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Promare Anime Film Tops 1.4 Billion Yen
posted on by Egan Loo
The staff for Trigger and XFlag's original anime film Promare confirmed at the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) that the film has earned more than 1.4 billion yen (about US$13 million) as of Wednesday morning.
The film's director Hiroyuki Imaishi and screenwriter Kazuki Nakashima made scheduled appearances at the film's TIFF screening on Wednesday evening, but voice actress Ayane Sakura (Aina) also made a surprise appearance. The screening was a special "cheering" event that allowed — and encouraged — fans to shout, sing, wave lightsticks, and cosplay (as long as they did not block other fans' views).
The theme of the festival's anime section this year is "The Evolution of Japanese Animation/VFX," and the staff commented that the rising popularity of such "cheering" screenings showed how anime fandom is evolving along with anime itself. The guests complimented the fans who came in cosplay as Galo, Deus Prometh, and other characters. They also pointed out a fan who brought a sign celebrating the 1.3-billion-yen box office milestone — only to cross out "1.3" and scrawl in "1.4" when the staff announced the new milestone.
Sakura acknowledged that this is the first "cheering" screening for the film that she personally watched; she was supposed to go behind-the-stage for a makeup session before the post-screening talk show segment, but she could not resist watching the film along with the fans.
Imaishi and Nakashima noted that cheering and shouting is common at overseas event screenings. However, they also noted that Japan's "cheering" screenings add the uniquely synchronized lightstick-waving and timed replies to dialogue lines — offering fans a communal experience similar to concerts or live theater with audience participation.
Fathom Events will host a "Promare (Redux)" event screening for the film in the United States on December 8 at 12:55 p.m. local time. The company already screened the film in the United States on September 17 and 19. GKIDS began screening the movie in the United States on September 20 in select theaters, and in Canada on September 22. The screenings had either English subtitles or an English dub.
GKIDS describes the film:
Thirty years has passed since the appearance of Burnish, a race of flame-wielding mutant beings, who destroyed half of the world with fire. When a new group of aggressive mutants calling themselves “Mad Burnish” appears, the epic battle between Galo Thymos, a new member of the anti-Burnish rescue team “Burning Rescue,” and Lio Fotia, the leader of “Mad Burnish” begins.
The film opened in 200 theaters in Japan on May 24, and ranked at #8 in its opening weekend. The film has earned more than 1.2 billion yen (about US$11.11 million) at the Japanese box office.
Trigger and Nakashima are credited with the original work for the film. Shigeto Koyama was in charge of character design and mechanical design, and Sushio (Kill la Kill) was involved as an animator. Tomotaka Kubo (Mary and The Witch's Flower) was the art director, and Saishi Ichiko was in charge of logo design. Hiroyuki Sawano (Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill) composed the music. SANZIGEN Animation Studio handled the 3DCG animation. XFlag is credited with production, and TOHO is distributing the film.
Source: Promare screening at TIFF
