Wolf Children box office: Japan, South Korea, and worldwide
Mamoru Hosoda's 2012 family film was Studio Chizu's first project and a solid domestic hit, with limited but measurable overseas grosses.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Wolf Children was released in Japan on July 21, 2012, the first feature from Mamoru Hosoda's Studio Chizu. Japan Today reports that the film opened at number two with ¥360,372,690 and finished with ¥4.22 billion in Japan. Box Office Mojo records a lifetime worldwide theatrical gross of $55,141,376, with Japan contributing $52,544,777 and North America contributing $258,252.
Japan theatrical performance
Wolf Children opened in Japan on July 21, 2012. According to Japan Today, which cited Box Office Mojo and Oricon, the film earned ¥360,372,690 in its opening weekend, debuting at number two. It went on to earn ¥4.22 billion total in Japan.
That total made Wolf Children the highest-grossing Hosoda-directed film in Japan at the time, ahead of Summer Wars (¥1.65 billion) and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (¥260 million). It held that record until Belle surpassed it in 2021.
Worldwide and territory totals
Box Office Mojo lists a lifetime worldwide gross of $55,141,376 for Wolf Children. Japan accounts for $52,544,777, or about 95 percent of the total. South Korea added $1,650,922, while North America contributed $258,252 from a 2025 4K restoration release. Other reported territories include East Africa at $514,658, Hong Kong at $58,985, and the United Kingdom at $31,147.
The worldwide total spans the original 2012-2013 release and small re-releases in 2014, 2020, and 2025. The film's commercial profile is typical of non-Ghibli anime features: strong in Japan, modest but meaningful in a few Asian markets, and limited in North America.
Wolf Children lifetime box office by selected territory. Source: Box Office Mojo as of 2026.| Territory | Lifetime gross | Share of worldwide |
|---|
| Japan | $52,544,777 | 95.3% |
| South Korea | $1,650,922 | 3.0% |
| East Africa | $514,658 | 0.9% |
| North America | $258,252 | 0.5% |
| Hong Kong | $58,985 | 0.1% |
| Worldwide total | $55,141,376 | 100% |
North American and international distribution
Funimation licensed the American rights to Wolf Children and released it in select theaters in 2013 ahead of a wider release. The North American gross remained small; Box Office Mojo attributes the $258,252 domestic total to the 2025 4K restoration re-release.
The film received theatrical releases in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and other European territories, though individual grosses were modest. International sales outside Asia were handled by Gaumont for Hosoda's films around this period, according to contemporaneous trade reports.
Gross type definition: Box office figures are theatrical gross revenue reported by distributors and tracking services, not studio net revenue or profit. Japan totals are in yen; overseas totals are in US dollars at prevailing exchange rates.
Context in Mamoru Hosoda's career
Wolf Children was the first film from Studio Chizu, the animation studio Hosoda founded after leaving Madhouse. It established a template for his subsequent work: family-focused stories, strong female leads, and a blend of fantasy with domestic drama.
The film's ¥4.22 billion Japan total was later surpassed by The Boy and the Beast (2015) and Belle (2021). Crunchyroll reported in 2021 that Belle had overtaken Wolf Children to become Hosoda's second-highest-grossing film in Japan.
What the public numbers leave out
Public sources do not report Wolf Children's home video, streaming, or merchandise revenue. Studio Chizu, Toho, and international distributors have not disclosed per-title lifetime financials. The worldwide theatrical total is dominated by Japan and should not be read as a global breakout.
For analysts, the most reliable figures are the ¥4.22 billion Japan total reported by Japan Today and the Box Office Mojo territory breakdown. The film is best compared to other non-Ghibli anime features rather than to Studio Ghibli blockbusters.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Wolf Children make in Japan?
Japan Today reports a total of ¥4.22 billion in Japan, with an opening weekend of ¥360,372,690.
What is Wolf Children's worldwide box office?
Box Office Mojo records a lifetime worldwide theatrical gross of $55,141,376, with Japan accounting for about 95 percent.
Who released Wolf Children in North America?
Funimation originally licensed US theatrical rights. The small North American gross recorded by Box Office Mojo comes from a 2025 4K restoration re-release.
Is Wolf Children Mamoru Hosoda's highest-grossing film?
It was his highest-grossing film in Japan until Belle surpassed it in 2021.