The anime phenomenon has once again taken over the big screen. This time, it’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle, the latest installment in Koyoharu Gotouge’s wildly popular saga. Since its release, the film has shattered record after record, especially in Southeast Asia, where anime enjoys an enormous fan base.
What makes Infinity Castle remarkable is not just the numbers, it also reflects how powerful anime’s appeal truly is in cinemas across the region.
Let’s break down some of the highlights behind Infinity Castle’s success, which has now officially become the highest-grossing anime film in multiple Southeast Asian countries.
Philippines: Sold Out in Just 30 Minutes on Release Day
Even before its official screening, the hype in the Philippines was massive. Tickets for the fan screening on August 16 sold out in just 30 minutes. No surprise then, when the movie finally hit theaters, it made history.
Columbia Pictures Philippines announced that Infinity Castle grossed around USD 4.2 million (PHP 238 million) during its opening weekend. This achievement not only made it the biggest anime opening of all time in the Philippines but also outperformed major blockbuster titles in genres ranging from horror to superhero comics.
Thailand: 70 Million Baht on Day One
Thailand was no less enthusiastic. According to Instagram account Thaigerlife, on its very first day, the film raked in 70 million Baht (about USD 2.2 million).
This wasn’t just a record-breaking anime opening; it also ranked among the largest post-pandemic film debuts in the country. By the end of the following weekend, earnings had surpassed USD 6 million, making Infinity Castle both the highest-grossing anime film and the most successful animated feature ever released in Thailand.
Indonesia: Over 400,000 Viewers on Day One
Indonesia may well be home to the most passionate Demon Slayer fan base. According to a post by cinepoint on X, on its very first day, the film was watched by 461,000 moviegoers, smashing the previous record held by One Piece Film: Red with 276,000 viewers.
This wasn’t just an anime milestone, it also became the biggest opening for an Asian film in Indonesia. Incredible, isn’t it? Within just three days, attendance soared past 1 million viewers, and it has now exceeded 2.2 million. The box office revenue has already reached around USD 6.2 million.
Malaysia & Vietnam: Both Surpass USD 5 Million
In Malaysia, the film became a massive phenomenon, earning around USD 5 million. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, Infinity Castle reached 100 billion VND (USD 4.55 million) within just five days of release.
These achievements instantly placed the movie among the top-performing anime films ever in both countries.
Southeast Asia’s Dominance in the Global Box Office
The success wasn’t limited to individual markets, Infinity Castle also made waves globally. According to Comscore, the Haruo Sotozaki-directed film topped the worldwide box office with a weekend gross of USD 32.5 million, bringing its cumulative total to USD 242.6 million.
What’s striking is Southeast Asia’s overwhelming contribution. Among Sony’s nine markets in the region, Hong Kong led with USD 7.1 million, followed by Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines—each setting their own national records. Altogether, earnings in Asia alone have already surpassed USD 209 million.
The First Chapter of the Final Trilogy
Infinity Castle is compelling not only for its box office success but also because it marks the beginning of the final trilogy of the Demon Slayer saga. With a runtime of 155 minutes, the film showcases fierce battles between the Hashira and Upper-Rank demons inside Muzan Kibutsuji’s eerie Infinity Castle.
But this is only the beginning. Staying faithful to the manga, the final arc will be divided into three films. According to AniRave, Part 2 is slated for release in 2027, while Part 3 will follow in 2029. This means fans will need to wait roughly two years between each installment to witness the story’s continuation.
Still, Ufotable revealed that producing just Part 1 took 3.5 years, even while previous seasons were still airing. Given this, a two-year gap per film is seen as far more realistic—much better than 3.5 years each, which would otherwise push the finale all the way to 2032.
A Trailer That Sends Chills
The Infinity Castle trailer proved to be a highly effective promotional weapon. Opening with sweeping visuals of the grand yet haunting endless castle, it quickly cuts to breathtaking fight sequences: Shinobu Kocho vs. her longtime nemesis Doma; Zenitsu unleashing his fury against his former senior, Kaigaku; and Tanjiro alongside Giyu Tomioka preparing to face Akaza, the demon who once killed Kyojuro.
Accompanied by Ufotable’s signature dramatic score and meticulous animation, the trailer conveyed that Infinity Castle is more than just an anime—it is a cinematic experience filled with raw emotion. Unsurprisingly, this brief preview sparked massive hype well before the film’s official release.
