Japan Box Office: Aikatsu! 10th STORY Feature Film Makes Its 10th Place Debut
Aikatsu! 10th STORY ~Mirai heno STARWAY~ (Starway to The Future), a new feature film from the idol-themed Aikatsu! franchise, was released in 133 theaters across Japan on January 20, and made its 10th place debut. The film reportedly earned 23 million yen (176,391 USD) on its first day. The franchise’s first feature film Aikatsu! The Movie in 2014 made 560 million yen (4.3 million USD) from its total domestic run.
The film was originally produced as a 25-minute short to celebrate the Aikatsu! franchise’s 10th anniversary and was screened with the feature film edition of Aikatsu Planet! in July 2022. The story of the 72-minute feature film edition focuses on the main characters’ graduation from Starlight Academy. Director Ryuichi Kimura, screenplay writer Yoichi Kato, and other staff and cast members who worked on the first Aikatsu! series, all returned to conclude the idols’ ten-year story.
Staying on the top spot for the eight consecutive weeks was THE FIRST SLAM DUNK. The film still earned an impressive 412 million yen (3.16 million USD) on 275,000 admissions in its eighth weekend, which was only four percent down from the previous weekend. Its cumulative total domestic gross has reached 8.9 billion yen (68.3 million USD) on 6.1 million admissions, making it the 23rd top-grossing Japanese film of all-time now.
RELATED: THE FIRST SLAM DUNK Anime Film Scores 65th Place on All Time Japanese Box Office Charts
Coming in second was, still, Suzume. Makoto Shinkai’s latest feature has stayed on second place behind THE FIRST SLUM DUNK for eight consecutive weekends. The film made 216 million yen (1.66 million USD) on 163,000 admissions in its 11th weekend, bringing its total to 12.8 billion yen (98.2 million USD) on 9.638 million admissions.
RELATED: Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume Anime Film to Have International Premiere at 73rd Berlinale Festival
Surprisingly again, One Piece Film Red climbed up to third in its 25th weekend from last weekend’s ninth. The film earned 214 million yen (1.64 million USD) on 15,500 admissions, and its total domestic gross has reached 19.3 billion yen (148 million USD). Before the domestic screenings end on January 29, many events and special bonus items are planned, so further boost can be expected.
RELATED: One Piece Film Red Returns to Japan Weekend Box Office Charts at 3rd
In its third weekend, Meitantei Conan: Haibara Ai Monogatari ~Kurogane no Mystery Train~ (Detective Conan: Ai Haibara Story ~Black Iron Mystery Train~), a new compilation film focuses on the past of Ai Haibara, ranked seventh, two positions down from last weekend. The anime film adaptation of Mizuki Tsujimura’s fantasy novel Kagami no Kojou (English edition title: Lonely Castle in the Mirror) ranked eighth in its fourth weekend, the same position from last weekend.
The Fafner in the Azure anime franchise’s all-new spin-off episode, Fafner in the Azure: BEHIND THE LINE, was released in 30 theaters in Japan on January 20. Due to its small number of theaters, it didn’t appear in the overall box office top 10, but ranked No.1 in Kogyo Tsushin’s mini theater ranking.
Weekend box office Top 10 in Japan (January 20-22, 2023)
(ticket sales basis)
1 (1). “THE FIRST SLAM DUNK” – 8.9 billion yen
2 (2). “Suzume” – 12.8 billion yen
3 (9). “One Piece Film Red” – 19.3 billion yen
4 (3). “Ichikei’s Crow: The Criminal Court Judges: The Movie” – 230 million yen
5 (4). “Avatar: The Way of Water” – 3.45 billion yen
6 (7). “Lager yori Ai wo Komete”
7 (5): “Detective Conan: Ai Haibara Story ~Black Iron Mystery Train~” – 400 million yen
8 (8). “Lonely Castle in the Mirror” – 740 million yen
9 (6). “Dr. Koto Shinryojo”
10 (new). “Aikatsu! 10th STORY ~Mirai heno STARWAY~”
“Aikatsu! 10th STORY ~Mirai heno STARWAY~” trailer:
“Fafner in the Azure: BEHIND THE LINE” trailer:
Sources: Eiga.com, Pixiin, Kogyo Tsushin
©BNP/BANDAI, DENTSU, TV TOKYO, BNArts
©XEBEC, FAFNER BEYOND PROJECT
