'Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno' tops Philippine box office

MANILA, Philippines - "Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno" topped the Philippine box-office with P42.61 million in five days, from its first day of screening last August 20 to 24.

The movie captured the "All-Time Biggest Opening Weekend" for a Japanese film and its opening figure has surpassed the lifetime gross of the first "Rurouni Kenshin" movie, which earned P40.4 illion in its overall run in 2012.

“This is a phenomenal bow for `Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno,' one that surely exceeded even our aggressive estimates,” says Francis Soliven, general manager of Warner Bros. (F.E.), Inc. which locally distributed the film.

“We'd like to thank the loyal fans of the franchise for their unwavering support and offer our congratulations to director Keishi Otomo and the cast led by Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei and Munetaka Aoki. The aforementioned talents graciously helped promote the film when they visited here for the Asian Premiere three weeks ago. We have no doubt that their visit enabled us to launch the film in the best way possible,” he added.

Posting the biggest receipts was SM Megamall with P2.39 million over five days, while Trinoma was second with P2.16 million, and SM Cebu at third with P1.62 million.

In the Top Ten Theaters are SM Mall of Asia (P1.57 million), Glorietta 4 (P1.41 million), SM North EDSA (P1.38 million), Ayala Cebu (P1.30 million), Greenbelt 3 (P1.23 million), Eastwood (P866,850) and Gateway (P864,056).

Completing the Top Twenty are Alabang Town Center (P841,091), Greenhills (P774,768), Shangri-la (P743,634), Power Plant (P717,510), SM Aura (P655,044), Centrio Cagayan de Oro (P643,260), Robinsons Ermita (P617,200), Robinsons Magnolia (P608,664), Bonifacio High Street (P597,550) and Market! Market! (P579,084).

Based on the Kyoto arc of the popular manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki, the “Rurouni Kenshin” sequels follow the story of Kenshin Himura (Takeru Satoh), a legendary swordsman in the wars accompanying the turbulent fall of Japan's Shogunate in the 19th century. Once feared as "Battosai the Killer," he has adopted a peaceful life since the arrival of the "new age."

But Makoto Shishio (Tatsuya Fujiwara), the "Shadow Killer" and successor to Kenshin's position as the deadly assassin, has since then been scheming in the Kyoto underworld, raising an army of disaffected former samurais with the aim of overthrowing the new regime.

Agreeing to a request by the new government to defeat Shishio, Kenshin leaves his beloved ones in Tokyo and sets out for Kyoto.

The last installment of the Samurai X movies "Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends" opens in Philippine theaters on Sept. 24, 2014.