The Demon Slayer franchise has once again made box office history in Japan. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns has shattered previous records, including those set by its own predecessor, Mugen Train, during its opening weekend performance.
Released on July 18, 2025, the first installment of the Infinity Castle trilogy achieved an unprecedented opening, earning ¥7.32 billion (approximately 49.5 million dollars) over its first four days. The film recorded massive daily earnings, starting with ¥1.65 billion on Friday, followed by ¥1.84 billion on Saturday, ¥2.04 billion on Sunday, and ¥1.79 billion on Monday. Total admissions surpassed 5.16 million, establishing Infinity Castle as the holder of Japan’s largest first day, single day, and opening weekend box office records — both in gross revenue and ticket sales.
These numbers have officially dethroned the impressive benchmarks set by Demon Slayer: Mugen Train in 2020, a film that previously dominated the Japanese box office with its worldwide gross of over 506 million dollars, including 386 million dollars in Japan alone. The fact that Infinity Castle reached this milestone in only four days has led industry analysts to question whether it might eventually rival or even surpass Mugen Train’s monumental success.
IMAX has already announced plans to bring the Infinity Castle film to global audiences, with an exclusive release scheduled for September 12 in the United States. An official poster confirming its IMAX exclusivity in the U.S. market has been revealed, signaling strong international support for the film’s release.
Infinity Castle marks a significant chapter for the Demon Slayer series, adapting the climactic “Infinity Castle” arc from Koyoharu Gotouge’s original manga. Unlike prior compilation films such as To the Swordsmith Village and To the Hashira Training, this new trilogy delivers a comprehensive cinematic adaptation, much like the Mugen Train feature did in 2020.
Directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by animation studio Ufotable, the film series continues the franchise’s tradition of high-quality animation and faithful storytelling. The first installment is distributed by Aniplex and Toho, with plans for a broader Asian market release in August, followed by a global rollout starting in September.
