Derby 3 seasons, Hinamatsuri, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO!, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Climax) directed the film at Cygames Pictures. QTORY inc. managed the production, and TOHO is distributing the film. 

Makoto Tanaka, who voices Hachiware, performs the opening theme song "Kutsuzure" (Shoe Sore). Series creator Nagano wrote the lyrics.

Momoka Terasawa and Sayumi Suzushiro voice Hitoha and Futaba, respectively, the two islanders whom Chiikawa and friends encounter. 

Kingdom: Tamashii no Kessen (Decisive Battle of the Soul), the fifth live-action film based on Yasuhisa Hara's Kingdom manga, rose from #7 to #5 in its fifth weekend. The film earned 353,920,200 yen (about US$2.22 million) over the weekend. The film has now sold a total of 3.75 million tickets, and made a cumulative total of 5,755,263,000 yen (about US$36.15 million).

The film sold 993,000 tickets and earned 1,584,148,300 yen (about US$9.67 million) in its first three days. Counting the Marine Day holiday on July 20, the film sold 1,315,000 tickets and earned 2.064 billion yen (about US$12.59 million) in its first four days.

The new film opened in Japan on July 17.

Yasuhisa Hara's historical manga centers around the slave boy Xin and his dream of becoming a great general for the state of Qin. Xin helps Ying Zheng, the young Qin king who shares his desire to unify China, rise to power within the state. Xin does all he can to become a superior commander of an army capable of defeating the Seven Warring States.

Shinsuke Satō (live-action Gantz, Death Note Light up the NEW world, Bleach) returned to direct. Tsutomu Kuroiwa (Black Butler, Golden Kamuy) wrote the screenplay with Hara. Yutaka Yamada (Bleach, Golden Kamuy -The Hunt of Prisoners in Hokkaido-) composed the music.

Eiga Crayon Shin-chan Kikikaikai! Ora no Yōkai Bake-shon (Crayon Shin-chan The Movie Super Strange! My Yōkai Monster Vacation), the 33rd 2D anime film in the Crayon Shin-chan series, stayed at #6 in its third weekend. The film earned 288,012,200 yen (about US$1.80 million) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 1,906,706,150 yen (about US$11.97 million).

The film ranked at #3 in its opening weekend. The film sold 441,000 tickets and earned 539,371,500 yen (about US$3.41 million) in its first three days. 

The film opened in Japan on July 31.

The film centers on "the land of yōkai." The Nohara family go to Hiroshi's hometown of Akita to attend a famous fireworks festival during the summer. However, an incident causes yōkai to escape from their land and will wreak havoc in Akita, and in other areas throughout Japan. The Nohara family then go to the land of yōkai, and find themselves in a mysterious yet nostalgic world, where they go on an unpredictable adventure.

Sairi Itō stars in the film as Yako, a nine-tailed fox yōkai. Sakamoto of the comedy duo Mayurika plays the Squid Yōkai, first base player of the Edomae Sushies baseball team, which challenged Shin-chan and his friends to a baseball game.

Other cast members include Yumiko Kobayashi, Miki Narahashi, Toshiyuki Morikawa, and Satomi Koorogi.

Masaki Watanabe (Battle Spirits: Heroes, Sakamoto Days) directed the film. Yoshiko Nakamura (Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- franchise, PriPara) penned the script. Shinei Animation, TV Asahi, ADK Emotions, and Futabasha produced the film, and TOHO is distributing. Singer TOMOO performs the film's theme song "Otona ni Nattara" (When I Become an Adult).

The live-action film based on Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yūsuke Nomura's BLUE LOCK soccer manga dropped from #8 to #10 in its second weekend. The film earned 165,842,700 yen (about US$1.04 million) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 734,516,500 yen (about US$4.61 million).

The film opened in Japan on August 7. The film ranked at #8 in its opening weekend, and earned 277,648,800 yen (about US$1.74 million) in its first three days. The film will screen in MX4D, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema starting on August 21.

Yūsuke Taki directed the film, and Tetsuo Kamata wrote the screenplay. Shinzō Matsuhashi served as a producer. CREDEUS (live-action Golden Kamuy film) produced the film, and TOHO is distributing.

Kaneshiro and Nomura launched the manga in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine in August 2018. Kodansha published the manga's 40th compiled book volume on August 17. The manga won the Best Shōnen Manga award in Kodansha's 45th annual Manga Awards in 2021. Kodansha USA Publishing is releasing the manga in English digitally and is also releasing it in print.

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