The latest installment in the live-action Kingdom franchise, titled Kingdom: Tamashii no Kessen (Decisive Battle of the Soul), has roared to a #1 opening at the Japanese box office. The film, which continues the epic historical saga of the slave-turned-general Xin, brought in over 2 billion yen—roughly $12.59 million—during its first four-day window. This performance reinforces the franchise's commercial consistency, with director Shinsuke Satō returning to helm the latest chapter alongside screenwriter Tsutomu Kuroiwa.
Also entering the charts this week is the anime film You, Fireworks, and Our Promise (Kimi to Hanabi to Yakusoku to), which debuted at #5. Based on the novel series by Kaori Mado, this romance centers on two high school students, Makoto and Aki, whose lives intersect through a mysterious shared connection to a fireworks display. The film, produced by Synergy SP and The Answer Studio, features performances by Shōri Satō and Nanoka Hara. While the film is a standalone feature, it draws its narrative foundation from the original source material, positioning itself as a summer highlight for the genre.
Elsewhere in the top ten, long-running staples continue their theatrical runs. The 37th entry in the Anpanman franchise, Soreike! Anpanman: Pantan to Yakusoku no Hoshi, slipped to #8 in its fourth week, maintaining a steady performance for younger audiences. Meanwhile, the historical mystery The Samurai and the Prisoner (Kokurōjō), directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, settled at #9 in its fifth week. The film has crossed the 1 billion yen mark domestically and is preparing for an international expansion, with limited U.S. screenings scheduled to begin in New York and Los Angeles on July 31.
