A Solid Opening for the Frog Platoon's Return
The 20th-anniversary film, officially titled New Theatrical Sgt. Frog: Upon Revival, Immediately Facing the Threat of Earth's Destruction! (新劇場版☆ケロロ軍曹 復活して速攻地球滅亡の危機であります！), opened on June 26 and earned ¥150,806,480 (roughly $1 million) with 102,402 admissions across its first three days, according to Oricon News. That placed the film fourth at the Japanese weekend box office.
For a franchise that hasn't had a theatrical release since 2010, those numbers are a respectable start. Supervising director and screenwriter Yūichi Fukuda (live-action Gintama, The Brave Yoshihiko) is making his animated-feature debut here, with Fumitoshi Oizaki handling animation direction at BN Pictures. The 109-minute film sees the Keroro Platoon pulled back into action to defend Earth from mysterious invaders, despite being far more interested in lounging around their host family's house.
Gundam Meets Keroro, Officially This Time
The Sgt. Frog franchise has been parodying Gundam for the better part of two decades. Keroro building Gunpla, the platoon reenacting One Year War battles in the living room: it's been a running gag since the TV anime launched in 2004.
Now the crossover is official. Oricon News reports that starting July 3, theaters will distribute a second wave of bonus postcards featuring collaboration artwork by Mine Yoshizaki, creator of Sgt. Frog, and Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, the character designer behind the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Four postcard designs will be handed out randomly to moviegoers over one week, first come, first served.
Two decades of unofficial homage turned official collaboration. Longtime fans will want these on their shelf.
Looking Ahead
The film is still in its theatrical run across Japan with Kadokawa and Bandai Namco Filmworks handling distribution. No international theatrical or streaming plans have been announced. The original 2004–2011 TV anime was licensed in North America by Funimation under the Sgt. Frog title, though availability has been limited in recent years. The source manga by Mine Yoshizaki is published by Kadokawa and serialized in Monthly Shonen Ace.
Whether the Gundam collab postcards give the film a second-week bump at the box office is worth watching. The new bonuses start July 3.