#The Boy and The Heron Nears US$40 Million in Japan

The new Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and The Heron has made over 5.48 million yen (roughly US$38.5 million) in Japan. The movie recently finished its fourth weekend at the Japanese box office.

On the August 4 to 6 weekend box office chart (which ranks movies based on moviegoer count), The Boy and The Heron finished in fourth place, marking yet another drop. The top three spots were taken by Kingdom: Unmei no Honou and newcomers Shin Jigen! Crayon Shin-chan The Movie Chounouryoku Daisensou ~Tobe Tobe Temakizushi~ and Elemental.

Other anime titles on the weekend chart were Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest at seventh and Idolish 7 Live 4bit Beyond the Period at ninth. 

The Boy and The Heron is Miyazaki’s latest movie since 2013’s The Wind Rises, which was originally the veteran director’s last. The Studio Ghibli-produced film takes its Japanese title (How Do You Live?) from the 1937 novel (published in English in 2021) by Genzaburou Yoshino, which is a favorite of Miyazaki’s. GKIDS has announced its acquisition of North American distribution rights for the show, although it is currently keeping a tight lid on information related to the movie in line with the lack of promotion in Japan.

The Boy and the Heron will make its overseas debut at the Toronto International Film Festival 2023, where it serves as the opening night film.