Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle – Akaza Sairai Breaks U.S. Anime Film Records
The first film in the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle trilogy, Akaza Sairai, opened at #1 in the U.S. box office, earning $70.6 million in its first weekend.
This broke the record for the biggest U.S. opening for an anime film — both in raw numbers and when adjusted for inflation.
Previously, the record was held by Pokémon: The First Movie (1999), which made $31 million in its first weekend. Adjusted for today’s money, that’s about $60 million overall, or $70.2 million if you account for the higher rise in movie ticket prices.
Earnings Breakdown (U.S. opening weekend):
- Friday: $32.9 million (including $11.4 million from Thursday previews)
- Saturday: $21.6 million
- Sunday: $16 million
- Total theaters: 3,315
For comparison, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train made $22.5 million in its U.S. opening weekend in 2021, while Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero made $10 million on its preview and opening day.
International Release:
- U.S. & Canada: Released by Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures, and Aniplex in regular, IMAX, and other large formats, with both Japanese (subtitled) and English dubbed versions.
- English dub includes Channing Tatum as Keizo and Rebecca Wang as Koyuki.
- Japan: Opened July 18 on 443 screens, the biggest franchise release so far.
- Global: Set to play in over 150 countries and regions, surpassing the previous franchise record of 145.
Japanese Box Office Success:
- Reached 30 billion yen ($203 million) in just 46 days, beating Mugen Train’s previous record of 59 days.
- Has already passed Titanic to become the #3 highest-earning film ever in Japan.
- Expected to soon overtake Spirited Away.
Sources: Box Office Mojo (link 2), The Numbers, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics