Ponyo box office: Japan, US, and worldwide
Miyazaki's 2008 underwater fairy tale was another Ghibli blockbuster at home and a modest but profitable family release overseas.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Ponyo grossed ¥15.5 billion in Japan, making it the fourth-highest-grossing Studio Ghibli film domestically according to Nippon.com. Box Office Mojo records a lifetime worldwide theatrical gross of $207,274,346, with Japan contributing $164,565,997 and North America contributing $17,236,297. The Numbers reports a production budget of $34 million and lists Walt Disney as the original North American distributor.
Japan theatrical performance
Ponyo opened in Japan on July 19, 2008, distributed by Toho. It finished with ¥15.5 billion, placing it fourth among Studio Ghibli films in Japan behind Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl's Moving Castle, according to Nippon.com.
The film's Japan opening weekend was strong. Box Office Mojo records Japan's lifetime contribution at $164,565,997, though this dollar figure is affected by exchange-rate conversion and may not match the exact yen total at any single point in time.
Worldwide and territory totals
Box Office Mojo reports a lifetime worldwide gross of $207,274,346 for Ponyo. Japan accounts for $164,565,997, or about 79 percent of the total. North America added $17,236,297, South Korea $6,941,531, and Hong Kong $3,029,041. China contributed $1,620,000, while France added $6,901,818.
The worldwide total spans the original 2008-2020 rollout and several re-releases, including Studio Ghibli Fest events in 2024 and 2025 and a 15th anniversary run in 2023.
Ponyo lifetime box office by selected territory. Source: Box Office Mojo as of 2026.| Territory | Lifetime gross | Share of worldwide |
|---|
| Japan | $164,565,997 | 79.4% |
| North America | $17,236,297 | 8.3% |
| South Korea | $6,941,531 | 3.3% |
| France | $6,901,818 | 3.3% |
| Hong Kong | $3,029,041 | 1.5% |
| Worldwide total | $207,274,346 | 100% |
North American release and production budget
Walt Disney released Ponyo in North America on August 14, 2009 with an English dub directed by John Lasseter. The Numbers reports a production budget of $34 million and an opening weekend of $3,585,852 across 927 theaters. The original domestic run totaled $15,090,399, with the remaining North American gross coming from Fathom Events and GKIDS re-releases.
Ponyo was a modest theatrical performer in the US relative to its Japanese success, but its family-friendly premise and Disney marketing helped it reach a broader audience than some of Ghibli's more adult titles.
Gross type definition: Box office figures are theatrical gross revenue reported by distributors and tracking services, not studio net revenue. Japan totals are in yen; overseas totals are in US dollars at prevailing exchange rates.
Context in the Ghibli catalog
Ponyo is the fourth-highest-grossing Studio Ghibli film in Japan, behind Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl's Moving Castle. Its worldwide total of roughly $207 million makes it one of Ghibli's top five global theatrical performers, although much of that strength comes from Japan.
The film's performance reinforced Miyazaki's ability to deliver large-scale family hits outside the fantasy-adventure template of Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away. Its relatively low US total also illustrates how dependent Ghibli's worldwide numbers remain on the Japanese market.
What the public numbers leave out
Public sources do not break out Ponyo's home video, streaming, or merchandise revenue. Studio Ghibli and Toho do not report per-title profit. The worldwide theatrical total mixes original releases and re-releases across 15 years, so it should not be read as a single first-run result.
The most reliable comparable for Japan is the ¥15.5 billion yen total reported by Nippon.com. The worldwide dollar total is useful for scale but is affected by exchange-rate conversion and re-release timing.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Ponyo make in Japan?
Nippon.com reports ¥15.5 billion in Japan, making it the fourth-highest-grossing Studio Ghibli film domestically.
What is Ponyo's worldwide box office?
Box Office Mojo records a lifetime worldwide theatrical gross of $207,274,346, including re-releases through 2026.
How much did Ponyo make in the US?
North America contributed $17,236,297 cumulatively. The original 2009 Disney release grossed about $15.1 million, with the rest from re-releases.
What was Ponyo's production budget?
The Numbers reports a production budget of $34 million for Ponyo.
Sources and methodology
- Ponyo (2008), Box Office Mojo. Lifetime worldwide, Japan, North America, and territory theatrical grosses, plus release-group breakdown through 2026.
- A Box Office Ranking of Studio Ghibli Films, Nippon.com. Studio Ghibli Japan box office ranking, placing Ponyo at ¥15.5 billion.
- Ponyo (2008), The Numbers. Production budget, North American distributor, and domestic opening-weekend details.