In a dynamic shift at the Japanese box office, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has roared back to the number one position in its ninth weekend, pushing the recently debuted JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution compilation film to second place. The return to the top for the Chainsaw Man feature highlights its sustained popularity and effective promotional strategies.
Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc’s Box Office Resurgence
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc ascended to the top spot for the weekend of November 14-16, 2025, demonstrating remarkable staying power. The film garnered 337 million yen (approximately $2.17 million USD) on 217,000 admissions during this period, marking a significant 155% jump from its previous weekend’s gross.
This impressive rebound is attributed to strategic “cheer screenings” that began on Friday, coupled with the distribution of a fifth bonus gift—a Polaroid-style visual card—on Saturday. These incentives successfully drew audiences back to theaters, showcasing the strong fan engagement with the Chainsaw Man franchise.
With this latest performance, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc boasts a cumulative domestic total of 8.77 billion yen ($56.5 million USD) from 5.72 million admissions. It now ranks 76th in the all-time Japanese box office, surpassing The Matrix. As of November 16, 2025, the film has grossed $142 million worldwide, solidifying its status as one of the highest-grossing Japanese films.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution Drops to Second Place
After a strong debut, JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution fell to second place in its second weekend. The anime compilation film earned 258 million yen (approximately $1.66 million USD) on 176,000 admissions, experiencing a 60% decrease from its opening weekend.
JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution had previously debuted at number one, making 640 million yen ($4.15 million USD) on 417,700 admissions in its first three-day weekend (November 7-9) across 338 theaters in Japan. The film, which recaps the JUJUTSU KAISEN TV anime’s Shibuya Incident arc and includes the first two episodes of the upcoming third season, The Culling Game, reached a 10-day cumulative total gross of 1.12 billion yen ($7.21 million USD) on 740,000 admissions. The third season of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime is set to premiere in Japan on January 8.
Anime’s Continued Dominance in the Japanese Box Office
The fluctuating top positions of these major anime films underscore the genre’s continued dominance in the Japanese theatrical market. Anime films have consistently topped Japan’s weekend box office rankings for 17 consecutive weekends, a trend that began in mid-July.
Other notable anime performances include Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, which climbed five spots to fourth place in its 18th weekend, partly due to special postcard and limited-edition poster giveaways. This film has achieved a cumulative worldwide box office gross exceeding 100 billion yen ($685 million USD), making it the first Japanese film in history to reach this global milestone.
The ongoing success of both new releases and long-running hits like Chainsaw Man and Demon Slayer demonstrates the robust health and enduring appeal of anime films within Japan and globally.
