An animated drama starring legions of flesh-eating fiends might not sound like classic cinema fodder, but that’s precisely what the latest Demon Slayer film demonstrated to be.
The film established new records for anime, earning over $70 million on its debut weekend in the United States and surpassing £535 million globally. To put that in context, the animation landmark Ghost in the Shell, which debuted in 1995, made approximately £2 million worldwide.
Evolving From Underground Phenomenon to Worldwide Hero
In the intervening three decades, anime has journeyed from an underground phenomena to a true lifeline during one of the most severe fall cinematic downturns in modern history.
“Over the last eight years cultivating this fandom,” notes an executive from a major anime streaming service. “Coming out of the pandemic, that fandom has just continued to expand.”
A key factors to its triumph has been the slow cultivation of a global fanbase for franchises like Demon Slayer, which features a successful TV series and a previous theatrical success with 2020’s Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train.
A Worldwide Appeal of Anime Animation
Anime originated in Japan during the 1950s, but its definitive global breakout moment in 1988 with Akira. This futuristic tale ushered in a more grown-up, sophisticated brand of animation whose impact can be seen throughout contemporary culture.
Today, Demon Slayer symbolizes anime breaking into mainstream cinema and cementing Japanese animation as a valuable source of intellectual property in an era where IP is king. Most anime start life as Japanese comics, providing years of backstory for studios looking to spin them into Marvel-sized franchises.
Its expanded globalised influence means anime can materialise in unlikely arenas. Olympic athletes, Premier League footballers, and other athletes have referenced anime in their triumphs. Some commentators have labeled the art form as “a lingua franca for young people all over the planet.”
“It’s part of young people’s identity,” says an anime writer based in Tokyo. “I think that really is driving this surge of anime, not just in the US, but globally.”
Financial Upsides and Government Strategy
The spike in interest is also attributed to “Oshikatsu,” a phenomena of devout support supercharged by phenomena like South Korean pop music. Fans don't only watching; they are purchasing merchandise and posting their passion online.
The government of Japan is betting big on anime as a central part of its “Cool Japan” strategy. This soft-power effort aims to stimulate the national economy by leveraging hardcore fandom to drive cultural tourism. Leaders hope the strategy can generate significant revenue annually by 2033.
This marks a step change for a country traditionally protective of its culture. “The domestic market was large enough for a long time,” notes the Tokyo-based expert. “It was an secondary consideration to spread this culture globally.”
Digital Wars and Upcoming Projects
In the landscape of anime streaming, giants like Netflix loom large. The streamer reports that the number of subscribers watching anime on its platform has increased threefold in the last five years, with dubs produced in numerous of languages to meet worldwide demand.
The roadmap is packed with major stories. Second and third instalments in the Demon Slayer saga are planned, although fans will have to wait until 2027 and 2029. Before then, a real-world adaptation of One Piece and new seasons of other hit series are set for release.
The narratives are epic, but so are the financial rewards of anime’s seemingly relentless rise on the world stage.
