Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Has Become The Biggest Anime Movie in US History (And It Deserves It)

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle was always going to be big, but not every anime fan realized just how big the first part of the finale film trilogy would be. Easily becoming the number one movie in North America with a staggering $70 million USD at the box office for its opening weekend, Tanjiro and the Demon Slayer Corps have something else to celebrate. The latest Ufotable production has skyrocketed to become the biggest anime movie ever released in the West. When you see its competition at the box office, you might be shocked at this accomplishment even more.

Before the Hashira took the top spot as the number one anime film in North America, Pokémon the Movie held the crown. For some time, Ash Ketchum and Pikachu’s silver screen adventure, which involved fighting against the all-powerful Mewtwo, was the biggest anime movie in the West, thanks to earning $85.7 million USD in theaters. Long before the Demon Slayer Corps’ latest fight exits theaters, Infinity Castle has surpassed Pokémon The Movie by clearing $87.4 million USD so far. As the anime industry continues to skyrocket in popularity across the board, it seems that the biggest competition Tanjiro and company will face in the future is themselves with the trilogy’s final two films.

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Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Has Changed Anime Forever

Demon Slayer’s Bright Future

As of the writing of this article, Ufotable has been tight-lipped regarding when we might expect the next two films of the Demon Slayer trilogy will hit theaters. Based on Infinity Castle’s success, we have to imagine that the production house will waste little time in unleashing the next chapters of the fight against Muzan. Luckily, as manga readers know, there are still some major events that have yet to be animated, and viewers should prepare themselves, as not everyone is making it out of the next movies alive.

In relation to the manga, creator Koyoharu Gotouge hasn’t released any hints of a sequel and/or spin-off series to capitalize on the smash success of the shonen series. Without exploring spoiler territory, the original ending of Demon Slayer’s manga is quite a conclusive one, giving most of the characters one last hurrah before waving goodbye. Ironically, Jujutsu Kaisen had a similar conclusion, though this fact didn’t stop creator Gege Akutami from returning to the universe with a sequel series taking place decades later.

The Success of Demon Slayer

Ultimately, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has earned its top spot thanks to its beautiful animation and strong battle choreography during its runtime. While the first part of the trilogy isn’t exactly friendly for those unfamiliar with the shonen franchise, the mammoth-length movie offers animation fans plenty of beats that make the ticket price worthwhile. Ufotable’s track record remains a strong one, and we fully expect that the next two movies will up the ante when it comes to both their action setpieces and traumatic events.

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