Anime

Top Anime Releases: Chainsaw Man Film Holds Strong at Number One

The Japanese box office has been buzzing with excitement, as several anime films continue to captivate audiences. Leading the charge is “Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc,” which has maintained its top spot for an impressive six consecutive weekends. The film, based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s popular manga, sold 254,000 tickets and grossed 399,302,600 yen (approximately US$2.62 million) from October 24 to 26. Since its release, the movie has accumulated a staggering 4.69 million tickets sold and a total earnings of 7,179,310,100 yen (about US$47.15 million).

“Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc” made a spectacular debut, displacing “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train” from the top position after nine weeks of dominance. The film sold 807,000 tickets and earned 1,251,178,500 yen (about US$8.46 million) during its opening weekend.

Sony Pictures Entertainment has secured worldwide theatrical rights for the film and opened it in theaters across the United States on October 24. Reina Ueda stars as Reze in the film, bringing the character to life with her impressive acting skills.

Another standout performer is the live-action adaptation of Makoto Shinkai’s “5 Centimeters Per Second.” The film held onto the second spot in its third weekend, selling 158,000 tickets and earning 222,140,100 yen (about US$1.45 million) from October 24 to 26. Since its release, the film has sold 1.02 million tickets and grossed 1,428,785,800 yen (about US$9.38 million). The movie opened in Japan on October 10 and features Hokuto Matsumura from SixTONES as Sota Munakata.

The live-action adaptation of “Zombie Land Saga: Yumeginga Paradise” made its debut on October 24 and secured the eighth spot in its opening weekend. The film earned 97,269,200 yen (about US$638,800) in its first three days and features a returning cast, including Daisuke Ono, who voices the new character Naomasa Amabuki.

The live-action film of “The Exit 8” left the top 10 list in its ninth weekend. The film, based on the infinite-loop horror game by KOTAKE CREATE, has seen a steady decline in its box office performance.

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train” continues to be a box office powerhouse, maintaining its third spot in its 15th weekend. The film sold 119,700 tickets and earned 196,401,000 yen (about US$1.28 million) from October 24 to 26. Since its release, the movie has sold a total of 25.54 million tickets and grossed 37,114,904,700 yen (about US$243 million). It has surpassed “Spirited Away” as the second highest-earning film of all time at the Japanese box office and is now the highest-earning anime film and Japanese film worldwide.

The 4K restoration screenings of Studio Ghibli’s “Princess Mononoke” ranked fourth in their first weekend, earning 245,487,600 yen (about US$1.61 million). The “Monthly Eva: Evangelion 30th Movie Fest. 2025-2026” revival screening of “Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion” ranked fifth, earning 125,313,500 yen (about US$823,000) in its opening weekend.

The anime film “Aikatsu! x PriPara THE MOVIE -Deai no Kiseki!-” dropped off the list in its third weekend. This 10th-anniversary “dream project” collaboration between the “Aikatsu!” and “PriPara” idol franchises failed to sustain its initial momentum.

Additionally, the live-action sequel film “Chinmoku no Kantai Hokkyoku-kai dai kaisen” (The Silent Service: The Battle of the Arctic Ocean) left the top 10 list in its fifth weekend. Based on Kaiji Kawaguchi’s manga, the film has seen a decline in its box office performance.

These anime films continue to dominate the Japanese box office, showcasing the enduring popularity of anime and manga adaptations among audiences.