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In the world of Kokuho<\/em>, the stomp of a foot can summon art into being. The blend of allegory and reality in the symbol-laden feature film continues to surprise months after its release, making it an unlikely new weapon in Sony\u2019s Japanese content arsenal.<\/p>\n Japanese-Korean director Lee Sang-il\u2019s three-hour epic is now Japan\u2019s top-grossing live-action movie of all time, smashing a 22-year-old record, according to domestic distributor Toho.<\/p>\n The film, an adaptation of a two-volume novel by Shuichi Yoshida, has now been shortlisted for the 2026 Academy Awards\u2019 international feature film category, as well as for make-up and hairstyling. The nominations are slated to be announced on January 22, with Kokuho<\/em> headed for a wider North American roll-out in February.<\/p>\nSpanning 50 years, Kokuho<\/em><\/span>, or \u201cNational Treasure\u201d, follows Kikuo Tachibana \u2013 the son of a slain yakuza boss taken in by a kabuki master \u2013 and his deep friendship and bitter rivalry with his mentor\u2019s only heir.<\/div>\nIts runaway success is a coup for Aniplex, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, which has also powered recent anime blockbusters<\/span> such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba<\/em>. Aniplex\u2019s backing was critical to get the project off the ground, given its focus on a centuries-old art form characterised by archaic language and stylised delivery.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n