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An animated drama featuring hordes of flesh-eating monsters might not seem like classic cinema fodder, but that’s precisely what the latest Demon Slayer film proved to be.

This cinematic entry set new benchmarks for anime, earning over $70 million on its opening weekend in the United States and surpassing £535 million globally. To put that in context, the animation classic Ghost in the Shell, released in 1995, made approximately £2 million worldwide.

Evolving From Niche Phenomenon to Global Hero

In the intervening three decades, anime has evolved from an underground phenomena to a veritable saviour during one of the worst autumn cinematic slumps in modern history.

“Over the last eight years cultivating this fanbase,” says an executive from a major anime streaming service. “Following the pandemic, that community has just persisted to expand.”

One of the factors to its triumph has been the steady building of a worldwide audience for franchises like Demon Slayer, which features a popular TV series and a previous theatrical success with 2020’s Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train.

The Worldwide Appeal of Anime Animation

Anime originated in Japan during the 1950s, but its major world breakthrough came in 1988 with Akira. This futuristic tale pioneered a more grown-up, sophisticated brand of animation whose influence can be seen throughout modern media.

Today, Demon Slayer symbolizes anime breaking into mainstream cinema and establishing Japanese animation as a potential source of intellectual property in an era where IP is king. Most anime start life as manga, offering decades of backstory for studios looking to develop them into Marvel-sized franchises.

Its expanded international reach means anime appears in surprising places. Olympic athletes, Premier League footballers, and other athletes have cited anime in their triumphs. Some commentators have described the art form as “a lingua franca for young people all over the planet.”

“It forms young people’s self-expression,” states an anime writer based in Tokyo. “I think that really is fuelling this rise of anime, not just in the US, but worldwide.”

Financial Benefits and National Strategy

The surge in interest is also attributed to “Oshikatsu,” a phenomena of devout fanaticism amplified by phenomena like South Korean pop music. Fans don't only watching; they are purchasing merchandise and posting their fandom on social media.

The government of Japan is betting big on anime as a key part of its “Cool Japan” plan. This cultural diplomacy effort aims to stimulate the economy by harnessing hardcore fandom to drive tourism. Leaders hope the strategy can bring in trillions of yen annually by 2033.

This represents a step change for a country traditionally guarded of its culture. “Japan's home market was large enough for a long time,” comments the Tokyo-based expert. “It was an afterthought to share this culture globally.”

Digital Wars and Future Releases

In the landscape of anime distribution, giants like Netflix are significant players. The streamer reports that the number of subscribers watching anime on its platform has increased threefold in the last five years, with voice-overs produced in dozens of languages to meet worldwide demand.

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

The stories are grand, but so are the financial upsides of anime’s apparently unstoppable rise on the global stage.