Anime is gaining popularity in Nigeria as Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle swept cinemas over the weekend, collecting ₦82.4 million on September 12-14 and leading the box office. The film beat every other film on opening, from Hollywood thriller films to Nollywood blockbuster films, and was one of the best openings ever for an anime film in the country.
The movie is the beginning of a trilogy adaptation of the popular “Infinity Castle” arc from Japan’s globally renowned Koyoharu Gotouge Demon Slayer manga series. Produced by Japan’s globally recognised Ufotable animation studio, Infinity Castle continues where the anime left off after the conclusion of season four and has the Demon Slayer Corps launch a surprise attack on the powerful Muzan Kibutsuji in the massive, trap-ridden castle.
The Nigerian box office success is an indication of the overseas influence of the movie. Infinity Castle has grossed in excess of $470 million globally since it opened in Japan on July 18. The movie is now the fourth-highest-grossing Japanese film of all time and Japan’s biggest grosser of the year.
Box office figures indicate a growing anime phenomenon
Industry reports show Infinity Castle crushed other films that were showing in Nigeria by a mile. Sequel horror film The Conjuring: Last Rites took second place with a significant difference at ₦23.5 million, having grossed ₦73.1 million in two weeks. Nollywood drama Abanisete raked in ₦9.5 million in week five and has a gross of ₦141.9 million, while F4 and The Long Walk took third and fourth places respectively with ₦8.8 million and ₦8.7 million.
This hard-hitting debut for an anime film is suggestive of a fresh revolution in the film culture of Nigeria. The box office, usually dominated by Hollywood movies and Nollywood productions, now caters to a younger audience willing to view animated international material. Infinity Castle’s successful reception mirrored that of Mugen Train, the first Demon Slayer film released in 2020, which became a worldwide success and one of the highest-grossing anime movies of all time.
Release timing has also played a role. Ever since the last season finale of the anime television series, fans have been eagerly anticipating the continuation of the tale. With heart-stopping battle scenes, fan-favourite characters, and cinema-quality animation, the film has created social media buzz, with Nigerian fans of anime making reviews available and encouraging their friends to go watch the film on big screens.
Growing influence of Anime in Nigerian culture
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’s win is part of an anime sweep of the Nigerian box office over the last two years. Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Spy x Family Code: White, and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero have seen decent numbers, showing a fast-growing fan base and growing cinema interest in Japanese animation.
The streaming services have also been responsible for this boom, opening Nigerian viewers up to full anime series and bringing them to the cinema theatres to watch new films. For distributors, box office data is a no-brainer that anime is no longer an alternative activity but a mass phenomenon that can rival great global franchises.
With the other two Infinity Castle movies already cleared, cinemas will once again be marched into as fans see the trilogy through to completion. The good opening also provides the basis for future anime releases to gain good screening times in Nigerian theatres.
Globally, the movie’s distributor, Sony Pictures Entertainment, has registered sold-out shows and record-breaking foreign box office sales for the first film of the trilogy. Its $70 million opening weekend overseas is among the highest for an animated September film, cementing anime as a global box office attraction even further.
While Infinity Castle continues to dominate Nigerian cinemas, business watchers will be monitoring how it does in the coming weeks. The longer it runs, the more the movie can push towards further record-breaking in Nigeria and tell distributors that anime can command an even larger share of screen time in Africa’s biggest cinema market.
