Arab News Japan

Popular anime ‘First Slam Dunk’ has dominated the Chinese Box Office over the weekend, as it racked up a $56 million in its four-day opening.

The anime movie, produced by Japan’s Toei Animation, premiered in China on April 20 was already generating popularity through word of mouth and made a $13 million win on its first opening day.

China’s major movie rating platforms praised the film and received a 9.2 from fan community Douban and 9.4 on ticketing apps Maoyan and Taopiaopiao.

The movie is expected to rack up $100 million before its time in Chinese theaters is up.

The First Slam Dunk is a movie adaptation of the Japanese manga series by Inoue Takehiko, who also wrote and directed the film. The animated TV series of the manga was released in the 90s and became a hit in China.

The movie seems to be nostalgic for many Chines fans, especially the generation that grew up watching the show. Basketball’s popularity in China is also playing a role in the anime’s huge success so far.

The First Slam Dunk has been a hit in almost every country where it was released. The film earned about $100 million in Japan and $35.5 million in South Korea. In Japan, it’s the biggest film of 2023, and in Korea it currently ranks number two for the year.

Japanese entertainment is faring well in China, as Makoto Shinkai’s anime fantasy Suzume has earned close to $110 million in the country since its release in late March.

Jackie Chan’s action-comedy ‘Ride On’ came in second with just $3.5 million, while Universal’s ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ brought in $2 million for a distant fourth place.