The first film in the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle trilogy has made a monumental debut at the Japanese box office, securing the #1 spot in its opening weekend. Released on July 18, 2025, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns achieved a record-breaking performance, surpassing previous franchise records. Meanwhile, the Toi-san wa Seishun Shitai! “Baka to Smartphone to Romance to” anime film, also released on July 18, entered the rankings at #7.
Demon Slayer Sets New Box Office Records
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns (Gekijō-ban Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Jō-hen) garnered an astounding ¥7.31 billion (approximately US$49.55 million) and sold over 5.16 million tickets within its first four days, including the Marine Day holiday. Its three-day opening total (July 18-20) reached ¥5.52 billion (USD 37.42 million) from 3.84 million admissions, marking the highest opening weekend earnings in Japanese history for a single film.
This impressive feat shattered records previously held by Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, which earned ¥4.62 billion in its first three days. The new Infinity Castle film also set new benchmarks for the best opening day (¥1.64 billion on July 18) and best single-day performance (¥2.03 billion on July 20). Despite the Yen’s weakening against the dollar since 2020, the film’s yen-denominated earnings demonstrate its massive domestic success.
A Climactic Arc Begins
The Infinity Castle film is the first installment in a planned trilogy that will adapt the climactic “Infinity Castle” arc of Koyoharu Gotouge’s popular Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga series. Directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by Ufotable, the film serves as a direct sequel to the fourth season of the anime television series and continues the narrative after the “Hashira Training” arc.
The story plunges Tanjiro and the Demon Slayer Corps into Muzan Kibutsuji’s dimensional stronghold, the Infinity Castle, for a final, decisive battle against the demons. Early reviews have praised the film’s animation quality, emotional depth, and large-scale production, with a 9.3/10 rating on IMDb. Premium formats, including IMAX screenings, contributed significantly to its opening weekend success, with approximately $3.5 million coming from IMAX alone.
The film’s international rollout is set to begin in Southeast Asia on August 12, followed by Latin America, Australia, the Middle East, the US, UK, Canada, and India on September 11 and 12, respectively, with European markets in late September.
“Toi-san” Anime Film Enters Top 10
Debuting at the #7 spot in its opening weekend was Toi-san wa Seishun Shitai! “Baka to Smartphone to Romance to” (Toi-san Wants to Enjoy Her Youth! “Fools, Smartphones and Romance”). The theatrical anime film is based on the popular short web anime series by VTuber Jel, a member of the boy band Strawberry Prince.
The film opened in 180 theaters across Japan on July 18, earning approximately ¥120 million (US$817,000) over its first four-day weekend. Directed by Mankyu at studio Seven Arcs, the story follows Akane Toi, a high school girl whose desire for an ordinary school experience is upended by eccentric classmates and the handsome Jel. Jel is heavily involved in the film’s production, serving as original work creator, scriptwriter, storyboard artist, character designer, and providing character voices. His bandmate Nanamori. is also involved as project planner and executive producer.
