A Cultural Earthquake from Japan
On July 18, the first part of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle premiered in theaters across Japan.
Unlike most theatrical releases, Demon Slayer held midnight screenings at 24 cinemas in 11 prefectures and cities throughout Japan. This special event catered to fans lining up late into the night, eager to watch the film at the stroke of midnight.
True to its name as the “fastest selling screening,” tickets sold out within about 10 minutes after sales opened at midnight on July 14. This demonstrated the anime’s widespread popularity and fans’ excitement to be among the first to see Infinity Castle.
The premiere was a major pop culture event. Fans traveled long distances and queued for hours. Images of packed theaters and limited-edition merchandise flooded social media. Many attendees wore cosplay or themed outfits inspired by the Demon Slayer Corps.
To accommodate the surge in demand, major cinema chains like TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku scheduled up to 40 screenings throughout the day, starting at 7 a.m.
Opening day box office revenue reached 1.7 billion yen (11.4 million USD), surpassing the 1.2 billion yen earned by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train in 2020. On the second day (July 19), the film earned an additional 1.93 billion yen (13 million USD).
After the opening weekend, domestic revenue is estimated at 5.5 billion yen (37 million USD), a 28% increase over Mugen Train.
Previously, the 2020 release of Mugen Train brought massive profits. Even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it grossed over 500 million USD worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing anime film ever.
An Emotional Rollercoaster
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an anime produced by Ufotable, adapted from the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge.
Set in Japan’s Taisho era (early 20th century), the story follows Kamado Tanjiro, a boy living with his mother and siblings in the mountains. One day, Tanjiro returns home to find his family slaughtered. The only survivor is his sister Nezuko, who has turned into a demon but retains part of her humanity.
Tanjiro then joins the Demon Slayer Corps with his sister, embarking on a quest to hunt down Muzan Kibutsuji, the demon responsible for his family’s massacre.
Since 2019, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has been released as a TV series (four seasons) and feature films.
Following Mugen Train, Infinity Castle is the second feature film. The July 18 release is only part one. The remaining two parts of Infinity Castle are expected to release in 2027 and 2029, according to Forbes.
The main plot of Infinity Castle centers on the final battle between the Demon Slayer Corps, Muzan Kibutsuji, and the Twelve Kizuki, the elite group of upper-rank demons.
Although Rotten Tomatoes scores are not yet available, Infinity Castle boasts an impressive 9.4/10 rating on IMDb, surpassing even the highest-rated film in the site’s history, The Shawshank Redemption (9.3/10).
Fans have been actively discussing the film on platforms like X, Reddit, and Google. Most agree it is Ufotable’s most stunning and captivating anime to date.
Online comments include: “Infinity Castle truly leaves viewers speechless. Ufotable’s animation reaches new heights as the final battle begins. Fans are going wild,” “It’s an emotional rollercoaster from rage to deep sadness. Everyone is crying,” “The battles are so intense, you can’t look away. This anime surpasses all previous Ufotable works,” “No exaggeration, this is the best film I’ve ever seen. Absolute peak. Even knowing the story, I still cried. The visuals are amazing,” “The movie is so good I watched it twice in one day. For me, this is a film anyone can fully enjoy no matter their age,” “Beautiful animation and fitting soundtrack. The intensity of the battles, which the manga can’t fully convey, is brought to life with color and motion, simply wonderful,” “The film won’t disappoint. The fight scenes are impressive, and you’d miss out if you don’t watch it in theaters.”
After Japan, the film will be released in over 150 countries and territories worldwide. It is scheduled to arrive in Vietnam on August 15, while countries like the US and India will have to wait until September.