Azernews.Az

The latest installment of the Japanese animated blockbuster Demon Slayer, titled Demon Slayer: Endless Fortress, has made history by becoming the first Japanese film to gross over 100 billion yen (approximately 556 million euros) worldwide, Azernews reports.

The film premiered in July in Japan, in September in North America, and was released last Friday in China, attracting 89.17 million viewers outside Japan, according to Aniplex and Toho.

Based on Koyoharu Gotouge's popular manga, which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2016 to 2020, the story follows teenager Tanjiro Kamado, a "demon slayer," and his companions as they battle terrifying creatures to protect humanity. In Japan, Endless Fortress ranks as the second-highest-grossing film, just behind the previous Demon Slayer movie, which achieved record-breaking success during the COVID-19 pandemic and even surpassed Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away (2001) as the country’s top-grossing film at the time.

The Demon Slayer franchise, which spans TV series, films, and merchandise, is widely praised for redefining the artistic standards of anime, combining breathtaking visuals with meticulous attention to the source material, and emphasizing themes such as friendship, empathy, and resilience. The first movie, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, earned $275 million globally. A third film is already planned to conclude the story.

Animation continues to dominate the Japanese box office. Among the ten highest-grossing films in Japan, only two are live-action: Titanic and the first Harry Potter film. Interestingly, the Demon Slayer franchise has not only captivated audiences at home but has also inspired collaborations with global brands, including luxury fashion labels and major theme parks, highlighting the international cultural impact of Japanese anime today.