Mamoru Hosoda’s highly anticipated new anime feature film, “Scarlet” (titled “Hateshinaki Scarlet” in Japan), opened at the number three spot in the Japanese box office over its debut weekend. Released on November 21, 2025, the film earned 210 million yen (approximately US$1.34 million) from 136,000 admissions in its first three days. Its four-day total, including a substitute holiday, reached 270 million yen (US$1.73 million) on 170,000 admissions.
Box Office Performance and Competition
Despite securing a top-three position, “Scarlet”‘s opening performance represents a significant drop compared to Hosoda’s previous work. The film’s first three-day gross was only 23.6% of his 2021 hit, “Belle,” which had a much stronger opening of 890 million yen. “Belle” went on to become Hosoda’s highest-grossing film in Japan, accumulating 6.53 billion yen.
The top spot in the Japanese box office for the weekend was claimed by “Tokyo Taxi,” a Japanese remake of the French-Belgian live-action film “Une Belle Course.” This success for “Tokyo Taxi” brought an end to an 18-week streak of anime films dominating Japan’s weekend box office. Other films in the top ranks included “JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution,” which placed fourth in its third weekend, and “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc,” which ranked fifth in its tenth weekend. Additionally, the live-action film “Kokuho,” with a screenplay by Satoko Okudera who collaborated on Hosoda’s early works, has become the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film of all time.
Critical Reception and Audience Response
Early reception for “Scarlet” in Japan has been mixed, with some reports indicating underperformance and criticism regarding its narrative and visual execution. The film reportedly garnered a lukewarm reception at its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. Audiences have described the script as “boring” with “nothing new to offer,” with some even labeling it as potentially the worst movie of 2025. Concerns were also raised about low occupancy rates, with some Saturday screenings reportedly running more than half empty, despite “Scarlet” receiving the third-widest release in Japan this year. The film currently holds a 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mamoru Hosoda, known for critically acclaimed films such as “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” “Summer Wars,” “Wolf Children,” “The Boy and the Beast,” and the Oscar-nominated “Mirai,” wrote and directed “Scarlet.” The film is a collaborative production between Hosoda’s Studio Chizu, Nippon Television, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Upcoming International Release
Despite its somewhat challenging domestic opening, “Scarlet” is slated for an international release, with Sony Pictures Classics set to distribute the film in U.S. theaters. The film will have a one-week qualifying run in IMAX screens in 10 cities starting December 12, 2025, before a wider release on February 6, 2026, exclusively in IMAX. A nationwide expansion with both subtitled and dubbed versions in standard theaters is planned for February 13, 2026. This strategic release mirrors the successful playbook used for other acclaimed animated features in the U.S.
