Jujutsu Kaisen 0 debuted in Japan on December 24, 2021. As expected, the movie quickly became a hit alongside the anime. Even if some big productions give it competition, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is on track to be crowned film of 2022 in Japan.
A success beyond expectations
The success of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is a real achievement for TOHO Distribution. According to the first forecasts, the film was to earn 10 billion yen or 77 million euros during its exploitation. But it looks like it’s hitting that low much earlier than expected, or even breaking it by the end of the year. Indeed, after only 18 days of exploitation, the film has already garnered nearly 7.7 billion yen or approximately 59 million euros. To give you an idea of what that represents, know that the most profitable animated film in 2021 in Japan was Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0: Thrice Upon A Time. Its operation brought in 80 million yen, or around 610,000 euros.
The only time Jujutsu Kaisen 0 saw its place taken was when the Marvel movie Spider-Man: No Way Home was released, which was a hit in Japan and around the world. In order to celebrate the success of Jujutsu Kaisen 0, photos of Yuta Okkotsu and his classmates from Exorcism High School have been posted on the anime’s Twitter account. You will find familiar faces such as Toge Inumaki the exorcist with the cursed word, Panda and Maki Zenin.
Jujutsu Kaisen: exorcists against demonic spirits
The success of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is not a surprise in itself. Indeed, the manga in barely three years of existence, has managed to become an essential franchise. It was brought to life by Gege Akutami, and was first published in 2018 in Weekly Shonen Jump. Jujutsu Kaisen is a story of supernatural battles between exorcists and demonic entities. In 2021, the manga was the best-selling series, with 30 million copies in Japan and a total circulation of 60 million copies worldwide.
As for the anime, the MAPPA studio is working on it. This is the same studio behind the final season of Attack on Titan. So far only Season 1 of Jujutsu Kaisen has been produced. Although it is obvious that a sequel will be offered, no trailer has yet been released. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is currently showing in Japanese cinemas. An international release is not yet scheduled.