Infinity Castle Biggest Anime Movie of All Time in North America

Demon Slayer fans have a major cause for celebration, as the latest movie in the franchise has officially achieved a historic milestone of becoming the biggest anime film in North America to date.

Crunchyroll announced via its official X (formerly Twitter) account that Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is “now the biggest anime film EVER in North America.” According to the latest box office figures, the film earned an estimated US$2.64 million on Thursday, pushing its total domestic gross to US$87.43 million. As previously announced, this figure takes it well past Pokémon: The First Movie, which held the record for over 25 years as the highest-grossing anime film in North America with a lifetime gross of US$85.74 million.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Becomes North America’s Most Successful Anime Movie in History

Infinity Castle taking the crown at the North American box office is no surprise given its momentum. The movie debuted with a US$70 million opening in North America, shattering the previous record for the biggest domestic opening for an anime film. This impressive debut was also enough to secure the No. 1 spot at the box office, outpacing other major releases like The Conjuring: Last Rites. Crunchyroll is continuing to push fans hard to catch the movie in the theaters, as the streamer’s Executive Vice President of Commerce, Mitchel Berger, said that “theater is the only place you’re going to be able to see this film in 2025.”

The movie’s unprecedented success is not just limited to North America either. As of Sept. 15, Infinity Castle has earned over 33 billion yen (roughly US$224 million) in Japan, pushing it past the theatrical earnings of Studio Ghibli’s beloved classic Spirited Away (31.68 billion yen) and making it the second-highest-grossing film of all time in the country. Along the way, it broke several records, including becoming the fastest in Japanese box office history to reach the 10 billion, 20 billion and 30 billion yen marks.

Currently, the only film standing in its way in Japan is its own predecessor, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, which holds the top spot with 40.7 billion yen (approximately US$276.2 million). Globally too, Infinity Castle trails only Mugen Train for the title of the highest-grossing anime film of all time. However, if its current momentum continues, it may soon take the top position.

Based on the popular manga by Koyoharu Gotouge, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba follows the story of Tanjiro Kamado, a young boy who joins the Demon Slayer Corps after his family is murdered and his sister, Nezuko, is turned into a demon. The latest movie is the first in a planned trilogy, which will adapt the climactic Infinity Castle arc from the manga, detailing the Demon Slayer Corps’ all-out assault on the fortress of Muzan Kibutsuji for a final, decisive battle.