Key statistics of the Japanese movie industry in 2018 & list of Japanese movies which crossed the 1 billion yen mark in box office takings

Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. announced key statistics of the Japanese movie industry in 2018 and the list of Japanese movies which crossed the 1 billion yen mark in box office takings during its New Year press conference on 29 Jan 2019:

- Total box office takings for 2018 was 97.3% of 2017's i.e. JPY 222.511 billion.

- "Gekijouban Code Blue Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei" was the No.1 Japanese movie in the box office (JPY 9.3bn) but lost to "Bohemian Rhapsody" (JPY 10.46bn) in terms of the overall ranking. Note that the latter is still showing in cinemas as of now so the total takings are set to go even higher.

- 1,192 movies were released in Japan within 2018 of which 613 were domestic productions while there were 579 foreign movies.

- It has been 15 years since 2003's "Odoru Daisousasen THE MOVIE 2 / Rainbow Bridge wo fuusaseyo!" that there was any Japanese movie which achieved box office takings of more than JPY 9 billion. Other than "Code Blue", "Meitantei Conan Zero no Shikkounin" was the other movie at No.2 which achieved this feat.

- There were 31 Japanese movies and 23 foreign movies which crossed the JPY 1 billion mark.

- Total cinema visits was at 97% of 2017's figure i.e. 169.21 million visits.

- 2018's figures were the 3rd best since 2000 even though there wasn't a super hit among the offerings last year.

- Average ticket price was JPY 1,315 which was 0.4% higher than 2017, thanks to more screenings at 4D, IMAX and Dolby Atmos theatres which usually charge higher prices.

Here is the list of Japanese movies which crossed the 1 billion yen mark in 2018 with their box office takings reflected within the brackets (Note that for some films which were shown towards the end of the year and are still being screened, the final total takings are subjected to change):

Gekijouban Code Blue Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei (9.3bn)
Meitantei Conan Zero no Shikkounin (9.18bn)
Eiga Doraemon Nobita no Takarajima (5.37bn)
Manbiki Kazoku (4.55bn)
Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburutame ni koso aru (3.7bn)
DESTINY Kamakura Monogatari (3.21bn)
Camera wo tomeruna! (3.12bn)
Gekijouban Pocket Monster Minna no Monogatari (3.09bn)
Kensatsugawa no Zainin (2.96bn)
Mirai no Mirai (2.88bn)
Hachinengoshi no Hanayome Kiseki no Jitsuwa (2.82bn)
Eiga Youkai Watch Shadow Side Oniou no Fukkatsu (2.04bn)
Sumaho wo otoshitadake nanoni (1.96bn)
Eiga Crayon Shin-chan Bakushou! Kungfu Boys ~ Ramen Dairan ~ (1.84bn)
Soratobu Taiya (1.74bn)
Chihayafuru - Musubi - (1.73bn)
Boku no Hero Academy THE MOVIE ~ Futari no Eiyuu ~ (1.72bn)
KU-KAI Utsukushiki Ouhi no Nazo (1.7bn)
Inori no maku ga orirutoki (1.59bn)
Koohii ga samenaiuchi ni (1.5bn)
Rapurasu no Majo (1.4bn)
Kamen Rider Heisei Generations FINAL Build & Ex-Aid with Legend Rider (1.28bn)
Nichinichi kore koujitsu (1.28bn)
Kita no Sakuramori (1.27bn)
50 Kaime no First Kiss (1.26bn)
Sensei Kunshu (1.23bn)
Eiga HUGtto! Puri Kyua Futari wa Puri Kyua All Stars Memories (1.15bn)
Hagane no Renkin Jutsushi (1.11bn)
Konya, Romance Gekijou de  / Gekijouban Kamen Rider Build Be The One / Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger vs. Keisatsu Sentai Patranger en Film (1.02bn)
Ningyo no nemuru ie (1bn)

Source: Natalie

Top 10 bestselling Japanese movies in 2018

Note that numbers in brackets indicate the total box office takings for the movie:

1) Gekijouban Code Blue Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei (JPY 9.23bn)

2) Meitantei Conan Zero no Shikkounin (JPY 9.18bn)

3) Doraemon Nobita no Takarajima (JPY 5.37bn)

4) Manbiki Kazoku (JPY 4.53bn)

5) Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburu tame ni koso aru (JPY 3.65bn)

6) DESTINY Kamakura Monogatari (JPY 3.21bn)

7) Camera wo tomeruna (JPY 3.12bn) - up till mid December

8) Gekijouban Pocket Monster Minna no Monogatari (JPY 3.09bn)

9) Kensatsugawa no Zainin (JPY 2.9bn)

10) Mirai no Mirai (JPY 2.88bn)

Source: Eiga.com

Nominees for the 73rd Mainichi Film Awards (2018)

