Live-Action Cells at Work! Film Holds Strong at #1

Cells at Work!

Image courtesy of Flag Pictures

The live-action film adaptation of Akane Shimizu's Cells at Work! (Hataraku Saibō) remained at #1 at the Japanese box office in its second weekend. The film sold 386,000 tickets from Friday to Sunday, grossing 532,464,400 yen (approximately US$3.38 million). With 1.28 million tickets sold, the film has grossed a total of 1,758,132,780 yen (approximately US$11.17 million).

The film premiered in Japan on December 13 and ranked #1. The film sold a total of 612,000 tickets and grossed a total of 844,768,310 yen (approximately US$5.49 million) in its first three days.

The film is screening in Japan in 4D (4DX and MX4D) and IMAX.

Hideki Takeuchi (live-action Nodame Cantabile, Thermae Romae, Fly Me to Saitama) directed the film, with Yūichi Tokunaga (live-action Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Liar x Liar, Princess Jellyfish) writing the screenplay. Warner Bros. Japan distributed the film. Official HiGE DANdism performed the theme song "50%."

Gekijо̄-ban Nintama Rantaro Dokutake Ninja-tai Saikyо̄ no Gunshi

Image via Gekijо̄-ban Nintama Rantaro Dokutake Ninja-tai Saikyо̄ no Gunshi film's website

Gekijо̄-ban Nintama Rantaro Dokutake Ninja-tai Saikyо̄ no Gunshi (Nintama Rantaro the Movie: The Dokutake Ninja Team's Strongest Strategist), the first anime film in the Nintama Rantaro

anime franchise in 13 years, opened on Friday and ranked #4 in its first weekend. The film has sold 198,000 tickets, including advance tickets, and has grossed a total of 295 million yen (approximately US$1.87 million).

The film is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Kazuhisa Sakaguchi, which revolves around Rantaro's teacher Hansuke Doi losing a battle against Sonnamon, and Zatto Konnamon becoming a teacher at the Ninjutsu Academy.

Yasuhiro Mamiya voices Happōsai Hieta, replacing the late Shōzō Iizuka, who voiced the character in the anime series. Additionally, Naniwa Danshi members Ryūsei Ōnishi and Jōichirō Fujiwara are guest voice actors in the film.

Masaya Fujimori (Doraemon films) returned from the previous film to direct the new film at Ajia-do, the same animation studio that produced the television series. Sakaguchi, the author of the original novel, wrote the script.

Saint Oniisan The Movie ~Holy Men vs. Akuma Army~

Image via Eiga Natalie

Saint Oniisan The Movie ~Holy Men vs. Akuma Army~, the first live-action film of Hikaru Nakamura's Saint Young Men (Saint Oniisan), debuted at #6.

The comedy manga imagines Buddha and Jesus sharing a cheap, bathless apartment in Tokyo.

Returning cast and staff from the manga's earlier live-action series adaptations include Ken'ichi Matsuyama (Galo Thymos from Promare) as Jesus and Shōta Sometani (Kamishin from BELLE, Minoru Okabe from Suzume) as Buddha. Yūichi Fukuda (live-action Gintama films, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.) returns to direct and write the film, which is based on an expanded story ("Screen e no Nagai Michi" or The Long Road to the Big Screen) that Nakamura developed for the film.

Image via Oshi no Ko live-action's X/Twitter account

The film finale of the live-action series adaptation of Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari's Oshi no Ko manga opened at #7.

The live-action Oshi no Ko series premiered worldwide on Amazon Prime on November 28 with eight episodes, and the sequel film then premiered in theaters on Friday after the series.

The filmmaker known under the pseudonym Smith (Inside Mari, I Want to Hold Aono-kun So Badly I Could Die, music videos for Ikimono-gakari, Ketsumeishi, Snow Man) directed the film. Director and former actress Hana Matsumoto (Kimi to Nara Koi o Shitemite mo) co-directed the TV series with Smith. Ayako Kitagawa (Tokyo Love Story, Laid-Back Camp) wrote the scripts, and the band fox capture plan (Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, Lupin III vs. Cat's Eye) composed the music. Ryūsuke Imoto from Toei was the producer.

Fushigi Dagashiya Zenitendō

Image via Fushigi Dagashiya Zenitendō film's X/Twitter

The film opened on December 13 and grossed 156,918,800 yen (approximately US$1.02 million) in its first three days with 121,000 tickets sold. In its second weekend, the film grossed 75,067,000 yen (approximately US$477,000), bringing its total to 294,158,400 yen (approximately US$1.87 million).

Despite slipping from #4 to #8 in the box office charts, the film's enduring appeal is evident. For comparison, "Attack on Titan The Movie: THE LAST ATTACK" grossed 16,459,400 yen (approximately US$104,000) in its seventh weekend, bringing its total to 1,178,927,160 yen (approximately US$7.49 million).

The film stars Yūki Amami (Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler, Mary and The Witch's Flower) as the mysterious shop owner Beniko.

Hideo Nakata (Ring, Dark Water) directed the film, with Reiko Yoshida (K-ON!, Violet Evergarden, Liz and the Blue Bird, The Heike Story) penning the script. Masaru Yokoyama composed the music.

The film tells the story of the mysterious Zenitendō shop, which only people with a lucky heart can find. The charismatic shop owner Beniko, played by actress Yūki Amami, is at the center of the story. She has the perfect candy in stock for every customer. However, these special treats follow their own rules – misusing them can have unexpected consequences.

The shop is known not only for its magical candies, but also for how Beniko recognizes the needs of her customers and always has the perfect candy for every problem. You realize that the luck isn't in the candy itself, but in the people embracing the magic and handling the gift responsibly.

The film is based on the successful novel series by author Reiko Hiroshima and illustrator jyajya. Since its first publication in May 2013, over 1.4 million copies have been printed. The screenplay is by Reiko Yoshida, known for works such as "K-ON!" and "Violet Evergarden". The atmospheric film music is composed by Masaru Yokoyama.

The book's success is also reflected in other adaptations. A stage adaptation thrilled audiences in Tokyo in August 2023, while an ongoing anime series has been captivating fans since September 2020. This demonstrates the story's versatility and adaptability to different media formats.

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin (link 2) (link 3), comScore via KOFIC