Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad Film Adaptation Opens at No. 6 at the Box Office
The long-awaited live-action film adaptation of Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad premiered in Japan last weekend and climbed to No. 6 at the box office in its first week. According to Anime News Network, the film managed to find its place among strong competitors during its opening week. Particularly, the dominance of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in second place and Detective Conan: Highway no Datenshi remaining in fourth place made the weekend competition quite fierce.
Yuu Yabuuchi's manga of the same name first began serialization in Kodansha's Bessatsu Friend magazine in 2018. The story follows the sweet and surprising romantic relationship between Waka Mizuno, a high school student who sees herself as ordinary, and Kazuki Yamaguchi, the most popular boy in school. The manga gained a loyal fanbase both in Japan and internationally, and the series ended in 2023. The live-action adaptation was announced last year and attracted great interest from fans.
The film stars Mio Kudo as Waka and Ryusei Onishi as Kazuki. In the director's chair is Kentaro Moriya, who has previously directed successful romantic comedies. Critics praise the film's faithfulness to the manga and the actors' performances, but note that its box office success has been limited due to intense competition. Nevertheless, it stands out as an enjoyable option for fans of young romance.
We see that shojo manga adaptations have had a fluctuating success pattern in theaters recently. The box office performance of Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad keeps fans' interest in the genre alive, and it may achieve higher rankings in the coming weeks as it continues its theatrical run. With its release on digital platforms, international audiences are sure to follow the film closely. If you've read the manga, don't miss this adaptation!
