Los Angeles, CA – The highly anticipated anime film, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, has officially been nominated for a 2025 Astra Film Award in the prestigious “Best Animated Feature” category. The nominations, unveiled by the Hollywood Creative Alliance in late November 2025, set the stage for the awards ceremony scheduled for January 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. This significant recognition highlights the film’s global impact and critical acclaim.
A Major Nod for the “Infinity Castle” Saga
The nomination of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle marks a pivotal moment for the popular anime franchise, which has consistently broken box office records and garnered a massive international fanbase. The film is the first installment of a planned trilogy that adapts the climactic “Infinity Castle” arc from Koyoharu Gotouge’s renowned manga series. Its inclusion among the nominees for a major film award underscores the growing influence and artistic merit of anime within the global entertainment industry.
Competing in the Best Animated Feature Category
In the “Best Animated Feature” category, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (distributed by Crunchyroll) faces formidable competition. The other nominated films include:
- Arco (Neon)
- In Your Dreams (Netflix)
- KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)
- Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (GKids)
- Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Pictures)
Industry experts suggest that this nomination could provide the film with crucial visibility as voting bodies evaluate animated features during the competitive awards season, potentially influencing other major awards like the Academy Awards. The Astra Awards’ six-nomination format in this category offers broader recognition compared to some other ceremonies.
“Infinity Castle” Breaks Records and Captivates Audiences
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle premiered in Japan on July 18, 2025, and subsequently rolled out to international audiences, including a North American release on September 12, 2025. The film quickly achieved significant commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing anime film worldwide and the highest-grossing international film in North America, with a global gross of $730 million. It was released in both Japanese with English subtitles and an English dub, and was also available in IMAX and other premium large formats.
The movie continues the story of Tanjiro Kamado and the Demon Slayer Corps as they confront the formidable Muzan Kibutsuji and his Upper Moons within the treacherous Infinity Castle. Critics have praised the film for its stunning CGI, detailed animation, and visual cinematography, contributing to its strong reception from audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 60 critics’ reviews were positive, with the consensus calling it “a stirring beginning to this franchise’s bloody climax.”
The Road Ahead for the Astra Film Awards
The 2025 Astra Film Awards ceremony will be presented by the Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA), an organization comprising film critics, entertainment journalists, filmmakers, and other industry professionals. The HCA has previously announced nominations for the Astra Creative Arts Awards, with the main film awards ceremony set to stream live on KNEKT.tv and YouTube. Earlier in the year, the 2025 Astra TV Awards saw Dragon Ball DAIMA win Best Anime Series and Aleks Le receive Best Lead Voice-Over Performance for Solo Leveling Season 2 – Arise from the Shadow.
The upcoming ceremony on January 9, 2026, will reveal whether Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle will add an Astra Award to its growing list of achievements, further cementing its place in cinematic history.
