‘Kokuho’ Breaks 22-Year Japan Live-Action Box Office Record

Will a kabuki epic redefine success for Japanese cinema after two decades of dominance by animation?

‘Kokuho,’ directed by Lee Sang-il, has grossed ¥17.37 billion since its June 6 release. The film surpassed the ¥17.35 billion record set by ‘Bayside Shakedown 2’ in 2003. Distributor Toho reported 12.3 million viewers as of November 25. Based on Shuichi Yoshida’s novel, the three-hour drama spans 50 years in the world of kabuki theater.

Ryo Yoshizawa stars as Kikuo Tachibana, son of a yakuza boss adopted by a kabuki master. Kikuo forms a profound bond and rivalry with the master’s son, Shunsuke, played by Ryusei Yokohama. Ken Watanabe portrays the kabuki star who takes in Kikuo. The narrative explores the sacrifices of artistic pursuit and its toll on personal relationships.

Critics praise the film’s lush cinematography and authentic depiction of kabuki. Kabuki sequences blend traditional performance with character development, echoing anime-style intensity in duels of skill and emotion. Social media buzz amplified its reach, with 32 percent of 320,000 analyzed X posts from June to September mentioning Yoshizawa or Yokohama.

The success has boosted real kabuki attendance. Tokyo’s Kabukiza Theatre saw 10,000 first-time visitors from July to October, a 30 percent increase year-over-year. The novel has sold two million copies, per its publisher. Film journalist Hiroo Otaka noted the opening weekend’s ¥340 million typically yields ¥2 billion totals, but word-of-mouth drove exponential growth.

‘Kokuho’ marks Japan’s entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the international feature category. Sony Group leverages the hit to expand content offerings. In a market where anime like ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ films dominate over ¥10 billion earners, this live-action triumph signals shifting dynamics. Production involved rigorous kabuki training for non-specialist actors Yoshizawa and Yokohama, ensuring performance authenticity.

The film’s longevity defies typical revenue decline patterns. Themed around “national treasure” status in kabuki, it humanizes the backstage rigor and familial strains. Yoshida’s source material, published in 2020, drew from historical kabuki lineages. Lee Sang-il, known for ‘Villain’ and ‘Unforgiven,’ infuses the epic with emotional depth across generations.

Audience demographics skew younger, familiar with anime’s visual flair. Kabuki highlights function as climactic set pieces, overlaying personal arcs onto stage battles. Watanabe’s mentorship role anchors the intergenerational conflict. The record-breaking run continues into winter, with no end to screenings announced.

This milestone underscores kabuki’s enduring cultural pull amid modern entertainment. ‘Kokuho’ not only revives theater interest but elevates live-action’s commercial viability. As Oscar contention builds, the film stands as a testament to narrative craft over spectacle. Its ¥111 million haul reflects precise storytelling in a ¥2 trillion global industry.