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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Infinity Castle — Part 1: Akaza Returns Poster

Demon Slayer Infinity Castle Wins Japan Academy Film Prize

Demon Slayer Infinity Castle Wins Japan Academy Film Prize

The record-breaking anime film adds Japan's top film honor to a run of international awards, capping a year that pushed anime further into the global mainstream

14 MAR 2026, 07:10 PM

Highlights

  • Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle won Best Animation Film at the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize, Japan's top film award.
  • The anime film earned over $800 million globally, driving Japan's box office up 32% in 2025, and became the year's highest-grossing Japanese film.
  • Its awards haul includes wins at the Saturn Awards and Critics Choice Awards, alongside Golden Globe and Astra Award nominations.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle won Best Animation Film at the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize, the country's top film award. The ceremony was held March 13 at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo.

The film, animated by studio Ufotable, adapts portions of the Infinity Castle arc from Koyoharu Gotouge's manga. It beat out several contenders for the award, including 100 Meters and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.

The Japan Academy committee also gave Ufotable's production team the Creative Contribution Award for the film's technical work.

The box office numbers were staggering for a franchise entry. Infinity Castle opened with ¥1.64 billion ($11.11 million) in Japan, a national record for a single opening day. Including re-release revenue, its combined global theatrical haul crossed $800 million — a performance that helped push Japan's overall box office up 32% in 2025 — enough to make it the year's highest-grossing Japanese film in both domestic and international markets.

Demon Slayer Infinity Castle's awards and global theatrical run

The Japan Academy honor is the latest in a string of accolades. Infinity Castle has picked up wins at the Critics Choice Awards and the Saturn Awards, and received nominations for the Astra Award, the Golden Globe, and the PGA Award. It lost the Best Animated Feature Film category at both the Astra Awards and the Golden Globe to Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters.

Sony distributed the film across 80 countries in multiple dubbed and subtitled versions. In India, it screened in nearly 750 theaters, a significant jump for anime theatrical distribution in the country. The film is currently running in ScreenX format in select theaters across the U.S., Canada, and India.

Kamalikaa

Author

Kamalikaa Biswas is a content writer at Outlook Respawn specializing in pop culture. She holds a Master's in English Literature from University of Delhi and leverages her media industry experience to deliver insightful content on the latest youth culture trends.

Published At: 14 MAR 2026, 07:10 PM
Tags:AnimeDemon SlayerJapan