The Critics Choice Association announced the winners of the fourth annual Celebration of AAPI Cinema & Television, recognizing Kimetsu no Yaiba: Infinity Castle – Akaza Sairai with the International Animation Award. The award ceremony will take place on November 14.
International recognition
The award distinguishes the first film in the Kimetsu no Yaiba trilogy: Infinity Castle, directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by ufotable. The event also recognized director Maggie Kang with the Animation Award for her work alongside Chris Appelhans on the animated film KPop Demon Hunters.
Box office success
As of September 28, the film has sold 23.65 million tickets and grossed 34,011,490,700 yen (approximately $230 million), making it the second-highest-grossing film in history in Japan, surpassing Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away (2001).
Franchise all-time records
The film Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Ressha-hen (released in October 2020) continues to be the highest-grossing film in Japanese history, with a total gross of 40.75 billion yen (about $277 million at current exchange rates).
Global impact
According to data from Box Office Mojo, Kimetsu no Yaiba: Infinity Castle reached $555 million globally as of September 21, becoming the most successful anime film of all time in the world and the highest-grossing anime film of Japanese origin. It currently ranks ninth globally in 2025, surpassing The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Captain America: Brave New World.
Production and music
The direction and script are in charge of Haruo Sotozaki and ufotable. Aimer performs the song "Taiyō ga Noboranai Sekai" ("A World Where the Sun Does Not Dawn"), while LiSA sings "Zankoku no Yoru ni Kagayake" ("Shine in the Cruel Night").
