After several years of boom, Japanese films finally had a bust in 2011. Although official overall figures have not been released, domestic box-office leader Toho has announced that total revenues from its titles will be down about 20 percent this year compared with 2010. The industry as a whole will probably register a similar drop.
A lack of true blockbusters has cut into earnings. Last year, six Japanese films — all released by Toho — cleared the ¥4 billion mark, led by Studio Ghibli's feature animation "Kari-Gurashi no Arrietty (The Secret World of Arrietty)," with ¥9.25 billion. This year only two have: Ghibli's "Kokuriko-zaka Kara (From Up on Poppy Hill)," with ¥4.29 billion, and the latest installment in the "Pokemon" anime franchise, with ¥4.14 billion.
Also, only 22 Japanese films released so far in 2011 have earned ¥1 billion or more — the traditional measure of a commercial hit. Last year this number was 29.