In an extraordinary display of cinematic endurance, Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu (Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island) climbed back from fourth place to seize the number one spot at the Japanese box office during its 12th weekend in theaters. The feature debut for creator Nagano's viral phenomenon mobilized 375,000 moviegoers between Friday and Sunday, generating 562,647,900 yen (approximately $3.56 million USD).
The milestone pushes the Cygames Pictures production to a cumulative total of 12.29 million admissions and an eye-watering 17,807,643,600 yen (around $112 million USD). This achievement cements the film as the highest-grossing release in Japan this year while propelling it to 12th place on the country's all-time box office chart. Helmed by director Kei Oikawa under Nagano's direct supervision and scriptwriting, the feature adapts the acclaimed "Island Arc" published serialized on social media throughout 2023.
Hollywood's theatrical reboot of Capcom's flagship survival horror franchise, Resident Evil, debuted in second place over its opening weekend in Japan. Directed by Zach Cregger, the film recorded 356,000 ticket sales and took in 626,567,150 yen ($3.97 million USD) over its initial three-day span, scaling to 813 million yen across the extended four-day holiday weekend.
The anime lineup saw notable shifts elsewhere across the rankings. The penultimate fifth chapter of Girls und Panzer das Finale opened at fifth position, securing 267,301,400 yen ($1.69 million USD) across premium specialty formats including Dolby Cinema and 4DX. Meanwhile, Toei Animation's Eiga Meitantei Precure! Fushigi na Niwa to Futari no Himitsu fell to ninth in its fourth frame, and SHAFT's long-awaited sequel Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising held tenth position in its seventh frame, lifting its lifetime gross past 2.49 billion yen.
