The Japanese theatrical box office experienced a highly competitive holiday surge as Star Detective Precure claimed third place during its initial three-day opening weekend across commercial cinemas throughout Japan. Distributed across domestic cinemas, the brand-new anime feature earned 446 million yen from 358,000 tickets sold between Friday and Sunday. Over the extended six-day Silver Week holiday window concluding on Wednesday, September 23, cumulative box office revenue for the production reached 746 million yen across 606,000 total admissions [1].
- Star Detective Precure Secures Third Place at Opening Weekend
- Chiikawa Maintains Historic Box Office Dominance Across Holidays
- Production Credits and Cast Behind the Star Detective Precure Movie
- Cosmic Princess Kaguya and Returning Films Shift Weekend Rankings
- Specialty Screenings and Silver Week Bolster Japanese Theaters
Star Detective Precure Secures Third Place at Opening Weekend
Cinemas throughout Japan debuted Eiga Meitantei Precure! Fushigi na Niwa to Futari no Himitsu on Friday, September 18, positioning the mystery adventure as one of the major commercial attractions of the autumn season. The film represents the 23rd main anime entry in the Precure franchise, arriving with high anticipation among families and long-term franchise followers. During its competitive opening three-day weekend from Friday to Sunday, the movie sold 358,000 tickets to earn 446 million yen, representing approximately US$2.82 million in initial theatrical revenue. That opening performance placed the title firmly at third position in the nationwide box office rankings behind established cinematic hits [1].
Momentum continued through Japan’s Silver Week holidays, providing an immediate test of weekday audience retention. Across its first six days in theatrical release concluding on Wednesday, September 23, the production expanded its box office gross to 746 million yen from 606,000 tickets sold. Director Hanako Ueda, previously known for work on You and Idol Precure♪ and episode direction on Summer Time Rendering, steered the creative execution toward an ensemble mystery dynamic. TOHO distributed the theatrical project [1].
Audience members frequently explore what is Star Detective Precure about when evaluating the movie’s connection to television broadcasts. The narrative shifts the familiar magical heroine structure into an investigative framework set within an enigmatic garden. Karin, a 14-year-old girl, holds the central narrative secret while partner fairies coordinate assistance from the lead detective team. The production functions as a standalone theatrical experience while honoring core franchise conventions [1].
Chiikawa Maintains Historic Box Office Dominance Across Holidays
While multiple new competitors entered domestic theaters, Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu maintained absolute control of first place for its ninth consecutive weekend in Japanese theatrical release. Based on the widely shared Siren Arc serialized by creator Nagano on X from March to November 2023, the production has transformed into an unprecedented box office phenomenon. Over the Friday-to-Sunday weekend frame, the film sold 643,000 tickets and earned 999 million yen (about US$6.31 million). By Wednesday, September 23, cumulative ticket sales reached 11.33 million admissions, driving total domestic gross revenue to 16.5 billion yen, or approximately US$104.3 million across all reporting theaters. This historic total elevates the production to 15th place on Japan’s all-time box office list [1].
The commercial achievement stems from consistent studio execution under director Kei Oikawa at Cygames Pictures, recognized for helming three seasons of Uma Musume Pretty Derby and Hinamatsuri. Nagano wrote the script and supervised the adaptation directly, with production management provided by QTORY inc. and distribution handled by TOHO. Opening originally on July 24 with a 990 million yen first day, the film generated 2.24 billion yen across its initial three-day debut. Nagano supervised the entire script [1].
Kōgyō Tsūshin confirmed the updated rankings [2].
According to tracking records certified by Kōgyō Tsūshinsha, the Chiikawa anime adaptation stands undisputed as the top-earning cinematic release across Japan for the entirety of the 2026 calendar year. The production committee announced on September 20 that a fifth round of commemorative visitor bonuses would begin distribution to attendees. These merchandise initiatives, combined with special interactive screenings, ensured steady theater capacity throughout the holiday period [2].
Production Credits and Cast Behind the Star Detective Precure Movie
The artistic identity of the Star Detective Precure movie relies heavily on experienced franchise veterans and accomplished voice talent. Lead guest character Karin is voiced by Akari Kitō, who portrays the 14-year-old girl at the core of the garden’s mystery. Accompanying guardian fairies Alan and Rain are voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki and Kōki Uchiyama respectively, providing steadfast protective guidance while urging the heroic detective squad into immediate investigative action. Rain requests their direct intervention [1].
