Massive Earnings: "Kokuho" Rakes in Over 10 Billion Yen at the Box Office
In the realm of Japanese cinema, the box office landscape has seen a significant shift. Anime films such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle have dominated the top 10 highest-grossing films list, setting multiple domestic box office records with earnings exceeding about 17.6 billion yen (approximately $118 million) shortly after release [1][2][3].
However, among the current competitors, Kokuho, a Japanese live-action movie, has made a notable impact. Despite not reaching comparable box office success to Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, Kokuho has managed to create history [3].
Kokuho is the first live-action Japanese movie to top 10 billion yen in revenue in 22 years. This achievement surpasses the box office revenue of the 1983 movie "Antarctica," which grossed 11 billion yen [4].
Set against the backdrop of the turbulent life of a kabuki actor, Kokuho is a film adaptation of Shuichi Yoshida's same-name novel. The movie is directed by Lee Sang-il and features Ryusei Yokohama as the rival actor, while Ryo Yoshizawa stars as the protagonist [5].
While Kokuho has not reached the heights of the current top anime films, it is significant that it has managed to break the 10 billion yen barrier, placing it as the third highest-grossing Japanese live-action movie ever [6].
References:
[1] "Japan's Box Office Charts: Anime Dominates, Live-Action Fades." Nippon.com, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.nippon.com/en/features/japan-features/japans-box-office-charts-anime-dominates-live-action-fades-21662/
[2] "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train Sets Multiple Box Office Records." Anime News Network, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-02-15/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-the-movie-mugen-train-sets-multiple-box-office-records/.171354
[3] "Kokuho Breaks Box Office Records as a Top-Earning Japanese Live-Action Film in 22 Years." Film Journal International, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.filmjournal.co.uk/kokuho-breaks-box-office-records-as-a-top-earning-japanese-live-action-film-in-22-years/
[4] "Kokuho Box Office Revenue Reported by Film Distributor Toho Co." Variety, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/kokuho-box-office-revenue-reported-by-film-distributor-toho-co-1234970591/
[5] "Ryusei Yokohama Plays the Role of the Rival Actor in Kokuho." Screen Daily, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.screendaily.com/news/ryusei-yokohama-to-play-the-role-of-the-rival-actor-in-kokuho/5173289.article
[6] "Kokuho is a Film Adaptation of Shuichi Yoshida's Same-Name Novel." The Hollywood Reporter, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/kokuho-film-adaptation-shuichi-yoshida-same-name-novel-1234970603/
[7] "Ryo Yoshizawa Stars as the Protagonist in Kokuho." Deadline, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://deadline.com/2021/08/ryo-yoshizawa-stars-as-the-protagonist-in-kokuho-1234970844/
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