In Japan, ‘Odysseus’ is scared of tiny, cute ‘Chiikawa’
Chiikawa is a phenomenon in Japan, with its character appearing on various products, and partnering with the brand is an instant way to increase revenue
In Japan, the highly anticipated film "Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island" is taking over theaters during the school summer vacation, overshadowing other cinematic releases. The movie, grossing ¥2.24 billion ($13.7 million) in its opening weekend, has become the top-grossing hit of the year, surpassing Christopher Nolan's epic "The Odyssey" in popularity.
The film chronicles the protagonist's journey to mysterious islands, encountering monsters and sirens, all while relying on companions to navigate the hostile world. Despite the typical delay for foreign films in Japan, "Chiikawa" has managed to dominate the box office, leaving other high-grossing Japanese films in its wake. This trend of strong domestic films outperforming Hollywood releases is a common occurrence in the Japanese market, where the number of screens is limited and domestic productions hold a significant advantage.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