Screenwriter Yoshimi Narita returned to the franchise after authoring scripts for Eiga HappinessCharge PreCure! Ningyō no Kuni no Ballerina and Eiga Tropical-Rouge! Precure: Yuki no Princess to Kiseki no Yubiwa!. Veteran designer Emiko Miyamoto served as both character designer and chief animation director, maintaining visual continuity following her contributions to Eiga Precure All Stars F. The musical score was co-composed by Erika Fukasawa and Misaki Umase, who previously collaborated across modern franchise installments. Yūka Masui and Chihaya Yoshitake performed the ending theme FIRST PRISM, while Ami Ishii contributed the insert song First Step [1].
Inquiries regarding how to watch Star Detective Precure reflect strong international curiosity regarding theatrical availability and home streaming schedules. While Japanese cinemas maintain exclusive domestic distribution windows through TOHO, international distribution typically follows after domestic theatrical engagements conclude. Questions regarding whether Star Detective Precure is finished can be clarified through regular television scheduling, as the broadcast series continues actively alongside its high-profile cinematic theatrical spin-off [1].
Cosmic Princess Kaguya and Returning Films Shift Weekend Rankings
Beyond the top tier debuts, director Shingo Yamashita’s Cosmic Princess Kaguya! staged an impactful theatrical return on September 18, debuting at sixth place in the weekly standings. Reintroduced to theaters with premium formats including MX4D, 4DX, SCREENX, ULTRA 4DX, and Dolby Atmos, the feature attracted renewed attendance across major urban cinemas. By September 22, the anime feature surpassed 1.5 million admissions to achieve a cumulative gross of 3.0 billion yen (about US$19.0 million) [1].
The production originally began streaming on Netflix on January 22 before launching an initial limited theatrical run on February 20. High demand prompted multiple theaters to schedule more than 10 screenings per day, extending a planned one-week run until June 18. Known domestically as Chō Kaguya-hime!, the film features vocal compositions from celebrated Vocaloid producers including Ryo from supercell, kz of Livetune, 40mP, HoneyWorks, Aqu3ra, and musical creator yuigot. Netflix handled the earlier streaming [1].
Meanwhile, Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising dropped from fourth to eighth position during its fourth weekend. Directed by Yukihiro Miyamoto at studio SHAFT with scriptwriting by Gen Urobuchi of Nitroplus, the official sequel to Rebellion had earned 939.6 million yen from 535,000 tickets across its opening three days after launching on August 28 [1].
The live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back slipped to tenth place during its second weekend, following an initial three-day gross of 144,146,120 yen (about US$929,800). Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, the project previously generated interest when the live-action Look Back captured Venice’s UNIMED Award during international screenings. Kore-eda directed and edited Look Back. The cinematic release featured lead performances from Aju Makita as Kyōmoto and Natsuki Deguchi as Fujino, with guest guitar performance by Kenshi Yonezu credited under his Shark Kick Guitar moniker [1].
Specialty Screenings and Silver Week Bolster Japanese Theaters
Audience attendance across Japanese commercial theaters received a substantial boost from the multi-day Silver Week holiday schedule culminating on September 23. Consecutive public holidays provided prime viewing windows for both new family releases and enduring summer champions, maximizing theatrical concessions and ticket velocity. Distributors capitalized on holiday momentum by scheduling specialized interactive screening sessions designed to incentivize repeated visits [1].
Interactive engagement served as a cornerstone for Chiikawa’s extended theatrical endurance. According to announcements published on the official movie portal, organizers scheduled the second session of their cheering screenings nicknamed Nantokanare-! on September 17. The event schedule complemented dedicated 4DX screenings launched on September 5, one-day cheering screenings held on September 11, and automated penlight performances staged nationwide on September 23. Audience demand energized Toho cinemas [2].
In contrast to sustained performers, competitive pressure led to inevitable weekly departures from the domestic box office leaderboard. Kyoto Animation’s Saishū Gakushō Hibike! Euphonium Kōhen dropped out of the top ten during its second weekend in theaters. Shifting box office positions underscore how compressed theatrical windows require swift commercial traction against formidable franchise releases. Attendance expanded during Silver Week [1].
With Star Detective Precure establishing a viable commercial foothold and Chiikawa rewriting modern box office benchmarks, Japanese theatrical distribution demonstrates remarkable vitality heading into the competitive autumn corridor. The confluence of innovative screening technologies, targeted merchandise campaigns, and robust holiday turnout continues to reward dynamic theatrical storytelling across nationwide cinema networks [1].
- ONLINE NEWS Pineda, R. A. (2026, September 24). Star Detective Precure! film opens at #3, Cosmic Princess Kaguya! returns at #6 in Japan. Anime News Network. [Article Link]
- WEBSITE Chiikawa Movie Production Committee. (2026, September 21). Official news updates. Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu Official Website. [Article Link]
