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 ninth weekend in Japan’s box office from Friday to Sunday. The film sold 643,000 tickets from Friday to Sunday, and earned 999 million yen (about US$6.31 million). As of Wednesday, September 23 (the end of Japan’s “Silver Week” string of holidays), the film has sold 11.33 million tickets to earn 16.5 billion yen (about US$104.3 million).

 The film is currently the biggest film in Japan this year, and now ranks 15th in Japan’s all-time box office ranking.

Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu 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’s 4DX screenings began on September 5. One-day-only cheering screenings for the film took place on September 11. Penlight screenings took place on September 23.

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.”

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.

Eiga Meitantei Precure! Fushigi na Niwa to Futari no Himitsu (Star Detective Precure! The Movie: The Mysterious Garden and the Secret of 2 People) — the film for Star Detective Precure!, the 23rd main anime entry in the Precure franchise — ranked at #3 in its opening weekend. The film sold 358,000 tickets to earn 446 million yen (about US$2.82 million) in its first three days. In its first six days until September 23, the film sold 606,000 tickets and earned 746 million yen (about US$4.71 million).

The film opened in Japan on September 18.

The cast members who voice the film’s original characters are Akari Kitō as Karin, a 14-year-old girl who holds the key to the story; Nobunaga Shimazaki as Alan, a fairy who watches over Karin; and Kōki Uchiyama as Rain, a fairy who requests the Detective Precures’ help

Hanako Ueda (You and Idol Precure♪, Summer Time Rendering, My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON episode director) directed the film. Yoshimi Narita (Eiga HappinessCharge PreCure! Ningyō no Kuni no Ballerina, Eiga Precure All Stars New Stage 3: Eien no Tomodachi, Eiga Tropical-Rouge! Precure: Yuki no Princess to Kiseki no Yubiwa! films) wrote the script, Erika Fukasawa (Eiga Kimi to Idol Precure♪ Omatase! Kimi ni Todokeru Kirakkilive!) and Misaki Umase (You and Idol Precure♪) composed the music, and Emiko Miyamoto (Eiga Precure All Stars F, Precure Super Stars! original character designer) designed the characters and was also the film’s chief animation director. 

Yūka Masui and Chihaya Yoshitake perform the film’s ending theme song “FIRST PRISM.” Ami Ishii performs the insert song “First Step.”

Shingo Yamashita‘s Cosmic Princess Kaguya! (Chō Kaguya-hime!) anime film returned to theaters on September 18 with a new MX4D, 4DX, SCREENX, ULTRA 4DX, and Dolby Atmos screening, which debuted at #6. As of September 22, the film has sold more than 1.5 million tickets and has earned a cumulative 3.0 billion yen (about US$19.0 million).

The film’s first limited theatrical run started on February 20. Tickets quickly sold out, with some theaters having to increase the number of screenings to more than 10 times a day. The film’s limited one-week theatrical screening run in Japan was extended, and finally ended on June 18.

Netflix began streaming the film on January 22.

The film features songs by Vocaloid producers Ryo (supercell), kz (Livetune), 40mP, HoneyWorks, Aqu3ra, and yuigot.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising (Gekijōban Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magica: Walpurgis no Kaiten), the official sequel to the Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie Part 3: Rebellion film, dropped from #4 to #8 in its fourth weekend.

The film got IMAX screenings in Japan on August 28, the same day it opened in theaters. The film sold 535,000 tickets and and earned 939,647,100 yen (about US$5.95 million) in its first three days.

Yukihiro Miyamoto (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story, Arakawa Under the Bridge) directed the film.

Shion Wakayama voices the new magical girl Shichōka and Tomoyo Kurosawa voices Selma Therese.

The anime film features a returning staff from the original anime series and films, including original creators Magica Quartet, chief director Akiyuki Simbo, scriptwriter Gen Urobuchi of Nitroplus, original character designer Ume Aoki, animation character designer Junichirō Taniguchi, composer Yuki Kajiura, alternate space designer Gekidan Inu Curry, and animation studio SHAFT.

The live-action film of Tatsuki Fujimoto‘s “Look Back” one-shot manga dropped from #5 to #10 in its second weekend.

The film opened on September 11 in Japan, earning 144,146,120 yen (about US929,800) in its first three days.

Aju Makita (Child of Kamiari Month, Happiness) plays Kyōmoto, while Natsuki Deguchi (I Have a S/e/c/r/e/t/, Blue Spring Ride) plays Fujino in the film.

Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters, Our Little Sister, Air Doll) directed and edited the film, and also wrote the screenplay. Yūta Bandō (BELLE, Kaiju No. 8, also known as Taku Matsushiba) composed the music.

Musician Kenshi Yonezu, actress and singer Tōko Miura, and animator and director Yōko Kuno have special guest staff roles in the film. Yonezu performs guitar for the film, credited under the “Shark Kick Guitar” moniker, while Miura performs vocals for an insert song in the film. Kuno directed a rotoscoped animation sequence based on their performance, with Shinei Animation producing the animation.

Sound! Euphonium, The Final Movie Part 2 (Saishū Gakushō Hibike! Euphonium Kōhen) dropped off the top 10 in its second weekend.

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin (link 2), Cosmic Princess Kaguya! anime’s X/Twitter account