Why “Demon Slayer” Achieved a Simultaneous Global Hit. Japanese Anime Is Finally Eating the World.

The animated film “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Infinity Castle Arc, Chapter 1: Akaza Returns”, a massive hit in Japan, has finally been released in major countries in North America and Europe on September 11th and 12th, creating a huge buzz worldwide.

In Japan, the news that its domestic box office revenue reached 33 billion yen, surpassing “Spirited Away” to become the second-highest of all time, seemed to garner more attention around the same time. However, it is currently in the process of achieving a far greater feat overseas.

Since this accomplishment is so monumental, many people in Japan may not fully grasp its significance, so I would like to explain the key points of how incredible this is.

Worldwide Box Office Revenue Surpasses 68 Billion Yen, Significantly Breaking the “Mugen Train” Record

First, the most symbolic figure is the news that its worldwide box office revenue has surpassed 68 billion yen (approximately $462 million).
The previous record for a Japanese film’s worldwide box office was “Mugen Train”’s 51.7 billion yen, which means “The Infinity Castle ” has easily surpassed this record by more than 16 billion yen.

Moreover, since the current box office revenue for “The Infinity Castle ” in Japan is 33 billion yen, the remaining overseas box office revenue is 35 billion yen, meaning it has already exceeded Japan’s domestic earnings.

While many people may have previously viewed overseas box office as a bonus for Japanese anime, with domestic revenue being the main focus, “Demon Slayer” has now entered a phase where its overseas earnings are greater than its domestic ones.

Since the yen has significantly weakened against the dollar in the four years since “Mugen Train” was released overseas, “Mugen Train” still has a slight lead in U.S. dollar terms.
However, the 68 billion yen figure for the new film only includes the first 3–4 days of its worldwide release in North America and other regions, so it is only a matter of time before it breaks the record in dollar terms as well.
 

Tops North American Box Office with Over 10 Billion Yen in its Opening Week

Perhaps the biggest news regarding overseas box office performance is its success in North America, the world’s largest film market. It became a huge hit, earning over $70 million, which is more than 10 billion yen, in its opening week.
Considering that the opening week box office revenue in Japan for “The Infinity Castle ” was 5.5 billion yen — a new record at the time of its release — you can understand the scale of this achievement.

Moreover, the previous record for the best opening for a Japanese anime film in North America was held by the Pokémonmovie released 26 years ago, which shows what a high barrier the North American market has been for Japanese anime films.

In fact, four years ago when “Mugen Train” was released in North America, it still managed to earn an impressive $21 million even with nearly half of the movie theaters in the U.S. closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because of this, the general expectation was that it could have earned $40 million without the pandemic’s impact. However, the actual result for the new film was over $70 million, more than triple that expectation. This figure symbolizes just how much the “Demon Slayer” fanbase has grown in North America over the past four years.

In addition, the film is breaking all-time box office records for Japanese anime in numerous other countries. In India, its advance ticket sales surpassed those of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” setting a new record for a foreign film in the country.
This kind of massive success, far exceeding the conventional standards for Japanese anime, is happening all over the world. “Demon Slayer: The Infinity Castle ” is truly a simultaneous global blockbuster phenomenon.

The “Demon Slayer” Fanbase Spreads Worldwide Through Video Streaming Services

How was such a simultaneous global hit for “Demon Slayer” possible?
The biggest factor is likely that “Demon Slayer” has become available for viewing worldwide through video streaming services. Crunchyroll, an anime streaming service acquired by the Sony Group, has already announced it has 17 million paid subscribers globally.

Netflix, the world’s largest video streaming service, has also announced that half of its 300 million members, or 150 million people, have experience watching anime. The anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Hashira Training Arc” racked up 12.9 million views on Netflix in the second half of 2024 alone.
The proliferation of these streaming services has allowed Japanese anime like “Demon Slayer” to cultivate a global fanbase.

