According to a Saturday report from entertainment outlet Variety, the first chapter of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle trilogy, titled Akaza Sairai, has stormed the U.S. box office, grossing an estimated US$33 million by Friday across 3,315 theaters.
This figure includes a hefty US$11.4 million from Thursday preview screenings, securing the film the #1 spot in the U.S. The explosive debut has obliterated the long-standing record for the biggest opening weekend for an anime film in the U.S., previously set by Pokémon: The First Movie in 1999, which earned US$31 million over a three-day weekend.
The film also shattered the record for combined preview and opening day earnings for an anime film, surpassing Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero’s 2022 mark of US$10 million. Globally, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle – Akaza Sairai has amassed an estimated US$315 million, cementing its status as a worldwide phenomenon.
Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, the franchise’s previous cinematic milestone, earned US$9.5 million on its U.S. opening day—a figure now dwarfed by Akaza Sairai’s triumph.
Distributed by Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Aniplex, the film hit theaters in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, with screenings in premium formats like IMAX alongside standard showings. Fans can experience the action in Japanese with English subtitles or with an English dub, catering to a wide audience.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle Part 1: Akaza Returns film premiered on Japan in July 18, 2025.
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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