“Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island” has crossed 16.7 billion yen (roughly $112 million) at the Japanese box office after 65 days in theaters, according to estimates shared by the tracking account Beida’s Box Office Report on X. The milestone pushes the film past THE FIRST SLAM DUNK’s 16.6 billion yen haul, making Chiikawa the 8th highest-grossing Japanese animated film of all time, with one fan reply in the thread noting it also lands at 10th on the all-time chart for Japanese films of any genre.
The film is now closing in on “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” whose Japanese theatrical run reportedly earned 17.3 billion yen. Fans in the replies debated whether Chiikawa could go even further, with some suggesting that upcoming bonus merchandise tied to the film’s mermaid character could be the deciding factor in whether it also overtakes Studio Ghibli’s “Princess Mononoke.” Reaching “Your Name.” territory, several commenters agreed, is likely still out of reach.
Adding to the momentum, cheering-style “ouen jouei” screenings, where audiences are encouraged to react and cheer along during the film, are set to begin soon. Commenters pointed to these participatory screenings as a reason the movie’s run could keep gaining steam even two months after release. The producers have also posted an official video explaining screening etiquette for the format, which fans praised for its narration by the character Rakko-sensei.
Who is Chiikawa?
Chiikawa, short for “Nanka Chiisakute Kawaii Yatsu” (something small and cute), is a character franchise created by illustrator Nagano that began as a webcomic on X (formerly Twitter) before growing into one of Japan’s biggest merchandising and media phenomenons, spanning an anime series, extensive character goods, and now a second theatrical film. “The Secret of Mermaid Island” is the franchise’s follow-up to its first movie, and its box office run has been closely tracked by fans comparing it to major theatrical releases, including Ufotable’s “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train,” which set the modern-era record at over 40 billion yen.
Author’s Comment
A tiny, wobbly-eyed creature that started life as a side character on somebody’s Twitter feed is now out-earning Sakuragi and the Shohoku basketball team, and honestly, I’m not even surprised anymore. This is peak Japan: the softest, least explicable IP wins by sheer cuddly attrition while everyone in the replies does box office math for fun. The real tell is the cheering screenings — turning a movie about small cute things into a stadium event is exactly the kind of gentle mass hysteria this country does better than anyone. Ghibli, keep an eye on your rearview mirror.
