North American fans of Demon Slayer must hold out until September to witness the epic Infinity Castle arc on the silver screen, but in Japan, theaters are already buzzing with Tanjiro’s triumphant return.
The first chapter of this highly anticipated anime trilogy, crafted by Ufotable, has barely begun its theatrical run, yet Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is already rewriting box office history. The film is poised to challenge the monumental legacy of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, which has long held the crown as the highest-grossing anime film ever.
Before the opening day even concluded, Infinity Castle obliterated Mugen Train’s first-day earnings, raking in an astonishing 1.7 billion yen—equivalent to roughly 12 million USD. This explosive debut signals that the shonen juggernaut could surpass its own record, potentially claiming the title of the biggest anime movie of all time.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, a Japanese manga crafted by Koyoharu Gotouge, ran in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump from February 2016 to May 2020, its story compiled into 23 tankōbon volumes. Viz Media brought it to English readers, with Shueisha also releasing it on the Manga Plus platform. The tale centers on Tanjiro Kamado, a young boy who joins the Demon Slayer Corps after a tragic massacre leaves his family dead and his sister Nezuko transformed into a demon. Driven to restore her humanity and defeat the demon king Muzan Kibutsuji, Tanjiro’s journey is one of resilience and vengeance.
An anime adaptation by Ufotable debuted with a 26-episode first season from April to September 2019. This was followed by the blockbuster film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train in October 2020, which shattered records as the highest-grossing anime and Japanese film ever. The anime continued with an 18-episode second season from October 2021 to February 2022, and a compilation film, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village, hit theaters in February 2023. An 11-episode third season aired from April to June 2023, followed by another compilation film, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training, in February 2024. The fourth season ran from May to June 2024, and a trilogy of films adapting the “Infinity Castle” arc is slated for release in July 2025.
By July 2025, the manga’s circulation, including digital copies, surpassed 220 million, cementing its status as a top-selling manga series. It topped sales charts in 2019 and 2020, earning widespread praise for its stunning artwork, gripping narrative, dynamic action, and compelling characters. The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba franchise stands as one of the most lucrative media franchises in history.
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