‘Demon Slayer' movie slashes its own box office records
'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle,' the latest chapter in the ongoing anime adaptation of the hit manga by Koyoharu Gotoge, opened July 18 and, by the end of the holiday weekend, had set multiple Japanese box office records: best opening day (¥1.64 billion), best single day (just over ¥2 billion) and best three-day opening (¥5.52 billion). According to Toho, which distributed the film alongside Aniplex, "Infinity Castle" brought in a total of ¥7.31 billion from 5.16 million admissions over its first four days, including Monday's Marine Day national holiday.
For comparison, the year's highest-grossing film, "Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback" has made a total of ¥14.47 billion since April 18, and the year's top live-action film, surprise hit "Kokuho," has earned a total ¥6.8 billion after six weeks in theaters.
If you're feeling deja vu, it might be because the last film to set records like this was another "Demon Slayer" flick . Back in October 2020, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train" set the same box office records its successor just broke and went on to become Japan's highest-grossing film of all time with ¥40.43 billion.
The smash success of that film was attributed at least partially to the circumstances of its release. The COVID-19 pandemic which started that spring led to theater closings and delayed releases, so moviegoers — primed by watching the 2019 "Demon Slayer" series on streaming while cooped up at home — were ready to flood into theaters for "Mugen Train," released just as pandemic restrictions were eased in Japan in the fall.
The massive opening weekend of "Infinity Castle," however, shows that "Mugen Train" was no fluke. Even five years after Gotoge's manga came to a close, the story of the Demon Slayer Corps and its battle against the forces of darkness still has its grip on Japan.
I contributed my own tiny slice of the film's record box office winnings on July 19, braving the crowds for an afternoon screening at a Shinjuku multiplex. Waiting in line for concessions for a solid 20 minutes, I had time to gawk at the digital signs indicating 40 "Infinity Castle" screenings on a single day, most of which were sold out or close to it (nationwide, the film opened on a total of 443 screens).
'Infinity Castle' is the first in a planned trilogy set to wrap the anime adaptation of the manga. It follows protagonist Tanjiro (voiced by Natsuki Hanae) and his fellow demon slayers as they fight the most powerful demon disciples of big bad Muzan Kibutsuji (Toshihiko Seki) in his titular Infinity Castle. The biggest highlight is the battle between Tanjiro and the demon Akaza, who killed Tanjiro's mentor Rengoku in "Mugen Train."
If you've seen any of the "Demon Slayer" anime, all animated at studio Ufotable and directed by Haruo Sotozaki, there are no surprises here. Like what's come before, it's a uniformly well-animated, almost painfully faithful adaptation of the manga, with Tanjiro and pals dutifully narrating everything that happens on screen whether the audience needs it or not.
The key difference between this film and "Mugen Train" is its 155-minute runtime — infinity indeed. After nearly three hours of demon slaying with no real beginning or end (remember, there are two more films on the way), I felt exhausted and suspect the story will fare better when it's inevitably cut into bite-size chunks for broadcast, the same way "Mugen Train" was a year after its cinema release.
But critical analysis of "Infinity Castle" seems almost pointless. Repeat viewings aside, 5.16 million admissions means about 4% of the population of Japan has already seen the film, making "Demon Slayer" less film than phenomenon, a rare point of cultural unity in an era of fractured pop culture consumption. And, quality aside, it will be a real lifeline for cinemas: In 2024, admissions in Japan fell 7.1% compared to 2023 and are still below prepandemic levels.
"Infinity Castle" will begin its trek around the world next month with releases in several countries around Asia before hitting North America and Europe in September. Though it's not quite day-and-date parity, the two-month gap between the Japanese and Western releases (for comparison, "Mugen Train" took six months) signals the growing demand for anime outside Japan as well as tighter market integration: In 2021, Sony bought Crunchyroll, which is distributing the film worldwide.
As 'Infinity Castle' slashes its way around the world, we'll see whether international audiences are still as enthusiastic about "Demon Slayer" as those in Japan.
'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle' is showing in cinemas around Japan starting from July 18. For more information, visit kimetsu.com/anime/mugenjyohen_movie (Japanese only), or for international releases visit demonslayer-anime.com/infinitycastle.
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