New York: “The Boy and the Heron,” Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film, topped the North American box office during its debut weekend ended Sunday, hitting 12.8 million dollars in revenue.

U.S. media said that the movie became the first film by Miyazaki to hold first place in the country.

The film has garnered 97 million dollars in box office revenue globally, including 56 million dollars in Japan, according to Box Office Mojo, a movie information website.

The movie was chosen for Best Animation in the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards on Sunday. In November, it won the Best Animated Film award from the New York Film Critics Circle.

“Godzilla Minus One,” another Japanese movie, took third place in the North American weekend box office rankings.

JIJI Press