Here are the nominees for the 73rd Mainichi Film Awards (2018) - note that I have only included the best movie and individual acting categories' nominees here:

Best Japanese Movie
Kiku to Guillotine
Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Korou no Chi
Netemo Sametemo
Manbiki Kazoku

Best Foreign Movie
Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Phantom Thread
The Post
1987: When the Day Comes

Best Leading Actor
Emoto Tasuku - Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Okada Junichi - Chiri Tsubaki
Higashide Masahiro - Netemo Sametemo
Yakusho Koji - Korou no Chi
Yamazaki Tsutomu - Mori no iru basho
Lily Franky - Manbiki Kazoku

Best Leading Actress
Ando Sakura - Manbiki Kazoku
Kadowaki Mugi - Tomerareuka, oretachi wo
Kuroki Haru - Nichinichi kore koujitsu
Shuri - Ikiterudakede, Ai
Matsuoka Mayu - Katte ni Furuetero

Best Supporting Actor
Arai Hirofumi - Kenen
Eita - Yuuzai
Sakou Yoshi - Kensatsugawa no Zainin
Sometani Shota - Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Tsukamoto Shinya - Zan
Ninomiya Kazunari - Kensatsugawa no Zainin
Matsuzaka Toori - Korou no Chi

Best Supporting Actress
Ishibashi Shizuka - Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Kan Hanae - Kiku to Guillotine
Kiki Kirin - Nichinichi kore koujitsu / Manbiki Kazoku
Kino Hana - Itoshi no Irene
Hara Hideko - Suzukike no Uso
Matsuoka Mayu - Manbiki Kazoku

Sponichi Grand Prix Male Newcomer
Kanichiro - Kiku to Guillotine
Jou Kairi - Manbiki Kazoku
Tamaoki Reo - Kyoukaishi
Narita Ryo - Niwatori Star
Maeda Ryusei - Zan
Yoshizawa Ryo - River's Edge

Sponichi Grand Prix Female Newcomer
Karata Erika - Netemo Sametemo
Kiryuu Mai - Kiku to Guillotine / Suzukike no uso
Sasaki Miyu - Manbiki Kazoku
Hirate Yurina - HIBIKI
Makita Aju - Shino-chan wa jibun no namae ga ienai
Minami Sara - Shino-chan wa jibun no namae ga ienai

Tanaka Kinuyo Award
Ando Sakura
Shirakawa Kazuko
Terajima Shinobu
Hara Hideko
Fubuki Jun

Source: Natalie

Winners of the 43rd Hochi Movie Awards (2018)

Best Japanese Movie: Korou no Chi

Best Director: Omori Tatsushi - Nichinichi Kore Koujitsu

Best Leading Actor: Yakusho Koji - Korou no Chi

Best Leading Actress: Shinohara Ryoko - Ningyo no nemuru ie / SUNNY Tsuyoi kimochi tsuyoi ai

Best Supporting Actor: Ninomiya Kazunari - Kensatsugawa no Zainin

Best Supporting Actress: Kiki Kirin - Mori no iru basho / Manbiki Kazoku / Nichinichi Kore Koujitsu

Best Newcomer:
Minami Sara - Shino-chan wa jibun no namae ga ienai
Makita Aju - Shino-chan wa jibun no namae ga ienai

Best Foreign Movie: Wonder

Best Animation Movie: Meitantei Conan Zero no Shikkounin

Special Award: Camera wo tomeruna!

Source: Natalie

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 29th & 30th September 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Gekijouban Natsume Yuujincho Utsusemi ni musubu (136)

2) Christopher Robin (362)

3) Chiri Tsubaki (341)

4) Koohii ga samenai uchi ni (305)

5) A Quiet Place (194)

6) The Meg (284)

7) Camera wo tomeruna! (2)

8) Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburu tame ni koso aru (345)

9) DTC Yukemuri Junjohen from HIGH&LOW (155)

10) Kensatsugawa no Zainin (334)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 22nd & 23rd September 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Christopher Robin (362)

2) Koohii ga samenai uchi ni (305)

3) The Meg (284)

4) Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburu tame ni koso aru (345)

5) Kensatsugawa no Zainin (334)

6) The Predator (319)

7) Camera wo tomeruna! (2)

8) Skyscraper (182)

9) Hibiki (296)

10) Ant-Man and the Wasp (356)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 15th & 16th September 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Christopher Robin (362)

2) The Meg (284)

3) The Predator (318)

4) Kensatsugawa no Zainin (334)

5) Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburu tame ni koso aru (345)

6) Hibiki (295)

7) Ant-Man and the Wasp (356)

8) Camera wo tomeruna! (2)

9) Gekijouban Code Blue Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei (345)

10) SUNNY Tsuyoi kimochi Tsuyoi Ai (317)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 8th & 9th September 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) The Meg (284)

