News
According to AP News, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle scored a historic opening in North America. Its opening weekend box office reached around $70 million, surpassing the record for an anime film since 1999’s Pokémon: The First Movie. Premium formats such as IMAX and Dolby Cinema also boosted audience turnout.
Source: AP News
Related Article
Demon Slayer’s Huge Success in Asia: Why the World Is Enthralled – Sekahan
Context
It is extremely rare for an anime film to dominate the North American box office in this way. Until now, Japanese anime movies—aside from exceptions like Pokémon (1999) and Spirited Away (2001)—were usually released only in “limited screenings.”
That’s why the fact that Infinity Castle broke historical records with its opening weekend gross is so symbolic: it marks anime’s transition from a “niche” category into the mainstream.
On Reddit, reactions have been mixed—some celebrating this milestone, others calling the film “overrated”—sparking heated debate about anime’s growing cultural status.
Overseas Reactions
Infinity Castle has more showings at my local theater than any other movie this weekend, and it’s not even close…
I can’t believe how far it’s come. When Spirited Away first came to the U.S., my mom drove me 60 miles… Looking at the numbers, Mewtwo Strikes Back made $31.0M opening weekend which adjusts to $59.7M in 2025 dollars so this tops Pokémon.
I mean it’s also rising anime popularity generally. Many theaters around me have been participating in Ghibli Fest…
It’s the popularity that’s amazing to me. I had to travel so much to see anime movies and it feels like all that support has paid off…
I wonder what folks over at ufotable are thinking looking at the numbers…
Crazy when you consider the 2.5 hour runtime!
At several points I was sure the movie was ending but no, another episode grafted on…
didn’t check the runtime before me and my friends went to watch and we were all surprised it was that long, in a good way…
Yeah there was like 8 showings of infinity castle at my local theatre…
OG Pokémon movie like 20 years ago.
It is nice to see something will finally displace Pokemon.
I already saw it once yesterday and I actually want to go see it again today…
My amc went from like 2 showings a day … to 20 showings in one day on release…
Honestly it was the best cinematic experience I’ve had since 3 Spidersmen were swinging across the screen.
You can go into it without having watched the series…
Those numbers are seriously insane. It’s honestly unbelievable how popular this franchise has become. And there’s still two movies in stock.
It’s almost caught up to Mugen Train and hasn’t even opened in big markets like France or Germany yet…
Demon Slayer beating out Superman and Fantastic Four to be the biggest comic-based movie of the year.
mind-blowing seeing anime go from something niche … to an anime movie beating out Hollywood blockbuster superhero movies.
I absolutely love anime’s “glow-up.” …Hollywood movies have become stale…
The final movie gonna go crazy. Might be the first 1b$ anime.
This what an actually popular anime looks like
Lol, don’t tell that to the “it’s overrated and average” crowd…
I’m getting sick of this discourse when it comes to popular shonen series… Can we just appreciate greatness at least for once?!
You’re probably asking for too much lol… Extremely happy for Demon Slayer and I can’t wait to see Chainsaw Man next month.
Maybe I am asking too much, but it’s tiring to see these comments invade the top every time…
Yep, I’m not a huge fan of KnY, but … it’s a net win for all of anime for it to be so popular.
Demon Slayer is a damn good series. A straight forward, simple story with a lot of emotional beats.
Hating on things has become the cool thing to do… cringe, mid, etc.
It’s just manchildren whose egos are hurt because people’s preferences don’t match theirs…
We can. The best approach would be to do that rather than spending time complaining that other people have opinions.
Why would people seeing it change that. Do you equate money with quality?
…I’m not even a Demon Slayer fan but I’m proud of what it’s achieving.
…Then these types usually mask their hatred under “criticism,” when we all know it’s just a chance for them to dunk on a popular series…
That’s what I’m noticing… If I was breaking records and achieving things this great the last thing I’d want to hear is negativity.
And it has such a good MC, he isn’t edgy…
…they really pushed for this film, the marketing budget (at least in my country) was BIG, and marketing is king.
…Sony may have missed their chance with KPop Demon Hunters… but now with Demon Slayer, it defied odds and managed to patch up.
Sony will also release the Chainsaw Man movie this year in a similar international schedule.
Will they put it in as many theaters though?…
Just putting it in more locations doesn’t mean much. The latest MHA film was the widest release … yet it only opened with 3M.
MHA films are just spin-off filler stories, not really comparable to main story movies like Demon Slayer.
Idk if Demon Hunters would have worked as well in theatres on release. It benefited from streaming…
It’s like seeing a football player fumble… but then recover and score a winning touchdown.
I find it funny that both movies involve hunting demons too.
Demon Slayer making insane amount of money no wonder ufotable are doing 3 movies instead of seasonal…
They’re absolutely going to release it as a TV show for the TV ratings like Mugen Train.
Yeah, the pacing of the movie is arguably more “TV”-like than Mugen Train.
I also struggled to stay engaged at the end…
Analysis: What Demon Slayer’s Success in North America Means
1. From Niche to Mainstream
Until now, anime movies in North America were treated as “special events.” Exceptions like Pokémon and Spirited Away existed, but they were limited in scale. With Infinity Castle surpassing $70 million and topping Superman and Fantastic Four at the box office, anime has officially shifted from subculture to mainstream.
2. Hollywood’s Stagnation and Audience Shift
Hollywood’s reliance on remakes and sequels has led to audience fatigue. By contrast, Demon Slayer captivates with visual artistry, immersive sound, and original storytelling. Premium formats like IMAX and 4DX proved to be a natural fit for anime, attracting audiences seeking a new cinematic experience.
3. Sony’s Strategy and Future Outlook
Behind this success lies Sony Aniplex’s distribution strategy. Instead of the usual few hundred theaters, Infinity Castle saw a blockbuster-scale release. This shattered the stereotype of anime as a “limited event” and proved it can succeed on a full commercial scale. The same model may apply to upcoming releases like Chainsaw Man, signaling further market expansion.
4. Polarized Reactions and Cultural Reception
As Reddit shows, praise and criticism are colliding. This polarization reflects anime’s rising cultural significance: once confined to niche fans, it is now a social phenomenon debated by mainstream audiences.
5. Soft Power and Cultural Impact
This is not just about box office numbers. The fact that Japanese anime outperformed Hollywood blockbusters in North America highlights Japan’s growing soft power. It could reshape the global flow of cultural exports, with Demon Slayer blazing the trail.
Conclusion: From Asia to North America, and Beyond
The record-breaking success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle in North America is more than a financial milestone—it marks anime’s arrival as global mainstream culture. Competing with Hollywood, supported by Sony’s strategy, and fueled by fans worldwide, it signals a new era for Japanese storytelling.
In our previous article (Asia Edition), we contrasted Disney’s “export model” with Japanese anime’s “grassroots immersion model.” This North American success is further proof of the latter’s power.
From Asia to North America, and soon the world—Demon Slayer has become more than a franchise. It is opening a new path for the future of Japanese anime.
See you again in our next article.
References:
- AP News｜Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ opens to $70M, biggest anime debut to claim top box-office spot
- BoxOfficePro｜Weekend Box Office: DEMON SLAYER Scores Record Anime Debut in North America
- Cartoon Brew｜‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ Scores Record $70M NA …
- Crunchyroll News｜Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Tops U.S. Box Office with $70M, Breaks Global Records
- Wikipedia｜Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle
- GamesRadar｜Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has broken even more box office records …
