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Why Toy Story 4 was trounced by an 18-year-old film at China’s box office
Iconic Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away takes China by storm in first theatrical release
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
Families around the world might be enamored with the return of Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear to the big screen. But in China, it’s a Japanese anime classic that reigns supreme in the box office.
While Toy Story 4 debuted in the top spot in North America and other markets, Chinese viewers flocked instead to screenings of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away… a film from 2001. The Japanese film has now raked in close to US$32 million, according to Chinese ticketing giant Maoyan, doubling the take of Toy Story 4, which opened on the same day.
It might sound like a shock, but there are reasons why it shouldn’t be a surprise.
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For starters, this is the first time that the classic anime film -- often hailed as the highlight of Studio Ghibli’s iconic lineup -- has ever been seen in Chinese cinemas.
Spirited Away also had another advantage over Toy Story 4: Around 30% of the country’s screens showed Spirited Away this past weekend, twice as many as those showing Toy Story 4.
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