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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba \u2014 The Movie: Infinity Castle<\/em> has shattered records, earning an estimated $70 million during its U.S. opening weekend \u2014 a testament to how the anime genre has evolved into one of the most popular entertainment phenomena in recent years.<\/p>\n The movie was distributed across North America on Sept. 12 by Crunchyroll, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures, after it was released in select Asian countries in August. The film was released in 3,315 U.S. theaters and earned $33 million<\/a> on Friday night alone, contributing to a worldwide total of more than $300 million, Variety reported<\/a> on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cMoviegoing is showing strength in new genres, first with KPop Demon Hunters<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>two weeks ago, and now with Japanese anime,\u201d box office analyst David A. Gross wrote<\/a> in his newsletter. \u201cIt\u2019s connecting with young American moviegoers.\u201d<\/p>\n The success comes as \u201cno surprise,\u201d Mitchel Berger, the head of global commerce at Crunchyroll, told Yahoo. He explained that young audiences want to \u201cexperience their favorite stories together\u201d and, when it comes to anime films, be part of \u201cglobal cultural moments.\u201d<\/p>\n Demon Slayer\u2019<\/em>s success highlights how anime\u00a0<\/em>has become very popular outside Japan. Global interest in the genre has been growing significantly over the past decade, according to the 2024 Anime Industry Report<\/a>. Once a niche subculture in the United States during the late 1990s \u2014 the last blockbuster anime opening weekend was Pok\u00e9mon: The First Movie \u2014 Mewtwo Strikes Back<\/em>, which pulled in $31 million<\/a> in 1999 \u2014 anime has become a mainstream force, especially among Gen Z<\/a>.<\/p>\n Haven\u2019t experienced the anime phenomenon? Here\u2019s what to know about the Demon Slayer <\/em>universe.<\/p>\nWhat is \u2018Demon Slayer\u2019 about?<\/h2>\n