TOKYO – Two highly anticipated films, the anime feature Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise and the live-action adaptation of Wind Breaker, opened in the Japanese box office this past weekend, securing spots in the top 10. Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise debuted at number six, while Wind Breaker entered at number eight, both premiering on December 5, 2025.
The releases mark a significant weekend for Japanese cinema, with both adaptations drawing considerable attention from fans of their respective manga series. Disney’s Zootopia 2 notably took the top spot, demonstrating strong competition in the market.
“Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise” Delivers a Harrowing War Epic
The anime film Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise, based on Kazuyoshi Takeda’s award-winning manga, opened in 325 theaters and secured the sixth position in its opening weekend. The film earned 91,950,210 yen (approximately US$589,600) in its first three days. It also achieved a strong showing in audience satisfaction, ranking third on Filmarks’ first-day satisfaction ranking with an average rating of 3.93/5.0 based on 945 reviews.
Bringing a WWII Battle to the Big Screen
The film adapts the poignant story of Private Tamaru, a young soldier and aspiring manga artist, as he navigates the brutal Battle of Peleliu during World War II in 1944. The narrative focuses on the struggles of 10,000 Japanese soldiers ordered to resist the onslaught of 40,000 American forces until the last man. Directed by Gorō Kuji, the film is a co-production between Shin-Ei Animation and Fugaku, with a screenplay co-written by Junji Nishimura and original manga creator Kazuyoshi Takeda. Kenji Kawai, known for his work on Ghost in the Shell, composed the music. Rihito Itagaki stars as Hitoshi Tamaru, with Tomoya Nakamura voicing his comrade-in-arms, Keisuke Yoshiki. Toei Company is distributing the film, which premiered on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Live-Action “Wind Breaker” Fights Its Way to Eighth Place
The live-action movie adaptation of Satoru Nii’s popular delinquent action manga, Wind Breaker, opened in 351 theaters and debuted at number eight. The film garnered an average rating of 3.51/5.0 on Filmarks’ first-day satisfaction ranking, placing it fifth among new releases.
Delinquents as Town Protectors
Directed by Kentaro Hagiwara, known for his work on live-action adaptations of Tokyo Ghoul and Blue Period, the Wind Breaker film brings the intense world of Furin High School to life. The screenplay was penned by Yosuke Masaike, an award-winning writer. The story centers on Haruka Sakura, a first-year transfer student at Furin High, a school notorious for its strong-willed students who use their brawling skills to protect their town. Koshi Mizukami takes on the lead role of Haruka Sakura, with Taisei Kido as Akihiko Nirei and Keito Tsuna as Hayato Suo. Warner Bros. is handling the distribution of the film, which was shot on location in southern Okinawa, transforming a local shopping district into the vibrant setting of Furin High School. The live-action project involved direct collaboration with manga creator Satoru Nii during the early script stages, aiming to deliver a unique retelling with scenes specifically tailored for live-action.
