Anime’s Demon Slayer hit is a watershed for Japan

JAPANESE animation has dominated streaming for years. Now, it’s slaying on the silver screen, too.

Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba: Infinity Castle, the first part of three movies that will conclude the hottest anime property in years, last weekend opened to US$70.6 million in North America. That goes further than simply a record for a Japanese animation, or the most for a foreign-language film. It’s the sort of figure you’d expect to see from a mainstream Hollywood hit – a James Bond, say, or Fast & Furious.  

This is a watershed moment for an industry that has been on a parabolic growth path – and a model to follow to ensure it realises the fruits of its success.