TOKYO – The anime film landscape in Japan saw some shifts in the first weekend of 2026, with Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc dropping one spot to ninth place, while Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle maintained its position at tenth on the weekend box office charts. Both films continue to demonstrate the enduring popularity of anime in Japanese cinema, even as new releases vie for audience attention.
Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc’s Continued Run
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, which premiered in Japan on September 19, 2025, has enjoyed a significant theatrical run, remaining in the top 10 for 16 consecutive weekends. The film, based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s popular manga series, had already surpassed the 10 billion yen mark in gross by the end of 2025. Its cumulative total gross now stands at 10.15 billion yen (approximately 64.82 million USD) from 6.65 million admissions.
A Look at Chainsaw Man’s Box Office Journey
Upon its release, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc debuted strongly, selling 807,000 tickets and grossing 1.251 billion yen (approximately 8.46 million USD) in its opening weekend, taking the top spot at the Japanese box office. This initial success even dethroned Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, which had held the number one position for nine consecutive weeks. The film’s robust performance has also contributed to its global earnings, reaching over $174.7 million worldwide as of December 2025, making it one of the highest-grossing Japanese films of all time.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’s Persistent Presence
Despite being in its 171st day of release since July 18, 2025, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle continues to draw audiences, holding firm at the tenth position on the latest weekend rankings. The film’s cumulative domestic gross has reached an impressive 38.9 billion yen (approximately 248.3 million USD).
Unprecedented Success for Infinity Castle
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has been a monumental success, breaking multiple box office records since its premiere. It recorded the highest opening day gross in Japanese box office history with 1.64 billion yen (11.11 million USD) from 1.15 million admissions. Over its opening weekend, it achieved the biggest opening of all time in Japanese cinema, grossing 5.52 billion yen (37.42 million USD) from 3.84 million admissions. The film swiftly surpassed 10 billion yen within eight days, making it the fastest film in Japan to reach that milestone.
As of December 28, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle had amassed 38.71 billion yen, leading the domestic box office for 2025 and translating to approximately 247 million USD. It currently ranks as the second-highest-grossing film of all time in Japan, behind only Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. The film’s worldwide gross has also been exceptional, accumulating $718.47 million and being recognized as the top-grossing anime film of 2025 worldwide.
The Broader Japanese Box Office Landscape
The continued strong performance of both Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle highlights the robust state of the anime film industry in Japan. Anime features consistently dominate the domestic box office, often outperforming live-action releases. The year 2025 saw a massive surge in box office success, largely driven by animation. Films like Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback and Kokuho have also performed strongly, but anime continues to be a driving force. This trend underscores the significant cultural impact and commercial viability of anime films, not just within Japan but globally.
