On March 2, 2026, the nationwide box office rankings for February 27 to March 1 were announced—and 映画ドラえもん 新・のび太の海底鬼岩城 (Eiga Doraemon: Shin Nobita no Kaitei Kiganjō) made a powerful 初登場 (hatsutoujou, debut), taking first place.
According to the rankings compiled by Kogyo Tsushinsha, the latest Doraemon film shone at number one, marking a strong start to the spring movie season in Japan.
Doraemon Takes the Top Spot
The new film, 「映画ドラえもん 新・のび太の海底鬼岩城」 (Eiga Doraemon: Shin Nobita no Kaitei Kiganjō), achieved first place—what Japanese reports often describe as 1位に輝いた (ichi‑i ni kagayaita), “shining in the number one spot.”
This movie is a remake of the 1983 film 「映画ドラえもん のび太の海底鬼岩城」. In Japanese, the article explains that the story has been 生まれ変わらせた (umarekawarase ta)—literally “reborn” or remade for a new generation.
In the story, Nobita and his friends use Doraemon’s secret gadgets to enjoy an undersea camping adventure during summer vacation. There, they meet a young man named El from an undersea civilization. Soon, they learn that the feared “Demon Rock Castle” has begun to stir. Doraemon and his friends launch a great adventure in the unknown ocean depths, 命運を懸けた (meiun o kaketa)—staking the fate of the Earth itself.
The voice cast includes:
- 水田わさび (Mizuta Wasabi) as Doraemon
- 大原めぐみ (Ohara Megumi) as Nobita
- かかずゆみ (Kakazu Yumi)
- 木村昴 (Kimura Subaru)
- 関智一 (Seki Tomokazu)
Additional cast members include 千葉翔也 (Chiba Shoya), 広橋涼 (Hirohashi Ryo), 平愛梨 (Taira Airi), and comedy duo members 平子祐希 (Hirako Yuki) and 酒井健太 (Sakai Kenta).
Director 矢嶋哲生 (Yajima Tetsuo) 監督を務めた (kantoku o tsutometa), meaning he “served as director.”
Other New Films in the Rankings
Three more films made their 初登場 (hatsutoujou, debut) in the top 10.
At number three is 「劇場版 転生したらスライムだった件 蒼海の涙編」 (Gekijōban Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken: Sōkai no Namida-hen), the second theatrical film based on the popular isekai fantasy series by Kawakami Taiki, Fuse, and Mitz Vah. You’ll often see this franchise shortened to 転スラ (Tensura), a typical Japanese abbreviation style.
Coming in at number five is the mystery period drama 「木挽町のあだ討ち」 (Kobikichō no Adauchi). The film stars (主演, shuen) 柄本佑 (Emoto Tasuku), with 渡辺謙 (Watanabe Ken) appearing alongside him in a 共演 (kyouen, co-starring) role.
At number nine, 「レンタル・ファミリー」 (Rental Family) also ランクイン (ranku in, entered the rankings*). The film stars Brendan Fraser and was shot entirely on location in Japan.
Top 10 Films (Feb 27 – Mar 1, 2026)
Here are the top 10 films in Japan for the weekend:
- 映画ドラえもん 新・のび太の海底鬼岩城 (NEW)
- 映画「教場 Requiem」 (2nd week)
- 劇場版 転生したらスライムだった件 蒼海の涙編 (NEW)
- ほどなく、お別れです (4th week)
- 木挽町のあだ討ち (NEW)
- 新劇場版 銀魂 -吉原大炎上- (3rd week)
- ズートピア2 (13th week)
- 超かぐや姫！ (2nd week)
- レンタル・ファミリー (NEW)
- 機動戦士ガンダム 閃光のハサウェイ キルケーの魔女 (5th week)
The numbers in parentheses indicate the previous week’s ranking and how many weeks the film has been in theaters.
Cultural Context: Why Doraemon Dominates Spring
In Japan, a new Doraemon movie is practically a seasonal tradition. These films are typically released in early spring, aligning with school holidays. Families often attend together, which boosts 動員 (douin, audience turnout*).
The fact that this remake immediately reached number one shows how powerful nostalgia and multi-generational appeal can be. Many parents watching today grew up with the original 1983 version—so the story has quite literally 生まれ変わった (umarekawatta, been reborn*) for their children.
Learn Japanese from This Article
Let’s break down key vocabulary and expressions you’ll see often in entertainment news.
Key Vocabulary
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 動員 | douin | attendance; audience turnout |
| 初登場 | hatsutoujou | first appearance; debut |
| ランクイン | ranku in | to enter the rankings |
| 生まれ変わる | umarekawaru | to be reborn; to be remade |
| 命運を懸ける | meiun o kakeru | to stake one’s fate |
| 主演 | shuen | starring role |
| 共演 | kyouen | co-starring; appearing together |
Grammar Spotlight
1️⃣ 〜に輝く (〜にかがやく)
Used to describe achieving a notable position or honor.
Structure: Noun + に輝く
Example from the article:
- 1位に輝いた。 Ichi‑i ni kagayaita. “(It) shone in first place.”
You’ll often see this in news headlines for rankings and awards.
2️⃣ 〜を務める (〜をつとめる)
Means “to serve as” or “to take on a role.”
Structure: Role + を務める
Example:
- 矢嶋哲生が監督を務めた。 Yajima Tetsuo ga kantoku o tsutometa. “Yajima Tetsuo served as director.”
This pattern is extremely common when introducing cast and staff.
Useful Expression
- 命運を懸けた大冒険 Meiun o kaketa daibōken “A great adventure that stakes one’s fate”
You’ll often see 命運を懸ける in dramatic stories involving high stakes—whether in anime, historical dramas, or even sports.
Continue Learning
Want to read movie news more smoothly?
- Working on your reading skills? Our Katakana Essentials: Adapting Global Words to Japanese lesson is a great next step.
- Working on your reading skills? Our Introduction to Kanji: Pictorial Foundations of Japanese Script lesson is a great next step.
- To understand more about entertainment, explore our Basic Vocabulary Building: Embracing Words Without Latin Ties lesson.
Box office rankings are one of the best ways to build real-world Japanese reading skills. The more you see words like 初登場, 主演, and 動員, the more natural they’ll feel.
これからもよろしくお願いします。 Kore kara mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.