Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, the first part of the film trilogy concluding the Infinity Castle arc, led Japan’s domestic box office in 2025, solidifying the dominance of Japanese animation in the local market. The data was revealed this Tuesday (6th) by Bunka Tsūshinsha, based on estimates compiled through December of last year. With this achievement, Koyoharu Gotouge’s franchise maintains its status as a cultural and commercial phenomenon, repeating the resounding success of its previous films and the TV series.
The survey shows that the list of Japan’s most profitable films was predominantly occupied by anime productions, with five titles, plus a live-action manga adaptation and another based on a horror game. This scenario, in turn, confirms the overwhelming strength of Japanese animation in its own territory. In the previous year, 2024, first place went to Detective Conan: The Million Dollar Pentagram, which grossed about 15.8 billion yen.
Anime’s Dominance on the Big Screen
Beyond the resounding success of Demon Slayer, the 2025 top 10 reaffirms a clear trend: Japanese audiences remain passionate about narratives originating from manga and anime. Meanwhile, in the ranking of foreign films, Pixar’s animation Inside Out 2 took first place in 2024, with earnings of approximately 5.36 billion yen. The consolidation of this market is so relevant that it directly influences global entertainment production, with international studios keeping an eye on this success.
For Brazilian fans, this news reinforces the global importance of otaku culture and heightens anticipation for the film’s official arrival in the country. After all, Brazil is one of the most fervent markets for anime outside Japan. Thus, the exceptional performance at the Japanese box office serves as a strong indicator of the potential success that Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle will have when it is finally released here, likely in theaters and later on streaming.
