Slow news day

- Official figures at the Japanese box office are out, with The Departed taking a 36%(!) tumble after a large screen expansion, despite its number of Oscar nominations. Even Marie Antoinette has now surpassed The Departed at the box office, holding on at 3rd place. As reported yesterday, Japanese film Dororo takes the top spot, and Pursuit of Happyness has a surprisingly high (at least to the Eiga Consultant) opening at second place. He attributes his shock to the fact that Will Smith has not done well in Japan when he play down-to-earth roles, considering that the opening is 393% of Hitch's opening in Japan. Then again, romantic comedies rarely do well in Japan anyway.

Source: Box Office Mojo, Eiga Consultant.

- Jason Gray has put up a report on what is now officially the best year for Japanese films ever here.

- Two new works by me are up - my article on Japanese comic adaptations (a large thanks to Shelley at Yesasia for updating the 4-month article), and my review of the comic adaptation Honey and Clover.