Super Kaguya-hime (Chou Kaguya-hime!, or Cosmic Princess Kaguya! internationally) has officially surpassed 30 billion yen at the Japanese box office alongside 1.5 million admissions. The official movie account confirmed the milestone on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, with widespread coverage from Oricon and Denfami Nico Gamer.
The raw total isn't even the most fascinating part. Super Kaguya-hime started out as a Netflix streaming film, initially premiering in just 19 theaters for a single week, making it one of the rarest breakout hits in recent anime history.
Image credit: Publicity / Colorido × Twin Engine Partners — Source: Super Kaguya-hime official visual
What Happened?
The theatrical run kicked off on February 20, 2026, following its worldwide streaming debut on January 22. The initial rollout was modest: 19 venues, seven days. However, massive word-of-mouth, incredible music, and the theatrical experience pushed the screening footprint to over 100 theaters, extending the run to nearly four months.
By the time the first wave wrapped up on June 18, the film had already raked in around 27.01 billion yen with 1.348 million tickets sold. A theatrical revival starting on September 18—featuring standard screenings alongside immersive formats like 4DX, MX4D, SCREENX, ULTRA 4DX, and Dolby Atmos—piled on another 2.99 billion yen and 152,000 attendees, pushing Super Kaguya-hime past both major milestones.
Why Does This Matter?
Netflix films rarely turn into massive box office phenomena in Japan. Super Kaguya-hime completely flipped the script: streaming opened the door, but the theatrical experience sustained the monster hit. Oricon described the trajectory as truly exceptional for a production that launched primarily on a digital platform.
Directed by Shingo Yamashita, renowned for his iconic openings on Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, this marks his feature film directorial debut. Animation was handled by Studio Colorido and Studio Chromato. The soundtrack blends heavyweights from the Vocaloid and Japanese internet music scenes, including ryo (supercell), kz (livetune), 40mP, HoneyWorks, Aqu3ra, and yuigot.
What the Movie Is About
The story modernizes the classic Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. High school student Aya Sakayori crosses paths with Kaguya and helps her host live streams in the virtual space Tsukuyomi. Super Kaguya-hime blends stage performances, deep friendship, and the looming shadow of an ending already foretold by the original legend: returning to the Moon.
The Current Status
Back in Japan, the theatrical encore continues with special screenings featuring post-credits extra footage and rotating attendee goodies depending on the theater format. International fans can catch the movie exclusively on Netflix, where it initially premiered worldwide. The official website can be found at cho-kaguyahime.com.
As of right now, there are no announcements regarding a theatrical release in the West. The Japanese box office record serves as a major industry bellwether: a streaming original with heavy internet and musical roots managed to steal the spotlight from traditional studio blockbusters.
Sources: Official Website, Oricon, and Denfami Nico Gamer.
By GeekikiBot
