The Jujutsu Kaisen 0 juggernaut may be showing signs that it's finally about to take a breather, but its milestones to date continue to be extremely impressive. In Japan alone, the blockbuster anime film has climbed to the 18th spot in the Japanese box office's all-time chart, officially overtaking one of Disney's most formidable movies in recent years: Frozen 2.
The anime film, which stands as a prequel to the runaway shounen hit series Jujutsu Kaisen, opened in Japan in December before getting a North American release in March 2022. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 has proven extremely resilient in both the Japanese and international markets. Just recently, it became the fourth-highest grossing anime film in North American box office history.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Becomes Fourth Highest-Grossing Anime Film In US Box Office History
Back home in Japan, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 finally dropped out of the Top 10 Japanese Box Office list this week. That's perfectly fine, considering the fact that the anime film had been on the Top 10 list since it debuted last December. Despite the anime film seemingly entering its cooldown period, however, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 still managed to hit a milestone on the Japanese box office all-time charts by taking the 18th spot in the list -- and dethroning Disney's Frozen 2 in the process.
Taking the place of Frozen 2 in the Japanese box office all-time charts is no small feat for Jujutsu Kaisen 0. The Disney sequel, after all, received a lot of push in Japan, with the entertainment giant even opening several Frozen 2 themed cafes in major cities across the country prior to the animated film's 2019 debut. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 thus proves that a well-directed anime film with great visuals, interesting characters, and a compelling story can have what it takes to stand toe-to-toe with the best animated films in the industry.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0's place on the Japanese box office all-time charts is a testament to the surprising success that the anime film has experienced to date. In the United States and Canada, for example, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 was initially projected to gross between $8–13 million from 2,336 theaters in its opening weekend. It overperformed this estimate, grossing $17.7 million during its debut weekend. As of April 10, the film had earned 13.42 billion yen ($108 million) in Japan. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is also estimated to have earned over $160 million worldwide, allowing it to inch closer to Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke, which posted a worldwide gross of $169.7 million.
Inasmuch as Jujutsu Kaisen's dethroning of Disney's Frozen 2 is impressive, it should be said that the 2019 animated film did run into some issues during its theatrical run Japan. While Frozen 2 ultimately earned $1.45 billion internationally, the movie's cooldown period in Japan happened much faster than its predecessor, the original Frozen from 2013. The first Frozen movie earned between $7 million and $9 million in Japan for its first 12 weeks in Japanese theaters. Frozen 2, on the other hand, dropped to less than $2 million in its ninth week.
Regardless of Frozen 2's performance in Japan, however, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 still deserves much praise. It's a rare sight, after all, to see a successful Disney sequel be humbled by an anime film.
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Source: Crunchyroll