Infinity Castle Breaks Pokemon's Biggest Box Office Record

Demon Slayer‘s franchise continues to make history with the release of Infinity Castle, the first installment of the trilogy that will serve as the conclusion for the anime. With over $300 million in international box office, Ufotable’s adaptation has confirmed that anime has become mainstream after Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle just broke a 27-year-old record for animated films.

The ambitious distribution strategy for Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and the global campaign driven by Crunchyroll and Sony have paid off during the US release on September 12, 2025. A new record has been set for Demon Slayer: the highest opening weekend for an anime film, surpassing one of the most iconic anime franchises of all time.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Shatters Pokémon’s Record

The first part of the final trilogy, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, grossed $33M on its opening day, including $11.4M in previews in its opening weekend, far surpassing in a single day the all-time record held by Pokémon: The First Movie, which grossed $31M during its release in the US in 1999.

Pokémon: The First Movie achieved great reception from the public thanks to the Pokémania of the late 1990s. However, even after adjusting the earnings of Pokémon: The First Movie, the film’s nearly $60 million gross is still below Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which achieved an outstanding $70 million in domestic ticket sales in its opening weekend in the US.

This highlights the hype surrounding Demon Slayer, as the franchise has been on the rise since the premiere of the movie Mugen Train, which became the highest-grossing film of 2020 and took first place in its country of origin over the Academy Award winner Spirited Away and Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Is Rewriting Anime History

Key visual for Infinity Castle featuring Tanjiro and Akaza — Demon-Slayer-Infinity-Castle-Tanjiro-Akaza-Key-Visual

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is dangerously close to reaching 400M between its domestic and international box office, which means it’s on the way to dethroning itself, as the highest-grossing Japanese film record currently belongs to Mugen Train. This unprecedented success demonstrates the influence that Koyoharu Gotouge’s work has gained in recent years, resonating with audiences around the world.

Infinity Castle Part 1 barely covers the initial battles against the Upper Moons, with several clashes still to come, including the final fight against Muzan. However, as there are still two more films to complete the story, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle‘s historic box office proves that the anime’s success knows no bounds and can only continue to grow.