Chiikawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island is off to a massive start at the box office in Japan.
The first feature film based on illustrator Nagano’s beloved franchise earned ¥990 million on its opening day (July 24), surpassing the ¥960 million debut of Detective Conan: The Million-Dollar Pentagram (2024).
Box Office Performance
The film opened across 447 theaters in Japan, including 65 IMAX screens—a scale comparable to recent Detective Conan and Demon Slayer releases. At the busiest location, TOHO Cinemas Ikebukuro, the film played 41 times on opening day, nearly matching Demon Slayer: Mugen Train‘s 42 screenings at TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku.
About the Film
The film adapts the “Siren Arc,” a popular long-form story arc from the manga written specifically for the movie by Nagano, who also served as supervisor. The story follows Chiikawa and friends as they accept an invitation to a “special island,” enticed by promises of rewards and free food, only to uncover a secret involving mermaids.
Viewer Reactions
Social media has been buzzing with surprise over the film’s tonal shift. Many viewers expecting a “heartwarming story with cute characters” were caught off guard by the story’s darker turns, drawing comparisons to works by thriller author Minato Kanae.
The film is on track to challenge the ¥10 billion milestone.
Source: X (formerly Twitter)
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