The film opened on July 12. The film sold 1,065,000 tickets and earned 1.629 billion yen (about US$10.28 million) in its first three days. The film sold 1.46 million tickets in its first four days, including Monday (which was the Marine Day holiday in Japan), and earned 2.2 billion yen (about US$13.89 million) in that time.
Shinsuke Satō is again directing the new film.
The film covers the manga's Shi Ka (Zi Xia) arc and the Battle of Bayou — the first time Shin (Xin) and Ō Ki (Wang Qi) stood on the battlefield together, to fend off the invasion by the mighty Chō (Zhao) from the north. Anne (Anne Watanabe) returns to the cast as the pivotal character Shi Ka (Zi Xia). Other cast members include Kataoka Ainosuke VI as Fuu Ki (Feng Ji), Kōji Yamamoto as Chō Sō (Zhao Zhuang), Yuki Yamada as Man Goku (Wan Ji), Eri Murakawa as You Li (Yū Ri), Hinako Sakurai as Dong Mei (Tō Bi), and Yūki Araki as Kyō.
Kento Yamazaki, Ryō Yoshizawa, Takao Osawa, and Kanna Hashimoto all reprised their respective characters Shin (Xin), Ei Sei (Yin Zheng), Ō Ki (Wang Qi), and Ka Ryō Ten (He Liao Diao), respectively, from the two previous films. Nana Seino, Hiroshi Tamaki, and Kōichi Satō from the second film also reprised their respective characters Kyо̄ Kai, Sho Hei Kun (Lord Changping), and Ryo Fui (Lu Buwei).
Shinsuke Satō (live-action Gantz, Death Note Light up the NEW world, Bleach) returned as director. Hara and Tsutomu Kuroiwa (One Piece Film Gold, live-action Black Butler, GANTZ:O) returned to write the script.
The film opened on July 19.
The group members are starring in the film's voice cast.
The group leader's entertainment persona Nana Mori is credited as the chief production supervisor and planning producer of the anime, and his off-stage persona Masato Kashiwabara is credited with the original story. Naoki Matsuura (Liar Liar) directed the anime at LIDEN FILMS, and Chika Suzumura (Burn The Witch) wrote the script. Yumi Nakamura (Liar Liar, Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku) designed the characters.
The film opened in theaters in Japan on June 28. It ranked at #2 in terms of ticket sales (but #1 in weekend earnings) in its opening weekend and sold 135,000 tickets earning 227 million (about US$1.40 million) in its first three days.
Yūmi Kawai and Mizuki Yoshida star in the film. Kawai plays Fujino, a fourth grader who draws four-panel comics in the school newspaper. Yoshida plays Kyomoto, Fujino's classmate who has been skipping school.
Kiyotaka Oshiyama (Flip Flappers) directed the anime, and was also in charge of the screenplay and character designs. Oshiyama's Studio Durian produced the film. Singer urara is performing the film's theme "Light song" by composer Haruka Nakamura.
The anime will premiere as seven films. "Kuro no Shinryaku" opened on July 19. The second film, "Sekijitsu no Shutsugeki" (The Assault of the Burning Sun), will open on November 22.
Naomichi Yamato (From the New World, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans episode director) is directing the new anime, with Harutoshi Fukui now also credited as supervising director along with his roles as head writer and scriptwriter as in previous anime in the series. Hideki Oka is also returning as co-writer on the script. Nobuteru Yuki is returning as character designer. Junichirō Tamamori, Mika Akitaka, and Yasushi Ishizu are credited for mechanical designs. Hiroyuki Goto is the CG producer, while Shōsuke Uechi is credited as CG director. Tomohiro Yoshida is the sound director.
As with prior anime in the series, late producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki is credited for the original work, and his son Shōji Nishizaki is credited as chief production supervisor and copyright chief supervisor. Akira Miyagawa is returning to compose the music alongside Shu Kanematsu (My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses). Akira Miyagawa's late father and original Space Battleship Yamato composer Hiroshi Miyagawa is also credited for music.
The film opened in Japan on June 28 and ranked #1 in terms of ticket sales (but #2 in weekend earnings). The film sold 137,000 tickets and earned 170 million yen (about US$1.05 million) in its first three days, the highest opening weekend for an Anpanman film in the franchise's history.
Actress Aya Ueto (live-action Azumi, Thermae Romae) voices the film's central character Lulun, while comedian Takashi Okamura voices a rampaging elephant.
The film's story centers on Anpanman's nemesis Baikinman, but this time, he attempts to become a warrior of love and courage when he is sucked into a picture book. Inside the book is a large forest where fairies live. Baikinman meets the fairy Lulun, who asks him to defeat an elephant that is rampaging in the forest. Although Baikinman is reluctant, he tries his best to defeat the elephant. However, it is too strong for Baikinman, so he tells Lulun to call Anpanman to help protect the picture book world.
The Detective Conan: Hyakuman Doru no Michishirube (Case Closed: The Million-dollar Pentagram) film fell off the top 10 in its 15th weekend at the Japanese box office.
The third part of the four-part Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture (originally titled Gode Geass: Z of the Recapture, or Dakkan no Zetto) anime project dropped off the top 10 as well.
Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin (link 2), comScore via KOFIC