‘Your Name’ U.S. Release: Highest-Grossing Anime Worldwide That Beat Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘Spirited Away’ To Release In North America In April [Video]
Your Name, a popular anime film by Makoto Shinkai that’s been taking all of Asia by storm, has become the highest-grossing anime worldwide by beating Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away at international box offices. It is now set to take North America by storm with a release this coming April.
According to a written article by Japan Times, it reports that Funimation Entertainment plans to distribute Kimi no Na wa — better known as YourName by international audiences — overseas. They are aiming for a release window of the month of April. Gen Fukunaga, the founder and CEO of Funimation Entertainment provided a statement on their prospects for Your Name internationally.
“It’s truly a joy to be part of a film like Your Name (which) has surprised everyone … and quickly captivated the hearts of audiences and critics alike. I have always believed that a touching and beautifully told story can mesmerize mainstream audiences regardless of a film’s genre.”
To help generate chatter ahead of the North American release, Your Name will be re-released in Japan with English subtitles for two weeks starting on January 28. The special screenings will take place in 11 prefectures including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hokkaido.
Related Reports by The Inquisitr
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- Your NameAnime Is Taking Japan By Storm, Becomes First Non-Miyazaki Animated Film To Top $100 Million In Country
- Hayao Miyazaki, The Genius Animator Of Studio Ghibli, Is Stepping Out Of Retirement For Proposed New Anime Feature Film
- Disney Artist Creates Homage To Studio Ghibli With Big Hero 6
- Legendary Animation Company, Studio Ghibli, Announces Closure; Hearts Of Anime Fans Break Around The World
Funimation Entertainment pushing for the North American release of Your Name is a smart and tactical way for the anime to further cement its status as the highest-grossing anime worldwide at international box offices. As of right now, it has grossed over $331 million USD at international box offices with the majority of sales in China.
In order to take the No. 1 spot, Your Name had to topple some big name anime feature films on the list especially in the top ten. For starters, there are two Pokémon movies in the top 10, Pokémon: The First Movie at $163 million USD and Pokémon: The Movie 2000 at $133 million USD. Next, six anime feature films by Studio Ghibli are also in the top 10. They include Howl’s Moving Castle at $235 million USD, Ponyo at $201 million USD, Princess Mononoke at $159 million USD, The Secret World of Arrietty at $145 million USD, and The Wind Rises at $136 million USD.
However, the biggest anime feature film on the top ten list Your Name had to knock down was the original number one film with the highest-gross internationally, Spirited Away. The epic story directed by Hayao Miyazaki earned a total of $289 million USD worldwide which is leaps and bounds ahead of the anime featured film running up to it, another Miyazaki film tilted Howl’s Moving Castle. Take note that it took 15 years for someone to create another anime feature film to knock it down.
Still, Your Name would not be able to topple Spirited Away domestically at the Japanese box office. As or right now, it sits at No. 4 in highest gross at the box office. The highest grossing film in Japan is still Spirited Away at ¥30.40 billion. The other two movies to also beat Your Name are foreign to Japan, James Cameron’s Titanic at ¥26.20 billion and Disney’s Frozen at ¥25.48 billion. The limited release of Your Name with English subtitles might give it that extra boost to top this chart too.
[Featured Image by CoMix Wave Films/Toho]
