Marlon Wayans Jokes About Anime After Demon Slayer Beats Him
American actor and comedian Marlon Wayans made his feelings about anime playfully clear during an October episode of the ShxtsnGigs Podcast. Appearing alongside his Him co star Tyriq Withers to promote their film, Wayans cut in with a mock frustrated, expletive laced jab at anime.
The outburst was all in good humor, sparked by the fact that Him opened at number two at the box office, just behind Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. Wayans jokingly blamed the medium for keeping his movie out of the top spot, while Withers, an anime fan himself, gently pushed back that you simply cannot disrespect anime.
The numbers tell the story. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle pulled in around 70 million dollars on its opening weekend, while Him earned roughly 13.5 million domestically.
That gap is no small feat for the anime film. Since its international release in September, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has climbed to become one of the highest grossing films of 2025, passing major titles along the way.
It has also rewritten records, becoming the highest earning anime film and Japanese film of all time worldwide, and the first anime film to top the US box office for two straight weekends.
My take: It is hard not to laugh at a comedian grumbling that anime stole his thunder, especially with a fan right beside him defending it. Mostly, though, it just underlines how unstoppable Demon Slayer has become.
