Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle has officially shattered every anime box office record imaginable, becoming the highest-grossing anime film of all time with a staggering $555+ million worldwide. This milestone marks a seismic shift in global entertainment, proving that Japanese animation has evolved from niche appeal to mainstream dominance.

Breaking Records Left and Right

The film's box office journey reads like a fairy tale of unprecedented success. Opening with a record-breaking $70 million in the United States alone, Infinity Castle demolished the previous anime opening weekend record and became the highest-grossing anime film domestically with over $104.7 million. "Last weekend was unusually big because 'Demon Slayer' opened to over $70 million," noted box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

Globally, the film has dethroned its predecessor, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train ($506.47 million), to claim the crown as the world's highest-grossing anime movie. In Japan, Infinity Castle has already earned ¥33.6 billion ($233 million), making it the second-highest-grossing film in Japanese cinema history, trailing only behind Mugen Train.

The Ufotable Magic Behind the Success

Produced by Ufotable and Aniplex, with direction by franchise veteran Haruo Sotozaki, Infinity Castle represents a technological and artistic achievement. The production team spent years perfecting their approach, completely rebuilding the Infinity Castle's 3D model from scratch and transitioning to full digital animation. This meticulous attention to detail required massive computational resources, with rendering initially projected to take 3.5 years before optimization brought it to a manageable timeline.

Anime's Global Renaissance

The success of Infinity Castle reflects anime's broader cultural takeover. In 2025, the global market value of the anime industry is expected to exceed $65 billion, with box office revenues surpassing $10 billion annually. "Hollywood has long viewed anime as a modest but steady genre at the domestic box office. But the unexpected success of 'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle' has forced the industry to rethink the potential," CNN reported.

The film's international expansion has been equally impressive, setting #1 anime opening records in France ($8.6 million) and Germany ($8.2 million). This global appeal demonstrates anime's evolution from Japanese export to universal entertainment language, with Infinity Castle proving that animated storytelling transcends cultural boundaries and language barriers.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle isn't just breaking records—it's rewriting the rules of what anime can achieve on the world stage.

Courtesy of Sony - © Sony