Final box office earnings for ninth Pokémon movie announced

Second-lowest ever in Pokémon history
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  • Thursday, December 21, 2006

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The final box office earnings for the ninth Pokémon movie, Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy, have been revealed to be ¥3.4 billion (US$29 million), which are the second lowest earnings in history of Pokémon, falling just behind the fourth movie at ¥3.9 billion but ahead of the fifth movie at ¥2.67 billion. However, the ninth movie is the fifth-highest earning Toho movie of the year, facing stiff competition from Gorō Miyazaki's Tales from Earthsea, among others.

The situation is thought to be similar to that of the fifth movie - a dip in interest in between releases of major games in the series. Furthermore, there was tough competition from other movies. Unlike the other three Advanced Generation movies, the advance-ticket promotion for the ninth movie did not involve a mainstream Pokémon RPG - this is also thought to have had an impact on sales.

Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy will be released on Region 2 DVD in Japan tomorrow.

Pokémon movies by box office earnings in Japan

Source: ぽけあに
Year Title Earnings[1]
1 1998 ミュウツーの逆襲 Mewtwo Strikes Back ¥7.54 billion US$53.3 million
2 1999 幻のポケモン ルギア爆誕 Revelation Lugia ¥6.36 billion US$57.7 million
3 2000 結晶塔の帝王 ENTEI Lord of the Unknown Tower ¥4.85 billion US$45.6 million
4 2003 七夜の願い星 ジラーチ The Wishing Star of Seven Nights: Jirachi ¥4.5 billion US$38.4 million
5 2004 裂空の訪問者 デオキシス Sky-Splitting Visitor: Deoxys ¥4.38 billion US$39.9 million
6 2005 ミュウと波導の勇者 ルカリオ Mew and the Wave-Guiding Hero: Lucario ¥4.3 billion US$38.6 million
7 2001 セレビィ 時を超えた遭遇 Celebi: A Timeless Encounter ¥3.9 billion US$32.8 million
8 2006 ポケモンレンジャーと蒼海の王子 マナフィ Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy ¥3.4 billion US$29 million
9 2002 水の都の護神 ラティアスとラティオス Guardians of the Water City: Latias and Latios ¥2.67 billion US$22.6 million

2006 Toho movies by box office earnings

Source: 文化通信
Title Earnings[2]
1 ゲド戦記 Tales from Earthsea ¥7.65 billion US$64.7 million
2 LIMIT OF LOVE 海猿 Limit of Love: Umizaru ¥7.1 billion US$60.3 million
3 THE 有頂天ホテル The Wow-Choten Hotel ¥6.08 billion US$51.4 million
4 日本沈没 Japan Sinks ¥5.34 billion US$45.1 million
5 ポケモンレンジャーと蒼海の王子 マナフィ Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy ¥3.4 billion US$28.7 million
6 のび太の恐竜2006 Nobita's Dinosaur 2006 ¥3.28 billion US$27.7 million
7 涙そうそう Nada Sōsō ¥3.06 billion[3] US$25.9 million
8 名探偵コナン 探偵たちの鎮魂歌 Detective Conan: Requiem of the Private Eyes ¥3.03 billion US$25.6 million
9 トリック 劇場版2 Trick: The Movie 2 ¥2.1 billion US$17.7 million
10 県庁の星 Star of the Prefectural Office ¥2.08 billion US$17.6 million

  1. US dollar figures calculated using the exchange rate in August of that year; US dollar rankings may not match Yen rankings
  2. US dollar figures calculated using exchange rates at time of writing
  3. Forecast; movie is still screening in cinemas