TheDemon Slayer: Infinity Castlemovie has finally come out in Japan, and even with less than 24 hours under its belt, it’s already blowing previous anime records out of the water. WillInfinity Castleeasily become the best-selling anime movie of all time, and just what does that mean for the future of anime movies?
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castlewas set to release in Japan on June 19, 2025, and due to the time zone differences, there’s already a fair amount of information available showing how the movie is fairing. In the first 16 hours, it had already grossed 1 billion Yen, compared toMugen Train’s 1.26 billion on the first day, and prime time showings hadn’t taken place yet.
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Demon Slayer is Set to Break Its Own Records
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castlehas already been taking over movie theaters, with some in Japan reported to be showing the film on every screen, non-stop, all day. More screenings mean more potential earnings, and with the anticipation for the film so high, perhaps it should come as no surprise that theaters are focusing on it so heavily.
The level of excitement for the film is perhaps only equaled by some major Marvel releases of the past, likeAvengers Endgame.In fact,Infinity Castlemakes for a pretty good parallel toEndgame, as it represents the end of a long-running story, and its success at the box office is quickly making it theAvengersof the anime movie world.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castleis reportedly excellent, according to early word from Japan, with fans talking about the roller coaster of emotions that viewers will be sent on during the film. It ends roughly where most fans expected it to, although there will be no spoilers in this article.
Demon Slayer is Changing the Anime Movie Game
The Franchise Has Revealed a New Path for Anime to Take
In the past, the idea of a canonical anime movie was typically not regarded all that highly.There were concerns about whether fans watching week-to-week on TV would go out for a movie, and the potential confusion that could result if the movie is unsuccessful, but necessary to watch, something that could lead to fans abandoning the series in droves.
To that end, most anime movies have been non-canonical, like the movies forDragon BallorBleach. However, recent years saw a turn towards anime movies becoming canonical continuations.Dragon Ball Super: BrolyandSuper Heroboth continued the story ofDragon Ball Supercanonically on the big screen, to great success.
Mugen Trainwas unique in that it was set in the middle of the series, rather than being a post-series continuation, likeBroly.
However, it was reallyDemon Slayer’sMugen Trainmovie that started to change things in a big way.Mugen Traincame out at just the right time to have little competition at the box office, and it dominated as a result.Mugen Trainwas unique in that it was set in the middle of the series, rather than being a post-series continuation, likeBroly.
Mugen Train’s success inspired other anime to attempt to do serial movies, such asChainsaw Man’s upcomingReze Arcmovie, continuing on from whereChainsaw Manseason 1 left off. It will certainly be interesting to see if the more nicheChainsaw Manwill be able to replicateDemon Slayer’s box office success, both in Japan and beyond.
Will Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Succeed So Well Abroad?
Infinity Castle’s Success is Dependent on More Than Just Japan
While fans in the US and other areas will mostly have to wait until September to watchInfinity Castle, it’s important to remember that the international market is huge for theDemon Slayerfranchise. Fans may not have a good grasp onInfinity Castle’s total box officeuntil October, but at this rate, surpassingMugen Trainseems inevitable.
Mugen Train’s success in the US and other international markets were a major contributing factor to the film’s record-setting box office, but the conditions forInfinity Castle’s release are quite different from those ofMugen Train.WhileMugen Trainhad little competition from Hollywood films, that may be different forInfinity Castle.
While there aren’t any major releases in the US to compete withInfinity Castle, that won’t necessarily be the case everywhere. It really all comes down to the question: wasMugen Train’s successa fluke, and it just happened to release at a lucky time, or is there a major shift in anime viewership in the US and other countries?
Demon Slayerfans likely don’t have much to worry about, as theInfinity Castlefilm is predicted to do fairly well internationally. ToppingMugen Trainseems likely, even based only on Japan’s first day at the moment, but just how profitable willInfinity Castlebe in the end? And even if it does succeed, can it maintain that success across three films?
Demon Slayer Could Redefine Anime Films Forever
Infinity Castle’s Success Could Change How Anime Approach Their Release
The success ofInfinity Castleis certainly being watched intently by many parties, both by those hoping it succeeds and those hoping it doesn’t. By using the bigger budget and longer production time of a movie, anime creators can release visually impressive films that live up to the ending of the series that they belong to.
IfInfinity Castlebreaks records once again, then other anime might begin to copy theDemon Slayerapproach to animating their series, mixing in serial movies with regular seasons of the anime. Some arcs are better for week-to-week viewing, while other manga arcs might be better suited to a movie adaptation.
What that mostly means for fans is that big conclusions, like theInfinity Castlearc, could be done as films with high budgets and lots of flash, but in so doing would take longer to come out.It is a risky proposition for all but the most popular anime, as hype may die down while waiting for the film.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castlehas avoided that particular problem, though, and if Japan is any indication, fans should be prepared to have their socks knocked off.
