A live-action sequel film to “The Silent Service” manga, titled The Silent Service: The Battle of the Arctic Ocean, opened at #3 in the Japanese box office during its opening weekend of September 26-28, 2025. The film, which is the second theatrical installment in the live-action adaptation project of Kaiji Kawaguchi’s popular manga, attracted approximately 195,000 viewers and grossed around 282 million yen (approximately US$1.91 million) in its first three days. This places it behind Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1: Akaza Returns, which secured the #1 and #2 spots respectively.
The initial live-action The Silent Service film, released in Japan on September 29, 2023, debuted at #2 in the box office, selling 274,000 tickets and earning 370,136,800 yen (about US$2.46 million) in its first three days. The current sequel’s opening weekend gross is approximately 76.2% of the first film’s opening performance.
About “The Silent Service: The Battle of the Arctic Ocean”
The Silent Service live-action project continues to adapt Kaiji Kawaguchi’s acclaimed political-military manga, which was serialized from 1988 to 1996 and boasts a total circulation of 32 million copies. The manga’s narrative delves into themes of nuclear war, international politics, and global peace, sparking considerable discussion upon its original release.
Production and Storyline
The sequel, The Silent Service: The Battle of the Arctic Ocean, is directed by Kohei Yoshino, with Hikaru Takai writing the script. Actor Takao Osawa not only stars in the film as protagonist Shiro Kaieda but also serves as a producer. The film focuses on the “Great Sea Battle of the Arctic Ocean” and “Yamato Election” episodes from the original manga. These storylines see Captain Shiro Kaieda leading Japan’s first nuclear submarine, the “Yamato” (also known as the “Seabat”), in unpredictable actions after it escapes U.S. military control. The submarine, dubbed “The Great and Powerful Peace,” navigates the cold, deep northern seas after overpowering the U.S. Seventh Fleet in the Battle of Tokyo Bay, setting a course for New York.
Singer Ado contributes the theme song “Kaze to Watashi no Monogatari” (The Tale of The Wind and I) for the sequel, following her work on the first installment’s theme song “Dignity.”
Cast and Crew
Returning cast members from the previous film and series include:
- Yoshi Sakō as Seiji Kageyama
- Yui Natsukawa as Hitomi Sonezaki
- Takashi Sasano as Toshio Takegami
- Yōsuke Eguchi as Wataru Unabara
- Aya Ueto as Ichiya Hiromi
- Aoi Nakamura as Eiji Yamanaka
- Tomoya Nakamura as Sōshi Irie
- Kō Maehara as Takuo Mizoguchi
The Broader “Silent Service” Project
The live-action adaptation of The Silent Service began with a theatrical film in September 2023, which was Amazon Studios’ first Japanese theatrical film production. This was followed by an eight-episode web drama series titled Chinmoku no Kantai Season 1: Tokyowan Daikaisen (Silent Service Season 1: The Battle of Tokyo Bay), which premiered on Amazon Prime Video in February 2024. This series included unreleased scenes and a sequel story not fully depicted in the initial film. The drama series achieved the biggest opening for a live-action series on Prime Video in Japan. The success of the series led to the swift announcement of a sequel.
The films and series highlight the original manga’s profound questions about international relations and the pursuit of peace. The use of a real submarine for filming, a first in Japan for such a project, underscores the production’s commitment to realism.
