Spy x Family: Code White Dominates Japanese Box Office

The Success of Spy x Family: Code White

The movie Spy x Family: Code White has been enjoying great success at Japan's box office. As of January 5-7, it has had three consecutive weekends as the top seller in Japanese cinemas. Fans of the comedy series should be delighted to see its first film doing so spectacularly, as it is proof the series will continue going forward at its own pace.

Spy x Family Code White Poster With the Forgers

Despite going up against entertainment heavy hitters like Detective Conan and even Godzilla, Spy x Family Code: White has still managed to dominate cinemas since it opened in Japan on December 22. It's a remarkable achievement given that it is building off of just two seasons worth of anime in terms of greater public perception. It is also a far cry from the early days of series creator Tatsuya Endo, who dealt with plenty of early cancelations before finding big success with Spy x Family.

Spy x Family Poster art featuring yor, anya, loid, franky, damian and other central characters in front of blue background

According to Anime News Network, box office takings on January 5-7 showed that Spy x Family: Code White sat at the top spot for the third weekend, and sold 399,000 tickets, earning about US$43.78 million in sales. Cumulatively, it has sold 3.28 million tickets and made US$29.14 million in total. In comparison, its closest competition in terms of anime was Detective Conan vs Kid the Phantom Thief, which opened at #4 and earned US$ 1.30 million. Meanwhile, TOHO's new kaiju darling, Godzilla Minus One, sits at #7 and earned US$680,700.

Anya and Bond in SPY x FAMILY CODE White

Despite going up against Detective Conan and Godzilla, Spy x Family has stood tall, though some of the credit likely lies with WIT Studio and CloverWorks continuing to collaborate for the movie, while author Endo gave his stamp of approval by providing the story, which depicts the Forger family's winter vacation getting caught up with more spy shenanigans, as well as new characters. This lends some authenticity to the film, as it keeps creative continuity with both the anime and manga. North American audiences will get a chance to see the movie when Crunchyroll screens Code White later in 2024.

Featured image from Spy x Family Code: White featuring Anya and Loyd

The Significance of Code White's Success

Spy x Family is Tatsuya Endo's first long-lasting success after a history of early cancelations. Even though it has always been popular, it took the anime adaptation to become a certified phenomenon. While a movie spin-off is almost expected these days, Code White's runaway success should be a sign to both fans and creatives that the series is lucrative and worth sustaining. Beyond making Season 3 of the anime an inevitability, it also means that manga readers should no longer even entertain the fear of a series cancelation, as Endo will be able write Spy x Family as long as he pleases.

SPYxANYA Operation Memories official art with the Spy X family on a picnic blanket with other characters nearby

The Future of Spy x Family

The success of Spy x Family: Code White at the Japanese box office bodes well for the future of the series. With its strong showing against established franchises like Detective Conan and Godzilla, Spy x Family has proven its ability to captivate audiences and generate significant box office revenue. This achievement not only paves the way for the continuation of the anime series but also reinforces the stability of the manga's publication. Fans can look forward to the series' sustained success and the prospect of new creative endeavors from Tatsuya Endo.

Spy x Family Code White Still of Anya Running