Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu has become the highest-grossing movie in Japan in 2026 so far, reaching ¥13.9 billion in cumulative box office revenue. The first theatrical adaptation of Nagano’s popular Chiikawa manga has now moved ahead of Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway on Japan’s yearly box-office chart.
The milestone comes during the film’s seventh weekend in theaters, with the movie continuing to dominate the Japanese box office despite strong competition from major releases. According to Kōgyō Tsūshin, Chiikawa returned to No. 1 for the September 4–6 weekend, adding ¥1.415 billion from 928,000 tickets.
Chiikawa Movie Surpasses Detective Conan and Enters Japan’s All-Time Top 25
The latest figures put Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu at 9.6 million tickets sold and ¥13.9 billion in total revenue. That result puts it ahead of Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway, which had previously earned ¥13.7 billion during its theatrical run.
The film has also climbed to 23rd place on Japan’s all-time box-office ranking, overtaking several established anime blockbusters along the way. Its latest performance is particularly notable because Chiikawa is competing against major properties such as Spider-Man and Toy Story while maintaining its position near the top of the Japanese market.
Directed by Kei Oikawa at CygamesPictures, the movie adapts the manga’s popular “Siren” or “Island” arc. Nagano created the original story and also handled the film’s screenplay, with TOHO distributing the movie.
The story follows Chiikawa, Hachiware and their friends after they discover an invitation promising rewards and food on a mysterious island. Rakko joins the group after becoming suspicious of the invitation, leading them into an adventure based on one of the manga’s most prominent story arcs.
The movie originally opened in Japan on July 24, 2026, earning ¥2.24 billion during its first three days. Its continued success has now made the first Chiikawa theatrical release the biggest Japanese box-office hit of 2026 so far.
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