Doraemon continues its reign at the Japanese box office, while the latest Mononoke film debuts impressively. This article delves into the box office performances of these and other films in Japan, highlighting key trends and figures.
Doraemon’s Artful Domination
Nobita’s Art World Tales Stays Strong
“Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Art World Tales,” the 44th film in the beloved Doraemon franchise, has secured the top spot for the second consecutive week. The film earned 576 million yen (approximately US$3.86 million) with 467,000 admissions during its second weekend.
A Blockbuster Start
In its opening weekend, the film sold 571,000 tickets, grossing 702,817,200 yen (about US$4.78 million). This strong start indicates the enduring popularity of Doraemon in Japan. The film’s two-week gross stands at 1.4 billion yen (US$9.38 million) from 1.14 million tickets sold, surpassing the previous film, “Doraemon: Nobita’s Earth Symphony,” by 116%.
A Legacy of Success
The Doraemon film series has a long and successful history. By 2015, the franchise had grossed over ¥100 billion and sold over 100 million tickets in Japan, surpassing Godzilla as the highest-grossing film franchise in the country. By 2020, the Doraemon films had grossed a total of ¥187 billion ($1.7 billion) worldwide, solidifying its place as one of the highest-grossing animated film franchises globally. As of 2025, there are 44 feature films, 2 special feature films, and 33 short films in the Doraemon series.
Mononoke’s Mysterious Debut
The Ashes of Rage Enters the Scene
“Mononoke the Movie: The Ashes of Rage,” the second film in the animated trilogy continuing the 2006 TV anime “Mononoke,” debuted at sixth place in its opening weekend. The film was released in 229 theaters on March 14. This is a slight improvement from the first film, “Mononoke the Movie: Phantom in the Rain,” which opened at seventh place in July 2024.
Critical Acclaim
“Mononoke the Movie: The Ashes of Rage” also ranked No. 1 in Filmarks’ first-day satisfaction ranking, boasting an average rating of 4.22/5.0 based on 1,848 reviews. This is higher than the first film’s rating of 4.0/5.0 based on 2,046 reviews.
A Unique Anime
“Mononoke” is known for its distinctive visual style and storytelling. The first film, “Mononoke the Movie: Phantom in the Rain,” was praised for its visuals, mystery, and faithfulness to the original anime series. Richard Eisenbeis of Anime News Network gave the film an “A” rating, stating that its mystery, suspense, and well-explored themes made it worth watching, even without its groundbreaking visuals.
Other Notable Films in Japan’s Box Office
A Girl & Her Guard Dog
The live-action adaptation of Hatsuharu’s romantic comedy manga series, “A Girl & Her Guard Dog,” opened in third place, earning 182 million yen (US$1.22 million) with 133,000 admissions.
Wicked
The award-winning American musical fantasy film “Wicked” ranked second in its opening weekend in Japan, grossing 519 million yen (US$3.54 million). In its second weekend, “Wicked” maintained its second-place position, drawing in approximately 239,000 people and earning about 397 million yen. Its total gross is over 1.2 billion yen with 760,000 viewers.
The Rose of Versailles
The anime film adaptation of Riyoko Ikeda’s manga “The Rose of Versailles” has surpassed 500 million yen (US$3.35 million) in cumulative gross, with 350,000 admissions.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-
Advance theatrical screenings of “Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-,” the re-edited episode version of the upcoming TV series, returned to the Top 10, ranking seventh in its ninth weekend. The screenings have collected 3,190,771,000 yen (US$21.37 million) on 1,934,740 admissions.
TRILLION GAME and UNDER NINJA
The live-action film adaptation of the “TRILLION GAME” manga series went down three spots to eighth place in its fifth weekend. The live-action film adaptation of Kengo Hanazawa’s action manga series “UNDER NINJA” dropped two spots to ninth place in its eighth weekend.
The Wider Box Office Landscape
Highest-Grossing Films of 2025
As of March 18, 2025, the highest-grossing films in Japan include:
- “Cells at Work!” (¥6.31 billion)
- “Moana 2” (¥5.12 billion)
- “La Grande Maison Paris” (¥4.13 billion)
- “Doctor-X: The Movie” (¥3.25 billion)
- “Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning” (¥3.19 billion)
Global Animation Successes
Notably, the Chinese animated film “Ne Zha 2” has achieved unprecedented success, grossing over $2 billion worldwide and surpassing “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” as one of the top 5 highest-grossing movies of all time. Another animated film, “Flow,” has also seen success as an independent hit, grossing $36 million worldwide.
Conclusion: Anime’s Enduring Appeal
The Japanese box office in early 2025 demonstrates the enduring appeal of anime franchises like Doraemon and the emergence of unique titles like Mononoke. With a mix of long-standing series and new releases, the Japanese film industry continues to offer a diverse range of entertainment for audiences.
