The Japanese box office saw a shift in rankings this past week, with the long-reigning champion, Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback, relinquishing its number one position after a stellar five-week run. Meanwhile, Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe: At a Confessional made its debut, landing in the fourth spot. Here’s a breakdown of the latest box office news from Japan.
Conan’s Reign Ends, But Legacy Grows
After dominating the Japanese box office for five consecutive weekends, Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback, the 28th installment in the beloved anime franchise, has finally moved to second place. According to Kogyo Tsushinsha, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning has taken the top spot.
Despite the drop, Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback continues to impress. In its sixth weekend (May 23-25), the film earned 376 million yen (approximately $2.63 million USD) with 255,000 admissions. This represents a 27.2% decrease from the previous weekend, but its cumulative total has reached a staggering 12.8 billion yen (about $89.67 million USD) with 8.84 million admissions.
A Box Office Milestone
The film’s impressive performance has propelled it to 29th place in Japan’s all-time box office rankings, surpassing Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). This is a significant achievement for the Detective Conan franchise, solidifying its place in Japanese cinema history.
Initial Success
Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback opened in Japanese theaters on April 18, 2025, and quickly became a box office phenomenon. In its first three days, the film grossed 3,438,626,700 yen (approximately $24.15 million USD) and sold 2,314,690 tickets, setting a new opening-weekend record for the franchise. The film was released on 522 screens, marking the widest release in the history of Detective Conan films.
About Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback
Directed by Katsuya Shigehara, Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback is a mystery film based on the manga series Case Closed by Gosho Aoyama. The story revolves around a case in Nagano Prefecture involving Inspector Yamato Kansuke, who was shot near his left eye ten months prior and lost his memory of the incident.
Rohan Kishibe Makes His Confessional Debut
Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe: At a Confessional, the new live-action film adaptation of Hirohiko Araki’s Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe manga series, opened in 337 theaters on May 23, 2025. It earned 259 million yen (approximately $1.82 million USD) on 177,000 admissions, securing the fourth-place debut.
Performance Compared to Previous Film
The opening weekend gross was 82.2% of that of the previous film in the Issei Takahashi-starring live-action series, Rohan at the Louvre, which was released in 2023.
Positive Reception
At a Confessional ranked #3 in Filmarks’ first-day satisfaction ranking with an average rating of 3.98/5.0 based on 2,631 reviews.
About Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe: At a Confessional
Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe is a spin-off series from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, following the bizarre experiences of manga artist Rohan Kishibe during his research trips. At a Confessional is based on the first chapter of the spin-off series, where Rohan encounters mysterious phenomena using his special ability “Heaven’s Door.” Issey Takahashi stars as Rohan Kishibe.
Controversy Surrounding AI Usage
The film has faced controversy due to the extensive use of AI in creating the soundtrack. Composer Naruyoshi Kikuchi stated that he “did not compose a single piece,” which sparked criticism from fans. Some Japanese moviegoers threatened to boycott the film, raising questions about the impact of AI on the film’s box office performance.
Other Notable Films
- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning took the top spot, earning 449 million yen (about $3.1 million USD) on 281,000 admissions during its first Saturday-Sunday weekend.
- Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey, a live-action film adaptation of Akiko Higashimura’s autobiographical manga, fell to fifth place in its second weekend. The film has earned over 100 million yen (about $701,100 USD) in its second weekend, with a cumulative total gross of 404.8 million yen (about $2.84 million USD).
- Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Art World Tales has earned 4,382,000,500 yen (about $30.34 million USD) since its release on March 7.
The Japanese box office continues to be dynamic, with both established franchises and new releases vying for the top spots. It will be interesting to see how these films perform in the coming weeks and months.
