Anime Scores Big Win Over Black Panther: Wakanda Forever at Japan Box Office
At last, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters, and the sequel is welling up tears wherever it goes. The movie's reception in the United States has earned millions with ease, and Black Panther has grossed quite a bit of box office dough in all its current markets. But despite a large fanbase in Japan, the Marvel Cinematic Universe took a beating this past weekend thanks to director Makoto Shinkai's new movie.
The box office totals from Japan confirm Shinkai's Suzume no Tojimari came in first place at the box office domestically. The movie grossed an impressive $10 million USD over the weekend. As for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the movie grossed $2.47 million while One Piece: Red brought up the top three with $1.1 million.
What Is Shinkai's New Film?
If you are not familiar with Shinkai and his new film, you should keep an eye on the feature as it goes out across markets internationally. The movie is expected to go live globally in early 2023, after all. The film marks Shinkai's first movie debut since Weathering With You went public in 2019. Of course, the director's biggest success remains Your Name as the 2016 movie was a critical hit and box office success. At one point, the fantasy feature was the highest-grossing anime movie of all time, but that title has since been claimed by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Mugen Train.
READ MORE: Makoto Shinkai's Suzume no Tojimari Shares New Trailer and Poster | Makoto Shinkai's Suzume no Tojimari Reveals Lead Voice Actor
For those wanting to know more about Suzume no Tojimari, you can read up on its official blurb here: "On the other side of the door, was time in its entirety. 17-year-old Suzume's journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu when she encounters a young man who tells her, "I'm looking for a door." What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing upright in the midst of ruins as though it was shielded from whatever catastrophe struck. Seemingly mesmerized by its power, Suzume reaches for the knob...
Doors begin to open one after another all across Japan, unleashing destruction upon any who are near. Suzume must close these portals to prevent further disaster. Within that realm, it was as though all time had melted together in the sky."
Are you excited to check out Shinkai's new movie when it comes stateside? Have you seen Marvel's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever yet? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.