Spring Activity at the Japanese Box Office: The Ogre's Bride and Poupelle Shake Up the Charts
The spring season in Japanese cinemas is witnessing a battle of major productions, as always. According to the weekly data for April 2, 2026, Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil has not lost its top spot even in its fifth week of release. However, the new members of the list are of the kind that will excite manga and light novel fans in particular. The live-action film The Ogre's Bride (Oni no Hanayome), adapted from the popular series by Kureha, achieved great success by placing 3rd in its opening week.
Starring Ren Nagase from the group King & Prince and talented actress Ai Yoshikawa, The Ogre's Bride brings a supernatural romance story to the big screen. Set in a world where humans and supernatural beings called "Ayakashi" live together, the film follows Yuzu Shinonome, who is ostracized by her family, as she is chosen as a bride by Reiya Kiryuin, the heir to the most powerful Oni clan. The fact that the original work has sold more than 5.8 million copies already heralded that the film would have such a strong start. If you like "Ayakashi Cinderella" style stories, this production is for you!
In 5th place on the list is CHIMNEY TOWN: Frozen in Time (Entotsu-machi no Poupelle: Yakusoku no Tokeidai), which offers a visual feast. This anime, which is a sequel to the 2020 film, comes to us with the quality of Studio 4°C and under the direction of Yusuke Hirota. The production, which also appeared at the Berlin International Film Festival, continues to tell the mysteries of the chimney-covered town and the power of friendship. The first film made a big splash in Japan, grossing 2.7 billion yen; the sequel is expected to gain similar momentum.
On the other hand, Golden Kamuy: Abashiri Prison Arc, one of the favorites of the past weeks, fell to 6th place, while Assassination Classroom The Movie: Minna no Jikan, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the series, found its place in 8th. The Assassination Classroom film, in particular, feels like a real "class reunion" for old fans as it includes manga chapters not featured in the original anime. This picture at the Japanese box office once again proves the unshakable power of manga and anime adaptations in the film industry. We will see together in the coming weeks whether these productions will continue to challenge the top spots.
