Oscar entry Kokuho becomes highest-grossing live-action Japanese film, breaks 22-year-old record
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The poster of Japanese movie Kokuho is pictured outside a cinema in Tokyo on Sept 4, 2025.
PHOTO: AFP
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Surprise kabuki-themed hit Kokuho grossed more than 17.37 billion yen (S$144 million), becoming the first movie in 22 years to break Japan’s box office record for a domestic live-action film.
Based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Shuichi Yoshida, director Lee Sang-il’s three-hour epic about kabuki theatre surpassed the 17.35 billion yen record set by action comedy Bayside Shakedown 2 in 2003.
Kokuho, or “national treasure”, has won over critics with its lush cinematography and portrayal of the little-known world of kabuki. Spanning 50 years, the film follows the life of Kikuo Tachibana (played by Ryo Yoshizawa) – the son of a yakuza boss who is taken in by a kabuki star – and his deep friendship and blistering rivalry with his benefactor’s son.
It also stars Ryusei Yokohama and Ken Watanabe.
Japan’s 2026 Oscar entry and its exploration of the sacrifices artists make to perfect their craft – and the suffering they cause their loved ones – has drawn more than 12.3 million viewers since its release in June.
The popularity of the film has rekindled public interest in actual kabuki, with an estimated 10,000 people visiting Tokyo’s Kabukiza Theatre for the first time during the July to October period, marking a nearly 30 per cent increase in new audiences from a year earlier, according to its organiser.
The book has also been a hit, selling 2 million copies so far, its publisher said.
Kokuho marks a coup for Sony Group’s bid to broaden its content offerings. Produced by unit Aniplex in association with Myriagon Studio and distributed by Toho Co, the film had its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, followed by limited screenings in the US. A wider North American release is planned for early 2026.
It makes its Singapore premiere at the Singapore International Film Festival on Dec 7. BLOOMBERG
