'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle' breaks opening weekend anime records. Why the surge in anime popularity is 'no surprise.'

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Movie: Infinity Castle has shattered records, earning an estimated $70 million during its U.S. opening weekend — a testament to how the anime genre has evolved into one of the most popular entertainment phenomena in recent years.

The movie was distributed across North America on Sept. 12 by Crunchyroll, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures, after it was released in select Asian countries in August. The film was released in 3,315 U.S. theaters and earned $33 million on Friday night alone, contributing to a worldwide total of more than $300 million, Variety reported on Monday.

“Moviegoing is showing strength in new genres, first with KPop Demon Hunters two weeks ago, and now with Japanese anime,” box office analyst David A. Gross wrote in his newsletter. “It’s connecting with young American moviegoers.”

The success comes as “no surprise,” Mitchel Berger, the head of global commerce at Crunchyroll, told Yahoo. He explained that young audiences want to “experience their favorite stories together” and, when it comes to anime films, be part of “global cultural moments.”

Demon Slayer’s success highlights how anime has become very popular outside Japan. Global interest in the genre has been growing significantly over the past decade, according to the 2024 Anime Industry Report. Once a niche subculture in the United States during the late 1990s — the last blockbuster anime opening weekend was Pokémon: The First Movie — Mewtwo Strikes Back, which pulled in $31 million in 1999 — anime has become a mainstream force, especially among Gen Z.

Haven’t experienced the anime phenomenon? Here’s what to know about the Demon Slayer universe.

What is ‘Demon Slayer’ about?

This is the first film in a trilogy that concludes the corresponding anime television series. Both the TV show and the movies are based on the Demon Slayer manga series — a style of Japanese graphic novels and comic books — which was written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge from 2016 to 2020. The plot follows Tanjiro Kamado, a teenager who joins a secret group of demon slayers to try to save his sister after losing the rest of his family to demons.

When will the movie be available to stream?

A streaming release date for Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has not yet been announced.

Want to get into ‘Demon Slayer’ but don’t know where to start? Here’s what to watch

If you’ve never heard of Demon Slayer before and want some plot context for the movie — and you have the time — here’s how to watch the series in order:

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Season 1

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Movie: Mugen Train (2020)

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Season 2

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Season 3

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Season 4

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Movie: Infinity Castle (2025)