April 2025 saw a strong surge in Japanese cinema, driven by a blockbuster anime release and several new domestic films. With golden week approaching, audiences filled theaters across the country. Here are the top 10 box office hits in Japan, ranked by cumulative theatrical revenue.
🏆 Japan Box Office – April 2025 Ranking
Rank
Title (English)
Original Title (Japanese)
Distributor
1
Detective Conan: The Million-dollar Flashback
名探偵コナン 隻眼の残像
Toho
2
Minecraft: The Movie
マインクラフト ザ・ムービー
Warner Bros. Japan
3
I'll Tell You the Truth
#真相をお話しします
Toho
4
Hana Manma
花まんま
Toei
5
Ya Boy Kongming: The Movie
パリピ孔明 THE MOVIE
Shochiku
6
Doraemon: Nobita’s Art World Story
映画ドラえもん のび太の絵世界物語
Toho
7
Wicked: The Tale of Two Witches
ウィキッド ふたりの魔女
Toho-Towa
8
The House of Heresy
異端者の家
Happinet Phantom Studios
9
The Papal Election
教皇選挙
Kino Films
10
Demon Slayer: Special Edition ? Natagumo Mountain Arc
鬼滅の刃 特別編集版 那田蜘蛛山編
Toho / Aniplex
📊 Source: Kogyo Tsushinsha, eiga.com Note: Based on cumulative box office revenue up to the end of April 2025.
🔍 Highlights and Trends
Detective Conan: The Million-dollar Flashback dominated with a massive ¥6.3 billion (~$41 million USD), proving once again that the Conan franchise is a powerhouse in Japan.
Minecraft: The Movie opened late in April but still earned over ¥600 million, showing the strength of the global brand even in theaters.
A surprising rise of domestic dramas and mysteries, including #I’ll Tell You the Truth and Hana Manma, showed a strong appetite for suspense and emotional storytelling.
📈 Observations
Theme
Comment
Family films strong
Doraemon and Demon Slayer continue to attract parents and children alike.
Western presence
Wicked and Minecraft proved that international IPs can perform well, even during a month dominated by local content.
From anime to live-action
Ya Boy Kongming's transition from TV anime to a musical comedy film was met with warm fan support.
🗣️ What Do You Think?
Are you surprised by the dominance of Detective Conan? Would you have expected Minecraft or Wicked to climb higher?
Which of these films would you watch in Japanese theaters? Let us know in the comments!