As Sony Doubles Down on Anime, Demon Slayer Breaks Box Office Records

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The latest Demon Slayer film broke US box office records for anime, earning more than twice as much as the previous record holder.

The Infinity Castle arc, a major story from Koyoharu Gotouge’s incredibly popular manga, is being released by Sony’s Aniplex in Japan and Crunchyroll in the US. Sony sees this release as important for solidifying its leading position in the anime industry.

The movie earned an incredible $70 million during its opening weekend, according to Variety. This is more than double the previous record of $31 million, set by Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back over 25 years ago.

Infinity Castle is available with subtitles or dubbing, and is also showing in IMAX, which has helped increase ticket sales prices.

Despite this, the film has been a huge success around the world, earning an impressive $200 million in Japan alone. This makes it the third highest-grossing movie in Japanese history.

Sony believes anime is a major opportunity for growth, largely because it’s becoming incredibly popular with younger audiences. Beyond buying Crunchyroll, they’ve also invested in companies like Kadokawa and Bandai Namco to become a stronger player in the anime market.

Sony’s had a great summer with hits like Demon Slayer, but they also produced the incredibly popular K-Pop Demon Hunters for Netflix. That movie has become the most-watched film in Netflix history.

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2025-09-15 10:06