The entertainment industry reporting firm Kogyo Tsushinsha ranked Studio Ghibli's latest film, Kokuriko-Zaka Kara, at #3 below this year's Pokémon film project on their opening weekend at the Japanese box office. However, Kogyo Tsushinsha listed this year's Pokémon film project under one entry at #2, even though two feature-length Pokémon anime films actually opened on Saturday.
Kokuriko-Zaka Kara is the second film from director Goro Miyazaki, the son of Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki, after Tales from Earthsea. Kokuriko-Zaka Kara adapts Chizuru Takahashi and Tetsurō Sayama's original manga about the coming of age of a high school girl named Umi. The elder Miyazaki planned and co-wrote the film.
The film distributor TOHO announced how many people attended the opening days of Ghibli's previous films, such as Arrietty and Ponyo, within days of their debut, but has yet to do for Kokuriko-Zaka Kara. TOHO also distributes the Pokémon films.
The new #1 film in Japan is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 from Warner Brothers and director David Yates.