According to distributors Aniplex and Toho, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba — Infinity Castle: Part 1 has crossed the unprecedented mark with a worldwide gross of more than 100 billion yen, or approximately $644 million.
The film, which follows Tanjiro Kamado in his climactic confrontation to defeat powerful demons and restore his sister’s humanity, marks the beginning of a highly anticipated trilogy. Released internationally from August and more recently in China, the movie has drawn 89.17 million viewers worldwide, demonstrating the franchise’s remarkable global appeal.
Within Japan, the film ranks second in local box office history, trailing only behind a previous Demon Slayer installment that became a cultural phenomenon during the Covid-19 pandemic. That earlier film had overtaken Studio Ghibli’s iconic Spirited Away (2001), a feat that was considered nearly impossible for decades.
Created by Koyoharu Gotouge and animated by Ufotable, the Demon Slayer franchise continues to be applauded for transforming the modern anime landscape. Its visual style, blending dynamic movement, vivid artistry and emotional storytelling, has often been described as a new benchmark in anime cinematography.
Infinity Castle: Part 1 stays true to that artistic identity. The film is packed with dazzling effects and intense, acrobatic battles set within a maze-like, kaleidoscopic castle featuring endless shifting floors. This visual complexity has become one of the series’ defining strengths, attracting viewers beyond traditional anime audiences.
Unlike long-running manga giants such as One Piece, which spans over 100 volumes, Demon Slayer’s original story is contained within just 23 volumes. Its compact narrative and well-paced arcs have contributed to its mass appeal, allowing new fans to engage easily without decades of backstory.
Anime continues to dominate Japan’s entertainment landscape, but its popularity is now rapidly expanding worldwide. This year alone, China’s Ne Zha II has become the highest-grossing film of 2025, while Netflix’s most-watched movie ever is the animated feature KPop Demon Hunters. These successes signal a new global era where animated films lead the box office and streaming charts.
With the next two installments of the Demon Slayer trilogy already in the works, the franchise appears poised to extend its global influence even further and potentially set new cinematic records in the years ahead.