Notably, “Demon Slayer” beat “ONE PIECE” to win the Best Continuing Series award at the “Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025,” which is voted on by fans worldwide.
It has truly become a work loved by anime fans across the globe as a representative series of Japanese anime.

Sony Group’s All-Out Effort in Overseas Distribution

Furthermore, to convert “Demon Slayer’s” high level of recognition into actual movie ticket sales, the Sony Group appears to have literally mobilized all its resources for the overseas distribution of “The Infinity Castle ”.
“Demon Slayer” is a work produced through the cooperation of three companies: Shueisha, ufotable, and Aniplex, with Aniplex being a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment.
While domestic distribution is handled by Toho and Aniplex, the overseas distribution this time was managed by Sony Pictures and its subsidiary Crunchyroll, which have expertise in Hollywood.

To maximize the excitement for “Demon Slayer: The Infinity Castle ”, Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll have been continuously holding theatrical releases of past works, such as conducting a world tour in 2023 and 2024 featuring compilation films with new footage.

As a result, they succeeded in a steady expansion of distribution, doubling the U.S. release to 3,315 theaters compared to past films and launching it on over 750 screens in India, the largest ever for a Japanese anime film in the country.

Additionally, just before the release of “The Infinity Castle ”, Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll held a premiere event at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre, which brought together voice actor Natsuki Hanae and the English dub cast, including actor Channing Tatum, generating significant buzz.

Natsuki Hanae participated in premiere events not only in the U.S. but also in Paris and Mexico City, and Crunchyroll reportedly held similar premiere events in India and Singapore.

In other words, the massive movement behind “Demon Slayer” was cultivated not just by its popularity on streaming services but through a combination of detailed efforts, including the Sony Group’s dedicated distribution work and promotional activities like premiere events.

“Anime Is Eating the World”

In September of last year, Andreessen Horowitz, often called the world’s most powerful venture capital firm, published a report titled “Anime Is Eating the World,” which drew significant attention both inside and outside the industry.

The key point is that the subject of this report is not “Animation,” which refers to animated works in general, including those from Disney and Pixar, but “Anime,” specifically referring to Japanese animation.
The simultaneous global hit of “Demon Slayer” can be seen as a phenomenon that symbolizes the literal fulfillment of the prophecy that “Japanese Anime Is Eating the World”.

Anime is no longer content just for Japanese people or children; it has become a form of entertainment with a quality that can compete head-to-head with Hollywood-produced films.

“Demon Slayer” Still Has Room to Grow

From a global perspective, another noteworthy point is the budget size of Japanese anime.
The production cost for “Demon Slayer: The Infinity Castle ” is said to be between 3 and 5 billion yen.

While this is more than 10 times the typical production cost of a Japanese animated film, which is generally around 300 million yen, it is also only about one-tenth of the 20 to 30 billion yen spent on Hollywood animated films. “Demon Slayer” has proven that if Japanese anime is made with a proper budget to raise its quality, it will be recognized by fans around the world.

After all, it has only been a week since the full-scale global rollout of “Demon Slayer: The Infinity Castle ” began. Its box office revenue, currently over 68 billion yen, is already projected by industry media to certainly exceed 90 billion yen.

Furthermore, there are recent rumors that a theatrical release in China might become possible in October. Previously, releasing “Demon Slayer” in China was considered difficult due to depictions of blood splatters.
In the past, films like “The Boy and the Heron” and “Suzume” have been massive hits in China, earning over $100 million.

If “Demon Slayer: The Infinity Castle Arc” can be released in China, a worldwide box office revenue of over 100 billion yen is no longer just a dream.
And we must not forget that “Demon Slayer: The Infinity Castle Arc” is still only the first chapter. The “Demon Slayer”whirlwind is guaranteed to sweep the globe at least two more times.

The potential for Japanese anime, unlocked by “Demon Slayer”, seems to have no ceiling. This simultaneous global hit of “Demon Slayer: The Infinity Castle Arc” is likely to significantly change the position of Japanese anime in the world.