Many people speak aboutDemon Slayer’ssuccess as if it was newfound, but the shonen has been a phenomenal hit since the manga was first released in February 2016 and the anime quickly followed in April 2019.Few series have struck gold the way Koyoharu Gotouge did withDemon Slayer,and especiallywith the Infinity Castle movie trilogyon the way, the series is at the height of its popularity.
Make no mistake though, just becauseDemon Slayeris especially beloved at the moment does not negate the fact thatit has been popular for years now.With everything from merchandise collaborations to impressive manga sales numbers to prove it, there is no debating thatDemon Slayeris possibly the most adored manga series to emerge from the 21st century.
Demon Slayer on the List of Top Ten Best-Selling Shonen Mangas of All Time
Demon Slayer Is on Par With Manga Greats Like Jujutsu Kaisen and One Piece
Looking purely at the manga sales numbers alone, it is obvious thatDemon Slayeris a success. It isone of the top ten best-selling shonen mangas of all time,rivaling other top series likeJujutsu KaisenandOne Piece. In total, the manga has sold more than 150 million copies, a staggering number that most creators can only dream of achieving. In only four years,Demon Slayerachieved a shocking level of fame, not just in Japan, but worldwide. And as if the manga was not already successful enough, the 2019 release of theDemon Slayeranime only increased its popularity.
Demon Slayer Dates the Anime’s 2025 Comeback As the Infinity Castle Movies Loom
Demon Slayer’s trilogy of theatrical films are slated to begin releasing in 2025, and a recently surfaced report points to a release date.
The anime series, picked up by the studio Ufotable, boasted eye-catching, colorful animation, a dramatic musical score, anda compelling story that enthralled viewers from the very first episode, which opens in the horrifying aftermath of a brutal attack on Tanjiro’s family by a demon. As the anime continued, fans began to realize how truly spectacular the series is, and viewers worldwide began to follow the manga and anime religiously. The series even received a handful of movie releases, with arcs like Mugen Train, To the Swordsmith Village, and To the Hashira Training being released in theaters across the world.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Is the Highest-Grossing Anime Film of All Time
Almost Four Years Later, No Other Anime Film Has Managed to Surpass Its Box Office Numbers
Demon Slayerwas always exceptional, but the anime brought the story to wider audiencesand thus, cemented its status as a truly groundbreaking series. Even people who had not previously considered themselves anime fans could appreciateDemon Slayer’sthrilling battles, relatable heroes, and gorgeous animation, so the series also served as a gateway into the world of anime for so many people. One of the most obvious signs thatDemon Slayerwas going to surpass competitors and become a world-renowned hit was the positive reception of the theatrical Mugen Train movie, released August 11, 2025, in the United States.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Was a Bold Risk That Represents the Future of Shonen Anime Movies
The incredibly successful and risk-taking Demon Slayer: Mugen Train movie dramatically changed the future of anime movies for the better.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Mugen Trainwas not just a remarkable film, it isthe highest grossing anime film of all time.Worldwide,Mugen Trainmade over $500 million, even defeating films likeYour Name, Howl’s Moving Castle,andSpirited Awayat the box office.Demon Slayer Mugen Train’sbox office numbers were not just a success for the franchise itself, but the love viewers expressed for the film opened the door for many more anime movies to debut in theaters going forward, which developed a greater societal appreciation for the anime genre as a whole.
There is so much to admire aboutMugen Train,andthe aspects of the movie that hooked viewers are also present in the anime series,explaining why the entire franchise is a hit. Whether it is watched in IMAX 3D at a theater or at home on a TV screen,Mugen Train’sanimation is absolutely captivating. The high-quality voice acting, heart-racing musical score that accompanies the film’s most serious moments, and inspirational but tragicjourney of the Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojuroall explain why no other anime film has knockedMugen Trainoff the top of the box office yet.
Demon Slayer Possesses a Handful of Key Characteristics That Make It Work So Well
Its Well-Written Story, Stellar Animation, and Relatable Characters Are Some of Its Strong Suits
These characteristics that work so well in theMugen Trainmovie have also carried the anime series and manga to fame.Demon Slayer’sstory, although fairly simple when it is broken down to its basic premise, continues to attract audiences. Tanjiro’s journey to become a demon slayer and save his sister may be less complicated than some other shonen series' plots, but it is easy for almost anyone to get invested in. There is never a dull moment inDemon Slayer,and the series’perfect blend of action, romance, humor, and sadness ensures that there is something to appeal to every viewer.
Missing Demon Slayer? Here’s Where to Pick Up The Story In the Manga
After the intense finale to The Hashira Training Arc, here is where to pick up the Demon Slayer story in the manga!
Demon Slayer’scharacters are also relatable on a level that few fictional characters are. Although many of them are powerful heroes or despicable villains,Gotouge’s writing adds relatable aspects of the human experience and profound emotion to an otherwise fantastical tale.Viewers can easily empathize with Tanjiro’s unwavering determination to save his loved ones or Zenitsu’s palpable fear when facing demons, which makes it easier for audiences to see glimpses of themselves in the series' best heroes.Demon Slayeris both relatable enough to understand and supernatural enough to be constantly exciting, striking a perfect balance between the two.
Demon Slayer’sstory, characters, animation, writing, and music all mix to create the shonen series of the century,and even though the manga is over and there are only a few arcs left in the anime, it is only picking up steam by the day.The final Infinity Castleand Sunrise Countdown arcs are some of the best in the manga, and they are slated to receive three theatrical films, which will likely be so impressive, they may even rivalMugen Train’ssuccess. Some anime fans are surprised byDemon Slayer’sunrivaled success in the entertainment series, but upon looking closer, it is no great shock that viewers love the series so much.
