Doraemon: Nobita no Ningyo Daikaisen, (Doraemon: Nobita's Great Merman Sea Battle) opened at #1 in Japanese theaters during the March 6-7 weekend, bumping off James Cameron's Avatar science-fiction action movie, which had stayed at #1 for 10 straight weeks on Kogyo Tsushinsha's box office chart. According to Box Office Mojo, the film opened on 366 screens, earning the equivalent of US$6,209,849. This is the 30th movie in the popular children's anime franchise. A new Doraemon film has opened in Japan nearly every year during Japan's spring vacation. The Doraemon movie and television anime franchise is celebrating its 30th anniversary this August with a "30th Doraemon Daikanshasai" event in Tokyo in August.

The Liar Game: The Final Stage, the theatrical film adaptation of Shinobu Kaitani's Liar Game psychological thriller manga, opened at #2. The film is set after the second television season based on the manga. It took in US$4,398,272 on 283 screens.

The live-action film adaptation of Naoki Serizawa's Saru Lock action comedy manga series fell from #4 to #7 during its second weekend. The film earned US$554,267 on 226 screens for a total-to-date of US$2,331,360.

Chō Gekijō-ban Keroro Gunsō Tanjō! Kyūkyoku Keroro Kiseki no Jikūjima de Arimasu!! fell from #6 on Kogyo Tsushinsha's chart to #10 during its second weekend. This is the fifth film inspired by Mine Yoshizaki's manga about a frog-like alien stranded on Earth. According to Box Office Mojo, the film charted at #11 and earned US$367,301 on 144 screens for a total-to-date of US$1,139,719.

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya film, the first ever film in the Haruhi Suzumiya franchise, fell from #6 to #13 on Box Office Mojo's chart after jumping back into the top 10 last weekend on the strength of a "repeater campaign." It garnered $335,365 on 24 screens for a gross-to-date of US$6,074,952.

To encourage fans to watch The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya again, the producers launched a "Film Bookmark Repeater Campaign" late last month. Fans can redeem the two movie ticket stubs for a bookmark made from the 35mm film reels of the movie. (At least one of the ticket stubs has to be dated on February 27 or later.)