Demon Slayer has developed an utterly devout following amongst anime fans globally. On the heels of the show’s small-screen success, the creative team dropped a movie sequel in 2020 – Demon Slayer: Infinity Train – which enthralled viewers in Japan and intensified the franchise’s popularity.
Smelling profits overseas, Infinity Train scored widespread international distribution to satiate rabid fan demand to see Tanjiro’s next adventure. Its launch beyond Japan signaled the burgeoning worldwide appetite for Nippon animation.
In doing so, this Demon Slayer feature may have blazed a trail for more animated films from Japan to find their audience in unlikely places. Peep the new Godzilla joint, Minus One.
The cross-cultural kaiju flick, co-produced by Japanese and American studios for global consumption, suggests Demon Slayer kicked down doors for a more mainstream embrace of anime movies.
Godzilla Minus One Threatens Demon Slayer’s Box Office Reign
When the Demon Slayer feature film was finally released in North American theaters last year, it performed incredibly well just as it had in Japan.
By the end of its box office run, The Infinity Train had grossed almost $50 million domestically, making it one of the highest-grossing Japanese films ever in the U.S. market.
In fact, Demon Slayer became the second-highest-grossing movie from Japan of all time on American soil. It held that impressive record for a couple of years.
But now the legendary movie studio Toho has produced a new Godzilla film called Godzilla Minus One that may soon surpass Demon Slayer’s benchmark.
According to entertainment industry reports, Godzilla Minus One‘s box office earnings in the U.S. have already reached $49.2 million after just a short time in theaters.
Analysts predict the monster movie will edge out Demon Slayer’s numbers within a matter of days at its current pace. So the Demon Slayer franchise may soon have to relinquish its standing as the second-highest-grossing Japanese film in America.
However, its massive success clearly demonstrated the tremendous demand for anime content. Godzilla is poised to benefit from that thirst for more Japanese pop culture exports.
Nears Overtaking Demon Slayer but Faces Pokémon’s Historic Record
The latest film entry in the massively popular Godzilla franchise, Godzilla Minus One, has been rising swiftly up the ranks of the highest-grossing Japanese movies in the U.S. box office.
After its release late last year, Godzilla Minus One has already earned over $49 million dollars domestically.
At its current pace, analysts report it is on course to surpass the previous #2 Japanese film, Demon Slayer -Infinity Train, within a matter of days.
Demon Slayer had grossed nearly $50 million during its own 2021 U.S. run. So Godzilla is hot on its heels.
However, even if Godzilla Minus One manages to become the second-highest-grossing Japanese film in America, it still has a long way to go to attain the all-time top spot.
That record is currently held by 1999’s Pokémon: The First Movie, the debut animated feature based on the global Pokémon phenomenon.
The First Movie shocked industry expectations by earning over $85 million dollars in North America upon release. So while Godzilla will likely pass Demon Slayer soon, it may not be able to compete with Pokémania at the box office. But the kaiju film’s success continues to highlight the massive mainstream appeal of Japanese pop culture exports.
Demon Slayer’s Unyielding Popularity
While the new Godzilla film Godzilla Minus One seems destined to overtake Demon Slayer’s box office gross in the United States, that likely won’t dampen the enthusiasm of Demon Slayer’s dedicated fanbase.
Despite a slightly less well-received third season, the Demon Slayer anime franchise remains incredibly popular.
In fact, Demon Slayer has already been renewed for a fourth season by its animation studio to continue the adventures of young demon hunter Tanjiro.
So even if it loses its #2 box office spot to Godzilla in America, Demon Slayer will live on and keep entertaining its millions of fans.
Additionally, to help connect the storylines between seasons 3 and the upcoming 4th installment, the studio will also produce an original animated Demon Slayer movie as a “bridge film.”
This bridge film will help transition the narrative and characters as the anime continues its epic tale.
So while Godzilla may beat Demon Slayer’s earnings total, it can’t diminish the anime’s strong fan support that ensures the continuation of the beloved franchise across various animation projects. Demon Slayer fever will surely continue for years to come.
