A cartoon tale populated by legions of carnivorous fiends might not seem like classic cinema fodder, but that’s exactly what the latest Demon Slayer film proved to be.
The film set new records for anime, racking up over $70 million on its opening weekend in the United States and exceeding £535 million globally. To put that in context, the anime classic Ghost in the Shell, which debuted in 1995, earned around £2 million worldwide.
From Underground Phenomena to Worldwide Saviour
In the intervening three decades, anime has evolved from an niche phenomena to a true saviour during one of the most severe autumn cinematic slumps in modern history.
“Over the last eight years building this fanbase,” explains an executive from a major anime streaming service. “Coming out of the pandemic, that fandom has just persisted to grow.”
A key factors to its success has been the slow building of a global fanbase for franchises like Demon Slayer, which features a popular TV series and a previous theatrical success with 2020’s Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train.
A Globalised Appeal of Japanese Storytelling
Anime first emerged in Japan during the 1950s, but its major world breakthrough moment in 1988 with Akira. This futuristic tale ushered in a more grown-up, adult-oriented brand of animation whose impact can be seen throughout modern culture.
Today, Demon Slayer represents anime breaking into Hollywood and establishing Japanese animation as a valuable rich resource in an era where IP is king. Most anime start life as Japanese comics, offering decades of backstory for studios eager to develop them into major franchises.
Its expanded international influence means anime can materialise in unlikely arenas. Professional fighters, Premier League footballers, and other athletes have referenced anime in their triumphs. Some commentators have described the art form as “a lingua franca for young people all over the planet.”
“It forms young people’s identity,” says an anime writer based in Tokyo. “I think that really is fuelling this surge of anime, not just in the US, but worldwide.”
Economic Upsides and National Initiatives
The surge in interest is also attributed to “Oshikatsu,” a phenomena of intense fanaticism amplified by trends like South Korean pop music. Enthusiasts aren't just watching; they are buying merchandise and posting their passion online.
The Japanese government is betting big on anime as a central part of its “Cool Japan” plan. This soft-power effort aims to stimulate the national economy by leveraging dedicated fandom to drive tourism. Leaders hope the strategy can generate significant revenue annually by 2033.
This marks a step change for a country historically guarded of its culture. “Japan's home market was large enough for a long time,” notes the Tokyo-based expert. “It was an afterthought to spread this culture globally.”
Digital Wars and Future Releases
In the landscape of anime streaming, major platforms like Netflix loom large. The streamer reports that the number of subscribers watching anime on its platform has tripled in the last five years, with dubs produced in numerous of languages to meet worldwide demand.
The roadmap is filled with major releases. New films in the Demon Slayer saga are in the works, but audiences will have to wait until 2027 and 2029. Before then, a real-world adaptation of One Piece and new seasons of other popular series are scheduled for release.
The stories are grand, but so are the financial rewards of anime’s seemingly unstoppable rise on the global stage.
