One Piece Red is currently the 10th highest grossing anime film and the 29th highest grossing film of all time in Japan. It ranked first in Japan on its opening weekend selling over 1.58 million tickets and earning US$16.7 Million/ 2.5 Billion yen. One Piece Red has become a phenomenon. The film is all set to launch in India on 7th October. The uninitiated Romeo may snug off that there’s no way this film will fail in India.
Of course, one may think so given that the hype is hotter than Megan Fox. But it isn’t stone carved that One Piece Red will without a shred of doubt take over Indian cinema for its due course, But will it surpass the likes of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 or even the predecessor of all anime films in India – Tenki No Ko? It may fail. Curious how? let’s uncover it!
The wait is finally over! After smashing records at the Japanese Box office, the pirates are coming to a cinema near you on 7th October!
Here's the official dated poster for one of 2022's biggest anime releases, ONE PIECE FILM: RED! #OnePiece #OnePieceRed #Luffy pic.twitter.com/JXY4KiSPpZ
— PVR INOX Pictures (@PicturesPVR) August 26, 2022
History of Anime Screenings In India
PVR’s Early Efforts
- Anime screenings in India have been a recent phenomenon. Although Indian theatres may have in isolation screened different anime films throughout the decade following 2010. India never witnessed a large-scale screening of anime films before.
- This may primarily be attested to the hegemony of Bollywood. One must consider also the contingent fact that film distributors only bring in that which a large segment of the population demands. Indian cinema has always premiered Hollywood films without a second thought.
- PVR launched an online platform called Vkaoo.com which allowed people to select a certain film out of the possible choices allowed by PVR. If enough people came together collectively to buy the tickets, the film was then screened. We can assume that the best chance Indian anime fans had then was to follow this route.
Enter Dragon Ball Super Broly
- Yet a spiral of change began when PVR first brought out Dragon Ball Super Broly. Indian audience did not receive Dragon Ball Super Broly in mass right away. This may have to do so with the fact that theatres and distributors did not pay attention to advertising as much.
- With the apparent failure of Dragon Ball Super Broly film in India, PVR may have given up hope completely. This was the point where distributors probably thought of giving up. The only glimmer that shone upon the uncollected disorganized fans had started to shimmer into darkness. Yet after the darkest hour shines the brightest light.
IndiaWantsAnime Movement
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxL6c7AHDE2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
- A group of people started to come together, primarily on Instagram, and started a movement #IndiaWantsAnime. This movement gathered a large mass, swallowing Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and youtube as well. The plea of the people was to reach out to Makoto Shinkai. And guess what? It succeeded.
Thank you for your warm voices. I would be very happy if I could release "Tenki no ko" in India. I myself don't have a right to decide, anyway I gonna talk to our Japanese distribution company. https://t.co/fFp8Zw0wdR
— 新海誠 (@shinkaimakoto) April 18, 2019
- This shook everyone. With PVR-backed Vkaao taking charge of distribution, Makoto Shinkai and Weathering With You’s official Twitter page replied that starting October 2019 PVR would screen Tenki No Ko spreading and covering over 20 Indian Cities.
To fans in India: I’m so happy to tell that ‘Weathering With You’ (Tenki no ko) will release in India this October! We have licensed the Indian distribution rights to PVR Pictures and BookMyShow backed company Vkaao.
— 新海誠 (@shinkaimakoto) August 10, 2019
- And thus began a series of successive screenings of many anime films in India, with the recent success of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 bearing the epitome of the explosive anime fandom in India. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 was screened on over 200 screens and over 50,000 advanced booking tickets.
Will One Piece Red Undoubtedly Succeed In India?
How One Piece Film Red Affects The Future of Anime Film Screening In India
The highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train staled in contrast to other countries in India. This is due to the fact that by the time Demon Slayer: Mugen Train could reach India, the nation tackled the second coming of the covid pandemic. Yet, with the recent developments of anime screenings in India, it is more than likely that One Piece Film: Red ashen the box office tickets and pull out all the greens. Fans estimate that One Piece Film Red will win over the Indian theatres early its release. But, and here’s the but. With such expectations, however, with the unlikely yet-possible outcome of the film failing, it will be a setback for the country’s anime fans in India.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtvyRcA83vw
Possibilities of Failure
One Piece Red May Not Reach Non-One Piece Fans in India
The reason why Weathering With You blew out of proportion in terms of popularity in India is due to the audience’s familiarity with the works of Makoto Shinkai, primarily Kimi No Na Wa which has been a worldwide sensation. The greatest obstacle One Piece Film Red in India faces is that although One Piece fans are prominent, the majority of Indian Anime audiences are the new gen. They are heavily influenced by the shounen series that have yet to proceed to the big factories and of episodes that cross over 100 let alone 1000.
The Advantage of Canon Anime Films
- The advantage of films such as Jujutsu Kaisen 0 in terms of performing in India is that such a film only requires 24 episodes of two cour anime series to make sense of. Yet to milk hype out of One Piece Film Red, one would require the heavy investments of over 1000 episodes just to keep up with the story.
- One may object that shounen films today can be enjoyed even by the uninitiated. But that does not rule out the fact that the audience seeks films that add to the collection of imagination bestowed upon them by the series.
One Piece Red is Not a Canon Story
- Films serve, in some cases, as an expansion of the already established world, hence why so many anime films are often non-canon. Yet lately, producers have witnessed that canon movies can do wonders that will put shooting star wishes to shame. (As proved by Demon Slayer: Mugen Train)
- One Piece Film Red is not a canon story, unlike Demon Slayer: Mugen Train or Jujutsu Kaisen 0. These things stand straight in the face of anyone blindly claiming that One Piece Film Red will singlehandedly dominate the cinemas again just for the reason that it is an anime film. Yet anyone would recall that Oda is known for his blistering foreshadowing, even in films.
- A true One Piece fan can never leave the sight of Shanks using his power along with the recent developments of Luffy (If you know, you know). We have never seen Shanks use even an inch of his, other than stopping Navy Admirals with one look of his eye or putting halt to the entire War of Marineford with a single entrance.
Concluding
NEWS: One Piece Film: Red Rolls Past Evangelion 3.0+1.0 to Become 10th Highest-Grossing Anime Film in Japan #OP_FILMRED
🏴☠️ READ: https://t.co/5YACcYfUnv pic.twitter.com/bLfSruvBqK
— One Piece (@OnePieceAnime) August 29, 2022
Amidst all the fans bursting, we have to consider the possibility that such a good film may not fair as expected in India. Though such a possibility, however unlikely, will upset those who are really invested in seeing their lifetime favored series come into being in their home place. But that does not mean we wish the film any ill, but to those blind to think that it will singlehandedly take over everything. Well, think again sunshine.
Also Read: Dragon Ball Super : Is Black Frieza The Strongest in The Universe Now?
That’s it then folks. Now, without further delay, hop in our ship to sail along the seas of Gaming, Cinema and Anime! You can also follow us on Twitter @spieltimes for the latest PS5 restock and drop. Stay Safe and Happy Gaming!