Japanese anime films are facing an unexpected crisis in the Chinese mainland after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent comments about the Taiwan region. Two major releases – Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Super Hot! and Cells at Work – abruptly halted their China debuts this week, while future projects hang in limbo. 🚨
The controversy comes just days after Demon Slayer: Infinite Castle – Part 1 smashed opening records on November 14, earning ¥180 million ($25M) on day one. But ticket sales plummeted 72% by November 17 as #BoycottJapanAnime trended on Chinese social media. 📉
This year had been strong for Japanese animation in China, with hits like Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid and Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 drawing packed theaters. Anime accounts for 38% of all foreign film revenue in the Chinese mainland, making this freeze a ¥9 billion ($1.25B) threat to Japan's creative economy. 💸
Beyond box offices, the ripple effects hit merchandise sales and theme park collaborations. As one Shanghai-based distributor told us: "When politics meets pop culture, everyone loses their popcorn." 🍿
