Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu (Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island) shows no signs of slowing down, maintaining its grip on the #1 spot at the Japanese box office for its fourth consecutive weekend. Since its July 24 release, the film has become a massive commercial success, accumulating over 9.28 billion yen (approximately US$58.31 million) through 6.45 million tickets sold. The adaptation, which covers the popular "Siren Arc" from the original manga, was directed by Kei Oikawa at Cygames Pictures under the direct supervision of creator Nagano.
In the live-action sector, the fifth entry in the Kingdom film franchise, Kingdom: Tamashii no Kessen, saw a resurgence in its fifth weekend. The historical epic climbed from seventh to fifth place, bringing its cumulative earnings to 5.75 billion yen. Meanwhile, the 33rd Crayon Shin-chan feature, Kikikaikai! Ora no Yōkai Bake-shon, continues to hold steady at #6. The film, which follows the Nohara family’s supernatural adventure in Akita, has grossed over 1.9 billion yen since its late July premiere.
Rounding out the industry performance, the live-action adaptation of the hit soccer manga Blue Lock slipped to #10 during its second weekend. Despite the drop, the production is looking to bolster its theatrical presence by expanding to premium formats, including MX4D, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema, starting August 21. The film, produced by CREDEUS, has earned approximately 734 million yen since opening on August 7.
