Breaks Records, DEMON SLAYER Ready to Challenge Ghibli to Become Japan's ‘National Anime’

Kapanlagi.com - After a huge success with MUGEN TRAIN, the latest film DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE has taken Japan by storm as it has managed to attract millions of viewers and entered the ranks of the highest-grossing films in the country. Having just been released, this film has already drawn millions of viewers and is among the highest-grossing films of all time.

This success positions DEMON SLAYER to challenge the dominance of Studio Ghibli's works, which for decades have held the unofficial title of Japan's "national anime." Many are beginning to compare DEMON SLAYER with legendary anime created by Studio Ghibli.

With the skyrocketing numbers, it's only natural to question: is DEMON SLAYER ready to claim the title of "national anime" that has long been associated with Ghibli? Here’s the explanation.

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1. DEMON SLAYER Shows Off, Breaks Records at the Japanese Box Office

DEMON SLAYER Breaks Records, Challenges Ghibli to be Japan's 'National Anime' (credit: IMDb)

The film DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE has become the center of attention with its extraordinary achievements at the Japanese box office. According to Animehunch, the film has already grossed over 28 billion yen or around Rp 3.1 trillion within 38 days of its release. The number of viewers is also nearly touching 20 million people.

This achievement has allowed INFINITY CASTLE to surpass TITANIC in the list of the highest-grossing films. This is no small feat, considering that the latter has remained one of the most popular films for decades. Now, DEMON SLAYER stands in third place as the highest-grossing film of all time in Japan.

This success adds to the list of records previously set by MUGEN TRAIN. During its run, that film managed to attract around 28.97 million people to theaters. According to the 2024 Leisure White Paper report, this figure already includes over 90% of Japanese moviegoers, who total 31.3 million in a year.

2. The History of Studio Ghibli as 'National Anime'

DEMON SLAYER Breaks Records, Challenges Ghibli to Become Japan's 'National Anime' (credit: IMDb)

When talking about 'national anime', the name Studio Ghibli cannot be overlooked. For nearly four decades, Ghibli has been the main face of Japanese animation with its legendary works. One of them is PRINCESS MONONOKE (1997), which successfully revived the passion for watching films in theaters.

Studio Ghibli's blockbuster films also played a significant role in changing the trends of Japanese cinema. After the sluggish era from the 1970s to the 1990s, Ghibli emerged and made theatrical anime a popular genre. This even enhanced the habit of Japanese families to watch together in theaters during holidays.

According to Animehunch, Studio Ghibli is also impressive in terms of numbers. Its total of 24 films has amassed 168.7 billion yen, equivalent to Rp 18.6 trillion, and has been viewed by more than 120 million people. This figure serves as a benchmark for success and is also the reason why Ghibli is known as 'national anime'.

3. Demon Slayer Challenges Ghibli's Dominance

DEMON SLAYER Breaks Records, Challenges Ghibli to Become Japan's 'National Anime' (credit: IMDb)

Looking at its achievements now, DEMON SLAYER is seen as ready to challenge the dominance of Studio Ghibli. Although different from Ghibli, which has become a legend through consistency for nearly 40 years, DEMON SLAYER has emerged as a sensational phenomenon. In a short time, this animated film has managed to attract millions of viewers from various backgrounds.

The combination of hype, support from the younger generation, and modern box office trends gives this film a strong potential to compete. If this popularity continues, it is not impossible for DEMON SLAYER to truly match, or even surpass, Ghibli's status.

4. Will It Become a New Icon of Anime in the Future?

DEMON SLAYER Breaks Records, Challenges Ghibli to Become Japan's 'National Anime' (credit: IMDb)

The journey of DEMON SLAYER is clearly not stopping here. The ARC INFINITY CASTLE itself will be made into a trilogy, with two sequels scheduled to be released between 2027-2029. The prediction is that these two films could gather around 80 billion yen additional.

If that target is achieved, the total audience could reach 60 million people. This number will break many records in the Japanese film industry. This means that DEMON SLAYER will be ready to be called a popular anime as well as a cultural phenomenon. Thus, it could be that the next title of "national anime" will be held by this film.

(kpl/olv)