2) Kensatsugawa no Zainin (334)

3) Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburu tame ni koso aru (345)

4) Ant-Man and the Wasp (356)

5) Gekijouban Code Blue Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei (345)

6) Camera wo tomeruna! (2)

7) SUNNY Tsuyoi kimochi Tsuyoi Ai (317)

8) Incredibles 2 (364)

9) Kasane (292)

10) Mission: Impossible Fallout (366)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 1st & 2nd September 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Kensatsugawa no Zainin (334)

2) Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburu tame ni koso aru (345)

3) Ant-Man and the Wasp (356)

4) Gekijouban Code Blue Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei (345)

5) Incredibles 2 (364)

6) Camera wo tomeruna! (2)

7) SUNNY Tsuyoi kimochi Tsuyoi Ai (317)

8) Mission: Impossible Fallout (366)

9) Mamma Mia! Here we go again (336)

10) Kimi no suizou wo tabetai (169)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 25th & 26th August 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Kensatsugawa no Zainin (334)

2) Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburu tame ni koso aru (345)

3) Gekijouban Code Blue Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei (345)

4) Incredibles 2 (364)

5) Mission: Impossible Fallout (366)

6) Camera wo tomeruna! (2)

7) Mamma Mia! Here we go again (336)

8) Jurassic World - Fallen Kingdom (371)

9) Ocean's Eight (326)

10) Gekijouban Nanatsu no Taizai Tenkuu no Torawarebito (272)

Source: Eiga.com

Supporting cast line-up of new movie "Kensatsugawa no Zainin" announced

The supporting cast line-up of new movie "Kensatsugawa no Zainin" has been announced. The movie is based on the 2013 novel by Shizukui Shusuke and will be directed by Harada Masato. Filming began from 12 July this year and is expected to be wrapped up by early September. The movie will be shown in cinemas next year.

The story features Ninomiya Kazunari as a newbie prosecutor Okino Keiichiro who has a strong sense of justice and is sent to work at the Tokyo Public Prosecutors' Office with an elite prosecutor Mogami Takeshi (Kimura Takuya). When a murder case is assigned to their department, Okino and Mogami develop different views about the case. It is revealed later that the suspect in this case happens to be the same suspect in a murder which had passed its statute of limitations. Mogami is bent on not letting this suspect off the hook again as his inability to put him to justice in the past caused the death of a person who was important to him. This causes Mogami and Okino to clash especially when Mogami tries to overstep his authority as a prosecutor and Okino has reservations about the biased manner in which his senior is conducting the investigation.

Yoshitaka Yuriko will be playing the heroine Tachibana Saho who is an admin officer in the prosecutors' office. Due to an incident when she was a child, Saho resolved to become an admin officer and realised her dream with her tough resolve. Matsushide Yutaka will be playing Suwabe Toshinari, a broker of the underworld while Yamazaki Tsutomu plays Shirakawa Yuuma who is a big-name lawyer known for his strong belief in human rights. Ookura Koji will be playing Yumioka, the suspect in the murder case and Hira Takehiro will be playing Danno who is Mogami's former classmate and a member of parliament. Yashima Norito will be playing a lawyer Odajima who works with Okino in this case. Other co-stars include Yajima Kenichi, Otoo Takuma (TEAM NACS), Kimura Midoriko, Ashina Sei and Yamazaki Hirona.

Source: Eiga.com

Kimura Takuya & Ninomiya Kazunari to star in new movie "Kensatsugawa no Zainin"

Kimura Takuya will be taking on the leading role in the new movie "Kensatsugawa no Zainin" (The sinner on the prosecutor's side) which will be shown in cinemas next year. Joining him in the cast line-up will be Arashi's Ninomiya Kazunari. The movie is based on the 2013 novel by Shizukui Shusuke and will be directed by Harada Masato who offered the roles to the actors in March this year. Filming will begin in July.

The story features Ninomiya as a newbie prosecutor Okino Keiichiro who has a strong sense of justice and is sent to work at the Tokyo Public Prosecutors' Office with an elite prosecutor Mogami Takeshi. When a murder case is assigned to their department, Okino and Mogami develop different views about the case. It is revealed later that the suspect in this case happens to be the same suspect in a murder which had passed its statute of limitations. Mogami is bent on not letting this suspect off the hook again as his inability to put him to justice in the past caused the death of a person who was important to him. This causes Mogami and Okino to clash especially when Mogami tries to overstep his authority as a prosecutor and Okino has reservations about the biased manner in which his senior is conducting the investigation.

Kimura commented that he is excited and honoured to be participating in a Harada production and thinks that it will be fun working with Ninomiya and the rest of the cast. Ninomiya commented that he will have to suppress his excitement and keep a cool head to tackle this role and will depend on Harada's directing and Kimura's leading during the filming.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Sponichi