As Crunchyroll shows off first Demon Slayer Infinity Castle footage behind closed doors, its movie chief declares "Anime is niche no more"
As Demon Slayer Infinity Castle movie is expected to be a box office hit this year and shows like Jujutsu Kaisen and The Apothecary Diaries are becoming cultural phenomenons on TV, it's clear that anime is soaring in the global scene. With 17 million subscribers and the largest anime library, Crunchyroll is riding this wave, which is predicted to keep growing in the next five years.
According to the latest Crunchyroll study, conducted by National Research Group (NRG), anime fandom is expected to reach at least 1.5 billion by 2030, even without including Japan and China, as its global audience keeps growing non-stop, particularly among younger viewers. "Anime is niche no more," said Crunchyroll EVP of global commerce and head of theatrical Michel Berger (via Variety).
During this year's Annecy International Animated Film Festival, Berger introduced the Crunchyroll Studio Focus 2025 and talked about the anime fandom's growth. According to the study, nearly 60% of viewers from 13 to 17 identify as anime fans. The number goes down to 44% with viewers from 13 to 54, but it still surpasses, according to Berger, other popular genres like K-dramas.
Berger concluded his presentation by sharing footage from the upcoming Demon Slayer movie, officially titled Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, which is scheduled to be released on July 18, 2025, in Japan. Crunchyroll will distribute the film in international markets through Sony Pictures Releasing a couple of months later.
Infinity Castle could easily become a box office hit, at least if it follows the results of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. The first Demon Slayer film made over $500 million at the global box office, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese anime movie of all time.
Per the official synopsis, Infinity Castle sees Tanjiro and the Hashira rush to save the Demon Corps headquarters, but they're "plunged into a deep descent to a mysterious space by the hands of Muzan Kibutsuji. The destination of where Tanjiro and Demon Slayer Corps have fallen is the demons' stronghold – the Infinity Castle. And so, the battleground is set as the final battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons ignites."
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle is set to premiere in North America on September 12. For more, check out the best anime we'd recommend watching in 2025. If you're still playing catch-up with Tanjiro's saga, you'll need our guide on how to watch Demon Slayer in order.
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