Chinese box office sales reports Japan's animated best-seller "Kimi no Nawa" or "Your Name" takes home more than $41.3M in its first screening week during the International Weekend introduction in China last December 4, 2016. The anime comes ahead of Disney's "Moana" and just below the "Harry Potter" universe film "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."
According to HollywoodReporter.com, "Your Name" had a box office weekend in China earning over $41.3m from Friday to Sunday. Citing numbers from Chinese cinema tracker Ent Group, "Fantastic Beasts" was just ahead by $20m against the Japanese anime hit. Hollywood movies "Allied" only had a disappointing $16.3m, ahead of Tim Burton's "Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children" that only earned $11.2m following censorship cuts.
The anime feature "Your Name" -- "Kimi no Nawa" in Japan -- is a well-celebrated anime by worldwide Otakus due to its strong and involving storyline. Under the direction of Japanese Director Makoto Shinkai follows Mitsuha and Taki, a boy and girl in high school, and their ability to shift into each other's bodies and their desire to meet each other. The incident is attributed to a comet circling the Earth near Mitsuha's town.
The anime feature scores highly in critic circles because of its narrative innovation. According to JapanToday.com, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association has awarded the anime with the "Best Animation of the Year." Previously, "The Tale of Princess Kaguya" directed by Isao Takahata in 2014 and "Spirited Away" by Hayao Miyazaki in 2002 were Japanese animation that won accolades from the group.
In Japan, "Your Name" is the country's sixth-highest grossing film. While Japan is the home of Japanese animation, the disappointment of Hayao Miyazaki's soon-to-happen retirement and the lack of quality animation made "Your Name" a breath of fresh air. Japanese viewers also noted the exposure of Japanese traditions and folklore as something positive, especially with Taki's journey to find Mitsuha showcasing Japan's historical destinations.
The outlook for "Your Name" in the Chinese box office looks promising and it may only get better throughout the week. For more news about "Your Name" and upcoming movies and animated features, stay tuned!
