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An animated tale starring swarms of flesh-eating demons might not seem like traditional cinema material, but that’s precisely what the latest Demon Slayer film proved to be.

The film established new benchmarks for anime, earning over $70 million on its opening weekend in the United States and surpassing £535 million globally. To provide perspective, the animation landmark Ghost in the Shell, which debuted in 1995, made approximately £2 million worldwide.

Evolving From Niche Phenomena to Worldwide Hero

In the spanning three decades, anime has evolved from an niche phenomena to a veritable lifeline during one of the worst autumn box office downturns in recent memory.

“We have spent the last eight years building this fanbase,” explains an senior from a major anime streaming service. “Following the pandemic, that community has just continued to grow.”

One of the factors to its success has been the gradual building of a global fanbase for series like Demon Slayer, which boasts a successful TV series and a previous theatrical success with 2020’s Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train.

A Globalised Reach of Anime Storytelling

Anime originated in Japan during the 1950s, but its definitive world breakthrough moment in 1988 with Akira. This dystopian story pioneered a more grown-up, adult-oriented brand of animation whose impact can be seen across contemporary culture.

Today, Demon Slayer represents anime breaking into Hollywood and cementing Japanese animation as a valuable source of intellectual property in an era where IP is king. Most anime begin life as manga, providing years of backstory for studios looking to develop them into Marvel-sized franchises.

Its expanded globalised reach means anime appears in unlikely arenas. Olympic athletes, top-tier footballers, and other sports stars have cited anime in their celebrations. Some commentators have described the art form as “a common language 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 driving this rise of anime, not just in the US, but worldwide.”

Financial Benefits and Government Initiatives

The surge in interest is also linked to “Oshikatsu,” a phenomena of intense support amplified by phenomena like South Korean pop music. Fans aren't just watching; they are purchasing merchandise and sharing their passion online.

The Japanese government is betting big on anime as a central part of its “Cool Japan” strategy. This soft-power initiative aims to stimulate the economy by leveraging dedicated fandom to drive cultural tourism. Leaders hope the strategy can generate trillions of yen annually by 2033.

This represents a step change for a country historically protective of its culture. “Japan's home market was big enough for a long time,” notes the Tokyo-based expert. “It was an secondary consideration to spread this culture internationally.”

Digital Competition and Future Projects

In the landscape of anime distribution, giants 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 dozens of languages to meet global demand.

The future is packed with epic stories. Second and third films in the Demon Slayer saga are in the works, but fans will have to wait until 2027 and 2029. Before then, a live-action adaptation of One Piece and new seasons of other hit series are set for release.

The narratives are grand, but so are the economic rewards of anime’s seemingly unstoppable rise on the world stage.