Distributor asks fans to "wait for further announcements"

Philippine film distributor Pioneer Films announced on Tuesday that its planned opening of Naoko Yamada and Kyoto Animation's A Silent Voice ( Koe no Katachi ) anime film on Saturday, April 15 has been canceled due to "unavailability of theaters." The announcement then asks readers to "wait for further announcements."

Pioneer Films confirmed with ANN that the cancellation is only a temporary delay for the film until theaters can supply the distributor with a reasonable number of screens. The distributor added that a Hollywood film will open on April 15 and that most theaters will service their screens for this film.

The film's official website revealed last month that the movie will screen in 30 countries around the world. In East and Southeast Asian territories besides the Philippines, the film will get screenings in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei.

The film is based on Yoshitoki Ōima's manga of the same name. The story centers on two protagonists: Shoya Ishida and Shoko Nishimiya. Shoko is a deaf transfer student who is bullied by her classmates, with Shoya leading the bullying. Eventually, when the class is forced to take responsibility for bullying Shoko, the class turns to bullying Shoya to shift the blame. Years later, both Shoko and Shoya reunite.

The film earned 2.3 billion yen in Japan, and was the 19th highest-grossing film released in Japan in 2016. The film surpassed the box office earnings of Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie Part 3: Rebellion, which earned a total of 2.08 billion yen during its theatrical run in Japan when it opened in October 2013. A Silent Voice also surpassed the earnings of the K-ON! anime film, similarly animated by Kyoto Animation and directed by Naoko Yamada, which earned 1.9 billion yen at the box office in 2011.

The film opened in Japan in September on 120 screens and ranked #2 at box offices in Japan in its opening weekend. The film earned 283,000,000 yen (about US$2.8 million) and sold 200,000 tickets in its first two days. In comparison, Kyoto Animation's 2011 K-On! film earned 316,310,000 yen in its first two days on 137 screens.

[Via Anime Pilipinas]

Update: Comment by Pioneer Films regarding temporary nature of cancellation added.