For decades now, anime films have had a turbulent relationship with Western audiences; naturally, they rarely performed well during the years when anime was fairly niche, but even as anime has become more mainstream, it’s still been rare for anime films to have any true success at the American box office, even if they perform well with audiences.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Between anime still being somewhat niche and the fact that many movies require fans of pre-established stories, it’s understandable why anime movies rarely do well. Fortunately, some have been good enough to be successful both critically and financially at the American box office, and that’s easy to see when looking at the quality of some of the top-performing films.
10) Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid Of Light ($19.89 Million)
Studio Gallop’s Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light is a spinoff film of the 2000s Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. Tired of losing to Yugi, Kaiba attempts to reclaim his title of the King of Games with a powerful new card called the Pyramid of Light, but doing so might unleash another great evil that Yugi must save the world from.
Pyramid of Light was commissioned by 4Kids Entertainment, and as such, it’s filled with the cheesy and otherwise bad writing that defined their English dubs. Yu-Gi-Oh!’s massive popularity was the main reason it grossed almost $20 million, but if someone wants to watch it, they should stick with the original Japanese, which at least tries to make things palatable.
9) Pokémon The Movie 2000 ($43.76 Million)
OLM, Inc.’s Pokémon the Movie 2000 is the second theatrical film for the Pokémon anime. In Ash and his friends’ latest adventure through the Orange Islands, a madman’s obsession with Lugia threatens to destroy the world, and if an ancient prophecy is to be believed, Ash is the only one who can put a stop to it.
Pokémon the Movie 2000 had an impressive American box office at $43.76 million, and between its fun, suspenseful adventure story and visuals that still hold up incredibly well, it’s easy to see why. The first three Pokémon movies are the most iconic of the Pokémon film franchise, and Pokémon the Movie 2000 more than lives up to that reputation.
8) Pokémon: The First Movie ($85.74 Million)
OLM, Inc.’s Pokémon: The First Movie is, as the name implies, the first theatrical Pokémon film. Ash Ketchum is invited to a mysterious island to take on a Pokémon Master, but as it turns out, it was all a trap by Mewtwo, an artificial Pokémon using Ash and others as stepping stones for his plan to destroy the world.
While the English dub has been criticized for dumbing down the original narrative, Pokémon: The First Movie does a great job of upping the stakes with an emotional and action-packed narrative, no matter the dub. With a box office of $85.74 million, it was the highest-grossing anime film in America for decades, and overall, it’s easy to see why.
7) Demon Slayer: Mugen Train ($49.51 Million)
Ufotable’s Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is the first theatrical sequel to the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime. Following where season 1 left off, Tanjiro and his friends team up with the Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku to investigate disappearances on the eponymous Mugen Train, and it isn’t long before things escalate into their biggest battle to date.
Demon Slayer had already taken the world by storm, and Mugen Train perfectly capitalized on that with its amazing visuals and surprisingly emotional storytelling, especially when it came to Rengoku. At $49.51 million, Mugen Train was a massive hit in America, and that played a big part in its spending years as the highest-grossing anime film of all time.
6) Jujutsu Kaisen 0 ($34.5 Million)
MAPPA’s Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is, as the name implies, a prequel to the Jujutsu Kaisen anime. After his first love turns into a violent and obsessive cursed spirit, Yuta Okkotsu joins Jujutsu High to become a sorcerer and free himself of his curse, all of which coincides with a madman’s plot to destroy jujutsu society.
Not only did Jujutsu Kaisen 0 do a great job of fleshing out the original anime, but the action and animation were pure spectacle from start to finish, making for an all-around phenomenal film to watch. The film grossed a respectable $34.5 million in America, and that did a lot to sell Jujutsu Kaisen as a modern masterpiece.
5) Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Part 1 ($133.74 Million)
Ufotable’s Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle part 1 is the first installment in the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle trilogy. The Demon Slayer Corps must race through the Infinity Castle to finally kill Muzan, but his few remaining henchmen are standing in their way, and for part 1, that includes the Upper-Rank 3 Kizuki Akaza fighting Tanjiro and Giyu to the death.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle received incredible hype from the moment it was announced, and between its gorgeous, inventive animation and heartbreakingly emotional narrative, it more than lived up to it all. With a box office of $133.74 million, Infinity Castle part 1 is the highest-grossing anime film in America, and the follow-up films are bound to be even bigger.
4) Chainsaw Man: The Movie — Reze Arc ($40.06 Million)
MAPPA’s Chainsaw Man: The Movie — Reze Arc is the long-awaited sequel to the Chainsaw Man anime. After meeting a fun and quirky girl named Reze, Denji finds himself falling in love in a way that rivals his feelings for Makima, but as is often the case with Denji, things were too good to last in the worst of ways.
The Chainsaw Man movie and Infinity Castle were 2025’s most hotly anticipated anime movies, and with its creative visuals and emotional, tragic romance that perfectly continued season 1, it was more than worth the wait. With a $40.06 million gross, the Chainsaw Man movie is an undeniable success, and it proves that the franchise is as alive as ever.
3) Dragon Ball Super: Broly ($30.71 Million)
Toei Animation’s Dragon Ball Super: Broly is the first animated sequel to the Dragon Ball Super anime. Following the Tournament of Power, Frieza pits another surviving Saiyan named Broly against Goku and Vegeta, but Frieza’s attempt at vengeance unleashes a monster far stronger than anyone was ready to deal with.
Not only did Dragon Ball Super: Broly rework the franchise’s most controversial character into one of its best, but with its utterly stunning animation and direction, the film is worth watching for pure spectacle alone. Broly was one of America’s biggest anime films in years with a $30.71 million box office, and overall, it more than earned its success.
2) Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero ($38.11)
Toei Animation’s Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is the latest film in the Dragon Ball franchise. The Red Ribbon Army has suddenly resurfaced with their strongest androids to date, and with Goku and Vegeta unable to be reached in their latest training session, it’s up to Piccolo and Gohan to unlock their full potential and save the world.
It’s one thing for Super Hero to have great action and animation, even with the change to 3D visuals, but it had surprisingly great character writing, as well, leading to a perfect balance of action and storytelling. Super Hero was a major success with a $38.11 million box office, and hopefully, it won’t be the last of its kind.
1) The Boy And The Heron ($46.83 Million)
The Boy and the Heron is the latest film from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. After his mother dies in the Pacific War, Mahito Maki, refusing to accept the changes in his life, follows a talking heron to another world to try and bring his mother back, although the journey he undergoes is far wilder than he could have imagined.
The Boy and the Heron was a major hit thanks to its gorgeous visuals and emotional story about overcoming loss, and it’s an easy contender for Studio Ghibli’s greatest film. The Boy and the Heron was also a box office smash in America with a $46.83 million gross, and of all the top-grossing anime films, it’s easily the best.
Most Viewed
-
Courtesy of Crunchyroll
