Demon Slayer film becomes highest-grossing anime ever

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has become the highest-grossing anime film of all time with worldwide earnings exceeding $555 million, surpassing its predecessor Mugen Train’s $520.7 million record.
The film secured the top spot at the U.S. box office for a second consecutive weekend with $17.3 million, reaching a domestic total of $104.7 million and becoming the first anime to cross $100 million in North American box office history.
Sony’s anime has dethroned Pokémon: The First Movie as the previous U.S. record-holder, which earned $85.7 million during its theatrical run.
In Japan, the movie has earned approximately $224.5 million (¥33.35 billion) over its first 63 days, making it the second-highest grossing film in Japanese box office history.
The film’s success represents a historic milestone for Japanese animation in international markets, with record-breaking openings across multiple territories including Australia, where it debuted with $5.07 million.

Sony’s “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” has shattered box office records to become the highest-grossing anime film of all time, with worldwide earnings exceeding $555 million and marking a historic milestone for Japanese animation in international markets. The film secured the top spot at the U.S. box office for a second consecutive weekend with $17.3 million, despite experiencing a typical 75% drop from its record-setting $70 million debut.animationmagazine

The movie has now surpassed $104.7 million domestically, making it the first anime film to cross the $100 million threshold in U.S. box office history. This achievement dethrones the previous record-holder, 1999’s “Pokémon: The First Movie,” which earned $85.7 million during its theatrical run.reddit

Breaking Multiple International Records

“Infinity Castle” has overtaken its predecessor “Mugen Train” ($520.7 million) to claim the title of highest-grossing anime film worldwide. The film has also become the most successful Japanese film ever on a global scale, cementing anime’s growing mainstream appeal beyond traditional fan bases.koimoi

In Japan, the movie reached approximately ¥33.6 billion ($224.5 million) over its first 60 days, making it the second-highest grossing film in Japanese box office history. It surpassed Studio Ghibli’s “Spirited Away” (¥31.7 billion) but remains behind the original “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train” (¥40.8 billion) in the domestic Japanese market.nippon

The film has set opening records in multiple international territories, including France ($8.6 million) and Germany ($8.2 million), while achieving a £3.4 million opening in the UK and Ireland across nearly 500 screens.theartsshelf

Challenging Hollywood’s Anime Assumptions

The success of “Infinity Castle” has forced Hollywood to reconsider anime’s commercial potential. Paul Dergarabedian of Comscore noted that if this trend continues, “it will introduce another film category into the array of potential content for the big screen”. The film’s achievement comes at a time when no major Hollywood animated release has crossed $100 million domestically in 2025, making it the first animated film of the year to reach this milestone.cnn

Industry analysts point to the growing Gen Z audience, with 42% watching anime weekly according to a 2024 Vox Media survey. The film’s 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and strong critical reception have helped drive its crossover appeal beyond core anime fans.cnn

Despite the dramatic second-weekend drop typical of anime releases, “Infinity Castle” demonstrates that high-quality Japanese animation can achieve unprecedented commercial success in Western markets, potentially reshaping how studios approach international anime distribution and marketing strategies.