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The latest film in the Demon Slayer franchise, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc, is on a monumental run at the Japanese box office, overtaking even Titanic in mere 38 days since its release to become the third highest grossing movie in the country.
Thus incredible run is setting the series on a clear path to reportedly overtake Studio Ghibli’s long-standing reign as the country’s unofficial “national anime.”
To understand the magnitude of Demon Slayer‘s rise, one must look at the giants of Japanese animation. In terms of sheer numbers for a single franchise, Detective Conan holds the record for the highest total sales in Japanese theatrical history, with a cumulative box office gross of 134.7 billion yen across 28 films.
However, the culturally ingrained title of Japan’s “national anime” has long been synonymous with the works of Studio Ghibli, which has captivated audiences for nearly 40 years.
Ghibli’s 24 films have collectively earned 168.7 billion yen with a total of 120 million admissions, setting the benchmark for cultural and commercial success.
Demon Slayer is now poised to challenge that long-held status. In just its first 38 days, the first Infinity Castle Arc movie has amassed a staggering 28.08 billion yen, attracting 19.82 million moviegoers.
Meanwhile, Mugen Train managed to draw in 28.97 million people to the theatres during its run, which according to the Leisure White Paper 2024, represented over 90% of the 31.3 million people who attended movies annually in Japan.
On top of that, the movie is the highest earning movie in Japan, having collected over 40 billion yen. With Infinity Castle expected to break that record, Demon Slayer will have earned over 80 billion yen just from two of its theatrical films. This proves that the franchise’s reach is unparalleled and that it has the foundation to surpass Ghibli.
However, Ghibli’s legendary status extends beyond just numbers, as its contribution to Japanese cinema is immense.
After the domestic film market stagnated from the 1970s to the 90s, it was Ghibli that revitalized the industry and established “theatrical anime” as a major genre.
The success of films like Princess Mononoke (1997) reversed decades-long decline in movie attendance. Ghibli’s consistent hits, coupled with the rise of multiplex theaters, brought families back to the cinema and created the now-common tradition of family movie outings during Golden Week, summer vacation and other holidays.
Now, Demon Slayer is on track to rewrite the cultural epoch that Ghibli created.
The adaptation of Infinity Castle Arc is planned as a trilogy, and its two sequels, expected for release between 2027-29, are projected to gross a combined 80 billion yen and attract 60 million admissions. Such numbers would not only shatter box office records but also solidify a new cultural touchstone for a new generation.
Source: Nippon
