One Piece, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Yu Yu Hakusho are just three examples of live-action anime adaptations that have been a success. While the stories of Yusuke Urameshi and Aang might be less critically well-received than Luffy’s outing, all three live-action series have new seasons in the works. The small screen, however, isn’t the only place that these adaptations are seeing success, as various projects are still arriving in theaters. While North America will see the likes of Mobile Suit Gundam and Naruto arrive as films, one live-action anime film is currently exclusive to Japan and is tearing up the charts.
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For those who might not know, not only is the Kingdom anime franchise much bigger in Japan than in North America, but its cinematic offerings are making serious money in the East. The fifth movie of the series, Kingdom: The Clash of Souls, hit the ground running with its debut on July 17th. Hitting number one at the box office for its opening weekend, Clash of Souls has raked in over 5.16 billion yen, which translates to around $32.29 million USD. Not only is this big money for any Japanese film, but it is also the biggest live-action anime adaptation of 2026 so far, with seemingly nothing set to topple its reign. Ironically enough, despite its success, the fifth film’s biggest competition comes from the movies that landed prior.
An Anime Kingdom Made of Profits
Perhaps unsurprisingly, every movie in the live-action Kingdom line has been a hit in Japan, though the fifth entry is going to have some work to do to defeat its direct predecessor. Kingdom: The Return of The Great General currently sits at 8.03 billion yen in revenue following its release in 2024, translating to over $50 million USD. With the latest live-action entry looking to beat the second film in the series, Kingdom’s first and third movies still have an edge over the fifth. Considering the hot streak that the movie has seen, it’s definitely possible it will overtake movies one through three, though “The Great General” still might be the top seller of the live-action series so far.
What works so well about Kingdom is the same formula as works such as Vinland Saga, wherein the story reflects real-world events but with an anime aesthetic. Following the real-life story known as “The Warring States Period,” which is a major part of China’s history, the series has continued a successful manga run since first starting in 2006. With several anime seasons under its belt, a seventh season for the beloved series has already been confirmed, though it remains unknown when we will see it air. Needless to say, there is plenty of material from the original manga to bring to the screen, whether it be animated or live-action.
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