Last week, the Mobile Suit Gundam Seed FREEDOM anime film is back to rank #1 in the Japanese box office from #2 on its third weekend. The film sold 247,000 tickets earning 449,185,600 yen ($2.98 million USD) from Friday to Sunday. As of February 12, the movie sold 1.63 million tickets earning 2.68 billion yen ($17.94 million USD.)
The film is currently the highest-earning film in the Gundam franchise beating Gundam III: Encounters in Space.
Previously, the movie had a good start on first ten days of screening in Japan as it sold 1,215,558 tickets and earned 1,965,922,900 yen (13.24 million USD) on its first two weeks of screening.
The movie premiered in 352 theaters across Japan on January 26, earning 1,065,953,130 yen on its first weekend in the box office and made it to the #1 in the rankings. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM is the best first-week box office hit in the Gundam franchise so far.
The first top-grossing film in the Gundam franchise is Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space, the third of the compilation film series of the Mobile Suit Gundam TV anime series. The film earned 2.3 billion yen (15.5 million USD) in the box office in 1982.
The Japanese website Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM describes the movie as follows:
“Cosmic Era (C.E.)
An era where a genetically engineered humankind with enhanced brains and strength (Coordinators), and naturally born humankind (Naturals) exist together.
A war had previously raged on between the Coordinator and the Naturals in a clash of ideals in regards to their own self beings
During the time, the Destiny Plan had been brought up which would may have created a world without war, but each individuals would be forcibly given a role to play.
To protect the humanity’s freedom to choose their future and hope, the Destiny Plan was rejected in the battle.
With many sacrifices, the war had ended.
However despite so, conflict and hate between the two humankind still continue to happen throughout the world.”
There is still no word yet as to when the movie will be screening in other regions.
Source: Kogyo Tsushin via ANN
