Chiikawa film achieves massive success across East Asia

The animated film ‘Chiikawa: The Secret of Mermaid Island’ has become a major commercial success, surpassing 17.2 billion yen in box office revenue and 11.78 million admissions in Japan.

The franchise is experiencing a significant surge in popularity across the Greater China region, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. In Hong Kong, the film has seen extensive promotional activities, including collaborations with brands like Giordano and McDonald’s, as well as themed transport.

Due to current geopolitical tensions, Japanese animated films are not officially screened in mainland China. This has led many Chinese fans to travel to Japan, Hong Kong, or Taiwan specifically to watch the movie. In Taiwan, the film has ranked among the top 10 highest-grossing movies of the year.