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The Imaginary Anime Film Opens at #9
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Godzilla Minus One opened in Japan on November 3, 2023 ("Godzilla Day"), which was the anniversary of the first Godzilla film's November 3, 1954 release. The new film screened at The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) as the closing film of this year's event on November 1.
The film sold 648,600 tickets for 1,041,193,460 yen ($6.93 million) in its first three days in the Japanese box office. The film sold 14.7% more tickets and earned 22.8% more in its first three days than the last live-action Japanese Godzilla film, Shin Godzilla
, did in its first three days in 2016.The film highest-earning live-action Japanese film in North America.
Yamazaki is the director and writer, and is also credited for visual effects. Yamazaki has primarily directed live-action films, including the Stand By Me Doraemon.
The film opened in Japan on November 17 and sold 111,500 tickets and earned 160,106,620 yen ($1.07 million) in its first three days.
Hidenobu Kikuchi as Mizuki, a salaryman who heads to a cursed village under secret orders.
The film is part of four "big projects" commemorating the 100-year anniversary of Netflix on November 9.
The film ranked at #1. The film sold 292,300 tickets and earned 415,361,850 yen ($2.80 million) from Friday to Sunday in its opening weekend, and sold 444,500 tickets to earn 629,616,310 yen ($4.25 million) in its first four days, counting its Thursday opening day. (Thursday, November 23 was the Labor Thanksgiving Day holiday in Japan.)
The film was delayed from its original planned opening last year. The staff had put its production on hold following lead actor Gackt's announcement of an indefinite hiatus in September 2021. The hiatus was due to an early onset neurological disease that was progressing into a "life-threatening condition," resulting in dysphonia (disorder of the voice). Gackt announced in May 2022 that he was steadily recovering physically, and the film resumed production in October 2022.
The sequel film centers on the second phase of the "Japan Saitamization Plan" of the Saitama Liberation Front led by Rei Asami (Gackt) and Momomi Kansai region in the west, where an incident between the east and west will spark a fierce battle.
The first Tonde Saitama (Fly Me to Saitama) film sold 191,000 tickets for 259,038,800 yen ($2.33 million) on in its opening weekend to top the Japanese box office.
The film opened in Japan on December 8.
Kuroyanagi's memoir tells her story of going to school at Tomoe Gakuen, after not fitting at her original elementary school. She meets unique students and learns new things at school, even as Japan descends into war. Kuroyanagi published the book in Japan in 1981, where it became a bestseller over the next year. It became required reading for Japanese elementary school students in the 1980s, and was also translated in English and many other languages worldwide.
Seven-year-old Liliana Ohno stars in the film as protagonist Totto-chan.
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord
) designed the characters.
The film opened in Japan last Friday.
Studio Ponoc delayed the film last year from its original summer 2022 release date due to "new challenges" stemming from the film's production methods and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mary and The Witch's Flower and Modest Heroes — produced the film.
performed the theme song "Nothing's Impossible."
Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin (link 2) (link 3), Press release, comScore via KOFIC
