It has been revealed that the theatrical version of the short anime "Galaxy Express Milky Subway," "Galaxy Express Milky Subway: Local Train to the Theater," has grossed 150 million yen and attracted over 100,000 viewers in the three days since its release on February 6th. Despite only being released in 73 theaters, it debuted in fourth place in the weekend audience rankings (according to Kogyo Tsushinsha).
"Galaxy Express Milky☆Subway" is a sequel to the short 3D animation "Milky☆Highway," which was released on YouTube in 2022 as a graduation project by Kameyama Yohei, who was then a student at a video vocational school. After being arrested for violating the Galactic Road Traffic Act, Chiharu, a cyborg, and others are tasked with cleaning the interplanetary train "Milky☆Subway" as a volunteer activity, but they become embroiled in a major incident on board when the train suddenly goes out of control.
The series has gained popularity for its nostalgic visuals and unique, natural dialogue, with a total of over 200 million views on YouTube. The film version re-edits all 12 episodes of the short anime series and adds new parts.
