Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle absolutely took over the world last year, but even all that box office success still didn’t save it from being snubbed from the Academy Awards. Demon Slayer has been a marquee anime franchise as not only has it taken anime success in theaters to new kinds of levels never seen before, but it’s done that well as a Shonen Jump franchise. It’s been breaking all kinds of records for anime, but it’s done even more so as an action series that originally came from that magazine.
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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle really did seem like it was heading for some kind of acknowledgment at the Academy Awards. Following its nomination for a Golden Globe, and its massive success in theaters, it really did seem like an Oscar nomination was possible. But with its Golden Globe loss and the Academy completely ignoring it, this is Hollywood’s way of saying that a Shonen Jump series will never be seen on that level.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Snubbed at the Oscars
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle really did seem poised for an Oscar nomination. It got nominated for a Golden Globe (marking the first time a Shonen Jump franchise project was announced for the award), and was even featured as part of the Academy’s special featurettes heading into the nominations. This would have been a big deal for anime projects as while anime films have been nominated for Best Animated Film in the past (and have even won), it’s usually been relegated to non-franchise projects from Studio Ghibli, Studio Chizu or other like examples.
It’s been great to see these anime films elevated to the point where they can compete with Hollywood animated projects and even win, and that shows off how big the anime medium has gotten in the last few years. But with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle being outright ignored when it came to nominations alongside every other massive anime film release over 2025, it’s just another reminder that anime just isn’t on that level with the general public yet. It’s a bubble being burst after years of hype among fans.
What Does This Mean for Demon Slayer’s Future at the Movies?
While getting snubbed for an Oscar is certainly going to sting, it’s not going to slow down Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle in the slightest. Production on the final two films of the trilogy continue regardless of performance or awards recognition with the first film (as performance doesn’t totally factor into budget like Hollywood film sequels), and the first film has done so well in theaters that it’s actually going to stay exclusive to theaters for a little while longer.
It was already exclusive to theaters throughout the entirety of 2025, but it’s also going to be returning to IMAX theaters with a special upgraded version in Japan later this February. This sadly also likely means the film won’t be having a streaming or home video release anytime soon, but that will change as we get later into the year and prepare for what could be coming next.
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