It’s easy to joke about two Americas nowadays, especially when coming face-to-face with a global phenomenon that’s taken the world by storm right under your nose. Demon Slayer is one such anomaly: the beloved anime has amassed a loyal, passionate fan base in what feels like record time. It’s also already broken a major box office record with its first big-screen film, Mugen Train, which beat out Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away to become the highest-grossing movie of 2020. Five years later, the franchise has yet another record. Its latest film — which goes by the mouthful of a title Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle — Part 1: Akaza Returns (yes, really) — now ranks as the highest-grossing anime film in the U.S., pulling in a shocking $70.6 million in its opening weekend.
Infinity Castle’s wild success might seem to come out of nowhere, at least for those who’ve never heard the words “Demon Slayer” in their lives. In truth, though, the anime series has earned every bit of its status as a phenomenon.
