Miyazaki's Farewell Film Shatters Box Office Records with Minimal Marketing Efforts

Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film, The Boy and the Heron, has made a remarkable impact at the box office without any significant advertising. Surprisingly, a month before its release, Studio Ghibli's Toshio Suzuki announced that they would not be promoting the film with trailers or any other marketing materials. This decision was met with skepticism, as it seemed like an unconventional approach that could potentially harm the movie's success.

However, The Boy and the Heron's financial success has proven that the lack of advertising was not a hindrance. According to Anime News Network, the film earned an impressive $13.2 million during its opening weekend, making it the highest-grossing film in Japan during that time. It falls second only to Howl's Moving Castle, which earned $14.2 million in its opening weekend, among all Studio Ghibli films. While it remains to be seen if this level of success can be replicated internationally, the unconventional marketing strategy, or lack thereof, has undeniably paid off. The Boy and the Heron is poised to become one of Studio Ghibli's most significant films in recent years.

Why The Boy And The Heron’s Box Office Is So Good

The Boy and the Heron had a highly successful opening at the box office, and there are several factors contributing to this. First of all, Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki are still prominent figures in the world of anime and animation, so even casual fans would likely expect the movie to be of high quality and worth watching. The minimal marketing for the film also played a significant role, as Studio Ghibli's confidence in selling it solely based on its brand recognition made people curious about its actual quality. The impressive box office results support this notion.

Furthermore, the fact that The Boy and the Heron has been marketed as Hayao Miyazaki's final film adds to its appeal. Despite previous retirement announcements, given Miyazaki's age and the reported impact on production, it is highly probable that this is indeed his last work. This makes it all the more enticing for viewers to catch the film as soon as possible, explaining its substantial success upon release.

Will Hayao Miyazaki’s Final Movie Be Successful Internationally?

While The Boy and the Heron has already achieved success in Japan, its potential for international success remains uncertain. Despite the prominence of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, anime is not as widely embraced in other countries as it is in Japan. As a result, The Boy and the Heron may struggle to perform well at the box office in international markets. Another obstacle is the lack of marketing from GKIDS for its North American release. Adequate advertising is crucial for anime, particularly anime films, to thrive in the Western market. Therefore, the absence of marketing could significantly impact the film's success.

However, it is not impossible for The Boy and the Heron to achieve international success. Anime films have witnessed considerable triumphs at the international box office in recent years, as exemplified by hits like One Piece Film: Red, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, and Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. Given this trend, a Studio Ghibli movie could feasibly replicate such achievements. While it is too soon to make definitive statements about its international release, the fact that Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron attained immense success in Japan without advertising suggests that similar success is indeed possible in other countries.

Sources: Anime News Network, Anime News Network, Screen Daily, GKIDS.