Chiikawa animated film surpasses 10 billion yen at Japanese box office
The movie "Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island" has earned over 10 billion yen in Japan since its July debut, its creators announced on Sunday.
The animated feature, based on the popular manga by illustrator Nagano, crossed the 10 billion yen threshold, roughly $63 million, after opening in July. This marks the first cinematic adaptation of the series, whose name blends Japanese words for "small" and "cute." The manga originated from Nagano's social-media posts in 2020 and has since attracted a wide audience both domestically and abroad.
Why it matters
The milestone shows how a social-media-born manga can become a major box-office success, highlighting shifting pathways in entertainment.
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Chiikawaanimation moviebox office10 billion yenmanga adaptationJapanese cinemasocial media origin
