The latest installment in the beloved franchise, Eiga Crayon Shin-chan Cho Karei! Shakunetsu no Kasukabe Dancers (Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers), premiered in Japan on August 8, 2025, opening at number four in the weekend box office rankings. The 32nd 2D animated film in the Crayon Shin-chan series earned approximately ¥450 million (US$3.05 million) from 363,000 admissions over its first three days (August 8-10).
Box Office Performance and Franchise Standing
The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers secured the fourth spot on the Japanese box office charts during its debut weekend, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha. While a solid opening, it placed behind major releases such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, which held the top spot for its fourth consecutive week, and Jurassic World: Rebirth, a new entry that debuted at number two.
In its first four days, including the national holiday on August 11, the film attracted roughly 516,000 viewers and grossed approximately ¥633 million. This performance matches 100% of the opening weekend gross of the previous 31st film, Eiga Crayon Shin-chan Ora-tachi no Kyoryu Nikki (Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Our Dinosaur Diary), which went on to become the highest-grossing film in the franchise with a total domestic gross of ¥2.69 billion (US$18.2 million). The new film also achieved a #5 ranking in Filmarks’ first-day satisfaction survey with an average rating of 3.73/5.0, surpassing Jurassic World: Rebirth‘s rating.
A New Setting and Dance-Themed Adventure
Eiga Crayon Shin-chan Cho Karei! Shakunetsu no Kasukabe Dancers marks a significant first for the long-running anime film series: its primary setting is India. This unique choice is particularly notable given the Crayon Shin-chan franchise’s substantial popularity in India.
The film is billed as the “series’ first dance entertainment movie,” focusing on dance as a central theme. The story follows Shinnosuke and the Kasukabe Defense Force as they travel to India to participate in an entertainment festival. Their adventure takes an unexpected turn when they encounter a suspicious shop and acquire a mysterious, nose-shaped backpack with a hidden secret. Masakazu Hashimoto, a veteran director for the Crayon Shin-chan films, returns to helm this installment, with Kimiko Ueno providing the screenplay. The film also features a theme song titled “Spice” performed by the band Saucy Dog.
The international release for The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers is set to follow, with an Indian theatrical release slated for late October, coinciding with the Diwali festival. This release will include not only a Japanese version with English subtitles but also dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, catering to the large Indian audience.
