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Sumikko Gurashi Film Rises to #2, Saekano Film Jumps Back to #6

Eiga Sumikko Gurashi: Tobidasu Ehon to Himitsu no Ko (Sumikko Gurashi The Movie - The Unexpected Picture Book and the Secret Child), the anime film of San-X's "Sumikko Gurashi" (Living in the Corner) characters, rose from #3 to #2 in its second weekend. The film sold 148,000 tickets over the weekend, and earned 183,430,100 yen (about US$1.68 million) from Friday to Sunday. The film has sold a total of 334,980 tickets, and earned a cumulative total of 405,092,800 yen (about US$3.73 million).

The film ranked #3 in its opening weekend. The film opened in Japan on November 8 in 114 theaters. The film sold 104,000 tickets and earned 121 million yen (about US$1.11 million) over the weekend, but sold 114,280 tickets and earned 132,873,500 yen (about US$1.22 million) from Friday to Sunday of that week. The Eiga.com website estimates that the film will eventually earn 1 billion yen (about US$9.18 million).

Mankyū (Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls Theater, Jaku-San-Sei Million Arthur) directed the film at Fanworks. Takashi Sumita (Europe Kikaku) penned the script. Kaori Hino (Napping Princess, In This Corner of the World) was the art director.

The film's story begins when the Sumikko Gurashi characters find a mysterious picture book in the basement of a cafe they always go to. The film features new locales, items, and characters.

Saenai Heroine no Sodate-kata fine, the anime film based on Fumiaki Maruto's Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend light novel series, rose from #10 to #6 in its fourth weekend. The film earned 41,719,000 yen (about US$384,200) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 483,039,290 yen (about US$4.44 million).

The film opened at #5 in Japan. It earned 136,362,600 yen (about US$1.25 million) on Saturday and Sunday. The film opened on October 26 on 121 screens.

Kanta Kamei served as chief director at CloverWorks, and Akihisa Shibata (episode director for the two previous seasons) was the director. Fumiaki Maruto returned to write the script, and Tomoaki Takase returned to design the characters. Aniplex is distributing the film.

Re:Zero Hyōketsu no Kizuna (Frozen Bonds), the original video anime (OVA) for the Re:Zero franchise, dropped from #6 to #10 in its second weekend. The anime earned 36,793,000 yen (about US$338,800) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 180,083,000 yen (about US$1.65 million).

The film ranked at #6 in its opening weekend. The anime opened in Japan last Friday, November 8 in 79 theaters.

The OVA adapts the meeting between Emilia and Puck. The original Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Zenjitsu-tan: Hyōketsu no Kizuna prequel novel was included with the first Blu-ray Disc home video release of the television anime series in Japan.

The first OVA episode in the franchise, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Memory Snow, opened in Japanese theaters in October 2018 at #8. The episode featured a returning cast and staff.

The 25-episode Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- anime adaptation premiered in April 2016. The television anime is getting a second season.

The theatrical screening of the Sōkyū no Fafner THE BEYOND anime's fourth, fifth, and sixth episodes stayed at #1 in the mini-theater ranking in its second weekend.

The third OVA volume of the Tennis no Ōjisama BEST GAMES!! original video anime (OVA) project ranked at #2 in the mini-theater ranking in its opening weekend.

Sources: Eiga.com, Kōgyō Tsūshin (link 2), comScore via KOFIC