The movie "Jujutsu Kaisen" is the first successful BO anime of 2022

Another popular manga-anime franchise is reaching the top of Japan's box office charts in the new year, as a high school supernatural fantasy. Gekijo-ban Jujutsu Kaisen 0 records 6,7 billion yen (~ US $ 58 million) in its first 15 days, with 4,9 million tickets sold. The prequel photo of the hit Kaisen Jujutsu The TV series, which ended in March, is surpassing last year's highest grossing Evangelion: 3.0 + 1.0: Three times, which reached 6 billion yen ($ 52 million) in 21 days and ended 2021 with 10,22 billion yen ($ 88 million).

Distributed by TOHO and animated by MAPPA, the film premiered at number 1 on December 24th. Demand for the first few waves of tickets was so high that theaters added additional screens, with one Shinjuku cinema running eight midnight screenings. The first three days resulted in a chart topping 2,7 billion yen and 1,9 million tickets sold as fans flocked to theaters and IMAX locations to capture the new adventure and get a brochure in limited edition.

The result was the second best opening in Japanese box office history, replacing that of Disney Frozen II and coming up behind the great success of 2020 Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The movie: Mugen Train at number 1. Now, TOHO expects a regular run of 10 billion yen (US $ 87 million) for its new explosive prequel.

To celebrate the success of the film, TOHO has launched a new promotional video and the official website has announced the pop-up Gekijo-ban Jujutsu Kaisen 0 themed cafes will open from January 14 to March 27 in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Nagoya.

Directed by Sunghoo Park (The God of the Lyceum), Gekijo-ban Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is based on the story of the prequel manga Jujutsu Kaisen 0: Jujutsu High School of Tokyo Prefecture by Gege Akutami, about a nervous high school student named Yuta whose childhood friend, Rika, is transformed into a curse that won't leave him alone. Her situation is noticed by the magic teacher Satoru Gojo, who invites Yuta to enroll in the classes for young exorcists at Jujutsu High.

Il Kaisen Jujutsu manga launched in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2018 and sold 50 million copies. The 24-episode TV anime premiered in 2020 and was named Anime of the Year by the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.

According to Japanese film news Eiga.com, the top three highest-grossing domestic films in Japan last year were animated - Evangelion: 3.0 + 1.0, Detective Conan: The scarlet bullet (7,65 billion yen / 66,6 million dollars) and that of Mamoru Hosoda Beautiful (6,53 billion yen / 56,9 million dollars), followed by live-action manga adaptations Tokyo Avengers at no. 4 and Rurouni Kenshin: The final at no. 5. My Hero Academia: World Heroes Mission completed the top 10 with 3,37 billion yen ($ 29,3 million).

[Source: Mantan Web via Anime News Network]