The first film in the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle trilogy has shattered box office records in Japan, becoming the fastest film in the nation’s history to reach 10 billion yen. The movie achieved this milestone in just eight days, surpassing the previous record held by its predecessor, Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, which took 10 days to reach the same figure in 2020.
The film, officially titled Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns, debuted in Japan on July 18, 2025. Its opening weekend alone saw an astounding performance, attracting over 3.8 million theatergoers and earning 5.52 billion yen (approximately $37.4 million USD) in its first three days. This makes it the biggest opening weekend of all time in Japanese cinema, exceeding Mugen Train‘s initial three-day gross of 4.6 billion yen.
A Phenomenal Box Office Opening
The initial success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has been nothing short of remarkable. The film not only secured the highest opening weekend gross in Japanese history but also set records for the highest-grossing opening day and highest single-day box office. On its first day, July 18, it earned 1.64 billion yen (about $11.1 million USD) from 1,155,637 tickets. Its third day saw an even greater haul, bringing in 2 billion yen (approximately $13 million USD), marking the highest single-day box office ever recorded in Japan.
Including a public holiday, the film’s four-day total reached 7.31 billion yen (approximately $49.55 million USD) with over 5.1 million tickets sold, making it the second-highest-grossing film of 2025 in Japan so far, just behind Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback.
The Legacy of Demon Slayer in Cinema
The Demon Slayer franchise has a proven track record of cinematic success. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, released in 2020, became the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time and the highest-grossing film worldwide in 2020, earning over $507 million globally. It was also the first non-Hollywood production to top the annual worldwide box office.
The strong performance of the Infinity Castle film suggests it could potentially surpass Mugen Train‘s monumental worldwide box office record. The immense anticipation for the Infinity Castle arc, which depicts the final major storyline from Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga, has undoubtedly contributed to its early success.
Critical Acclaim and Fan Excitement
Initial fan reactions to Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle – Part 1 have been overwhelmingly positive, with particular praise directed at the animation quality from Ufotable, the studio renowned for its work on the series. The film currently boasts an impressive 9.4/10 rating on IMDb based on early reviews.
The movie serves as a direct sequel to the fourth season of the anime television series and is the first of a planned trilogy that will conclude the manga’s “Infinity Castle” and “Sunrise Countdown” arcs. The climatic nature of the story, combined with the series’ established popularity, has driven widespread fan excitement.
International Release and Future Prospects
While the film has already broken records in Japan, international audiences will have to wait a bit longer. The global rollout for Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle – Part 1 will begin in August 2025, with releases scheduled for various territories, including Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. North American audiences can anticipate the film’s release on September 12, 2025.
The staggered release strategy for anime films is common, allowing for dubbing and localization efforts. The film will be available in both subbed and dubbed versions in many countries, and is designed for viewing in standard theaters as well as IMAX and other large-format cinemas.
The success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle reaffirms the franchise’s powerhouse status in the entertainment industry and sets a high bar for the subsequent films in the trilogy, which are reportedly slated for release in 2027 and 2029.
