The third film and final installment of the Rurouni Kenshin movie franchise had a huge opening in Japan this past weekend.
For the Sept. 13 to 15 frame, the "Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends" topped the weekend box office with an impressive ¥919.4 million (US$8.5 million) on 718,000 ticket sales.
The two-day gross is already high enough to make it the biggest opening of any Japanese live-action film this year.
It also beats the opening day sales of the two previous Kenshin films.
Still on theaters, "Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno," which was released last month, has earned ¥823 million (US$7.68 million) in its first three days at the box office.
The first "Rurouni Kenshin" movie, on the other hand, raked in ¥555.4 million (US$7 million) in its first five days when it was released in August 2012.
Sometimes known to foreign audiences as "Samurai X," "Rurouni Kenshin," which starred Takeru Satoh as Himura Kenshin, is a Japanese film adaptation of Nobuhiro Watsuki's popular manga series of the same name.
The film series tell the story of a young swordsman named Himura Kenshin who wanders Japan's countryside providing aid and protection to those in need.
Formerly known as the assassin Hitokiri Battōsai, Kenshin offers help as atonement for the murders he committed in the past.
Meanwhile, "Stand By Me Doraemon," the first 3-D computer graphics film adapted from Japan's manga-anime series "Doraemon" about a robot cat and his boy companion, dropped to second place.
The film has made ¥7.16 billion (US$66.8 million) after five weekends at the top of the box office.
Also entering the rankings was the "Guardians of the Galaxy" that grabbed the third spot with ¥224.1 million (US$2.09 million). The film also opened in Japan on Saturday.
The live-action film "Lupin III," which was adapted from the comic and anime franchise about the adventures of a master thief, ranked at number four.
Placed at the number five spot was the musical comedy "Lady Maiko."
