The Japanese box office continues to showcase extraordinary momentum as major anime feature films and high-profile adaptations dominate theater charts. Leading the conversation is Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu, the first theatrical anime adaptation of Nagano's viral manga. In its remarkable 14th weekend, the film surged from #7 back up to #2, selling 185,000 tickets and grossing approximately 279.33 million yen. This brings its phenomenal cumulative total to over 12.65 million tickets sold and a staggering 18.48 billion yen, solidifying its place as one of the highest-grossing domestic features in recent memory.
Directed by Kei Oikawa at studio Cygames Pictures under the creator's direct supervision, the film adapts the intense and emotionally resonant Siren Arc originally serialized on social media. The production's sustained theatrical endurance highlights the immense cultural footprint of Nagano's deceptively profound world.
Meanwhile, the dark fantasy masterpiece Made in Abyss returned to the big screen with Made in Abyss: Mezameru Shinpi. Opening at #6 during its debut weekend, the film pulled in an impressive 145.5 million yen in its first three days. Veteran director Masayuki Kojima and studio Kinema Citrus continue to deliver uncompromising visual storytelling that honors the source material's grueling descent into the underworld.
Other notable entries on the charts include the continuing theatrical runs for Studio Ghibli's classic Whisper of the Heart following its pristine 4K restoration, and Seishun Buta Yarō wa Dear Friend no Yume o Minai, keeping the beloved franchise firmly in the cultural spotlight as it builds toward its overarching narrative conclusion.
