Highlights
- Annual theatrical revenue jumped 32.6% YoY in 2025, surpassing the pre-pandemic high.
- The anime blockbuster Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle earned ¥39.14B (~$254.11M) domestically, making it Japan’s highest-grossing film of 2025 and a global anime phenomenon.
- Japanese domestic productions generated over ¥207B (~ $1.34B) in revenue.
Japan’s cinema market delivered its strongest performance in years in 2025, with annual box office revenue climbing 32.6 % year-over-year (YoY) to a record ¥274.45 billion (~$1.78 billion USD). According to the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan’s announcement on Jan 28 2026, the 2025 data crossed the pre-COVID-19 pandemic peak of 2019.
The year 2025 was headlined by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, which dominated not only Japan’s theatrical landscape but the global market, with an unprecedented run and record-breaking ticket sales. In the Japanese box-office, Infinity Castle generated ¥39.14B (~$254.11M), surpassing any other anime and live-action movies.
In 2025, Japan’s top movies were mostly domestic productions, generating ¥207.57B (~ $1.34B) box office revenue in total. Right next on the list is Kokuho (National Treasure), contributing to the surge with ¥19.55B ($126.9M) earnings.
Foreign films trailed behind domestic productions, but did appear in Japan’s top 10. Movies like Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning (~$34.28M), Moana 2 (~$33.56M), and Jurassic World: Rebirth (~$31.8M) made significant contributions.
According to the report, 38 Japanese films crossed the ¥1B (~$6.4M) mark this year, while four movies crossed ¥10B (~$64.9M). The report is based on 694 Japanese films and 611 foreign films that were released in 2025.
Anime Dominance Fueled Growth of Japanese Cinema
Anime films were the primary catalyst of the 2025 box office boom, with several high-profile titles drawing mass audiences throughout the year. Three movies among the top five highest-grossing films were anime, including the blockbuster Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.
Third on the list, Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback earned ¥14.74B (~$95.6M). In fourth place was Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, which generated ¥10.43B (~ $67.7M) domestically, further highlighting the engagement rate of anime movies.
Down the list, Moana 2 also generated a steady revenue, as a foreign animated production. It generated ¥5.17B (~$33.5M) box-office revenue.
Additionally, beyond domestic screens, anime dominated the global box office as well. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has achieved remarkable global success, becoming one of the highest-grossing Japanese films and the highest-grossing anime film worldwide, with an estimated $728.2M earning globally.
Disclaimer: Box-office collections were converted into USD using the current exchange rate, and are subject to change with market fluctuations.
