Pokémon takes second-place at Japanese box office: Movie 11 earns US$9.44 million in

[BulbaBot]

Pokémon takes second-place at Japanese box office: Movie 11 earns US$9.44 million in two days

Giratina and the Sky's Bouquet: Shaymin made more than 1 billion yen (US$9.44 million) at the Japanese box office this weekend, earning it second place, but it failed to defeat Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki's new film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.

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[bell02+]

That's kind of really bad... but considering the competition.. it's pretty good. It's funny... Miyazaki just can't stay retired, I guess...

 

[Amewsment]

Well Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most prolific animé directors out there and his films are internationally some of the most successful and respected. So that's quite some competition they were going up against, I think under those circumstances second place is not at all bad.

 

[Armads]

I find this pretty hilarious because I'm a Miyazaki fan myself. ^_^
But y'all are right, second place compared to Miyazaki still says a lot.

 

[Turtle Tamer Kammy]

Well Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most prolific animé directors out there

Wow, really? I bet no one knew that.

Heh, I was more excited about hearing of a new Miyazaki film than about the damn Pokemon movie XD;; I'm impressed that the Pokemon films are still so successful!

 

[Amewsment]

Grats you made another irrelevant comment!!!

Wow, really? I bet no one knew that.

Well I seriously question whether everyone here does know that. I highly doubt it's the case. So you can save your sarcasm for the future, when it might actually be fitting.

 

[The Outrage]

Well I seriously question whether everyone here does know that. I highly doubt it's the case. So you can save your sarcasm for the future, when it might actually be fitting.

I would be one of them. Besides, that wasn't even a completely pointless comment even if everyone followed Japan as closely as Turtle Tamer may think since it builds up to your next comment of "So that's quite some competition they were going up against, I think under those circumstances second place is not at all bad."

So I'm wondering why its bad for Pokemon to be second, even if that wasn't its competition?

Of course, that's until I read the amounnt the previous movie made on opening weekend, but even then its not that bad. Now only of they can get people to watch without bribing them with event Pokemon :/

 

[Steelia]

Now only of they can get people to watch without bribing them with event Pokemon :/

Something tells me that that's the reason why the past two movie's have been so successful: special event Pokemon. And for those who aren't as dedicated towards keeping up with the Pokemon lore as us, they would think that Darkrai, Shaymin and the [very likely] upcoming Arceus are "new" Pokemon. So, naturally, they would take this opportunity to collect them...

As far as Shaymin being in second place, that's hardly surprising against Miyazaki. There've been some amazing films from him, so it's to be expected Pokemon would have such a theatrical rival. But what I couldn't help but notice was that, in some articles I read elsewhere, the film sold "cheaper" children's tickets, and parents of the children who wanted to see the movie had to watch it along with them, thus they had to get tickets of their own... Also, another note I just caught, Miyazaki's film came out in nearly a hundred more theatrical screenings than Shaymin's movie. Interesting, interesting...

Personally, I'm rather surprised Shaymin did so well. Darkrai's movie wasn't much a surprise, as it introduced the infamous duo Dialga and Palkia for the first time, and Darkrai's a rather popular Legendary Pokemon himself (or is becoming one, anyway). Shaymin, on the other hand, is similar to Manaphy, Jirachi, Celebi and Mew due to its size and stats in the game, and I speculated people would notice this and think the movie was a replica of past "cute" Pokemon movies... Honestly, if I didn't know any better, I would've thought that Shaymin's movie would have been a recycle of Jirachi's and Manaphy's movies. Good to know it wasn't.