Chiikawa Film Tops 2026 Japan Box Office with 13.9 Billion
The first Chiikawa anime film has earned 13.9 billion yen, making it Japan's highest-grossing film of 2026 so far.
The first anime film adaptation of Nagano's Chiikawa manga has become the biggest film in Japan for 2026. Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island has earned a cumulative total of 13.9 billion yen (about US$89.1 million) and sold 9.60 million tickets.
In its seventh weekend, the film remained number one at the Japanese box office. From Friday to Sunday, it sold 928,000 tickets and earned 1.415 billion yen (about US$9.07 million).
Box Office Milestones
The film's 13.9 billion yen total has now surpassed the earnings of Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway, which earned 13.7 billion yen. This achievement makes the Chiikawa film the current top-grossing film in Japan this year. Kōgyō Tsūshin initially reported a figure of 13.8 billion yen before updating it.
On Japan's all-time box office ranking, the film now sits in 23rd place. It has surpassed several major anime films to get there.
| Film Title | All-Time Rank |
|---|---|
| Jujutsu Kaisen 0 | 24th |
| Detective Conan: The Black Iron Submarine | 25th |
| Detective Conan: Highway no Datenshi | 27th |
Strong Opening and Ongoing Events
The film opened in Japanese theaters on July 24 and ranked first for its opening weekend. It earned 990 million yen on its opening day alone. Over its first three days, the film sold 1,508,500 tickets and earned 2,240,333,500 yen.
Theaters continue to host special events for moviegoers. 4DX screenings began recently. The film's fourth wave of presents, consisting of four kinds of charm figures, started on Saturday. Special one-day-only cheering screenings are scheduled for September 11, with penlight screenings following on September 23.
Story and Production Details
The film adapts a story arc from Nagano's manga that was posted on X from March to November 2023. This arc is nicknamed the "Siren Arc" or "Island Arc." The plot begins with Chiikawa and Hachiware relaxing when a rabbit with a flyer appears. The flyer promises "great rewards for simple hunts" and free sweet and spicy dishes like limited-edition island ramen. Lured by these offers, Chiikawa and friends decide to visit the island. A suspicious Rakko accompanies them.
Original creator Nagano is credited with the original story and wrote the film's script. Under Nagano's supervision, director Kei Oikawa helmed the project at Cygames Pictures. Production was managed by QTORY inc., with TOHO handling distribution.
