'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' X Director Lee Sang-il... Japan's Film Market Hits Record High of 2.5 Trillion Yen

The Japanese film market achieved its highest box office revenue ever last year, thanks to the mega-hit animation 〈Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba〉 and the film 〈KOKUHO〉 directed by Korean resident Lee Sang-il.

According to the Japan Film Producers Association, the total box office revenue for Japanese films and foreign films combined reached 274.4 billion yen (approximately 2.5 trillion won), a 32.6% increase from the previous year. This is the highest amount since the statistics began in 2000, surpassing the previous record of 261.1 billion yen set in 2019.

The top-grossing film was 〈Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle Arc〉, which earned 39.1 billion yen, taking the overwhelming first place. The 〈Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba〉 series surpassed 100 billion yen in global box office revenue, setting a record for Japanese films.

In second place was 〈KOKUHO〉, directed by Lee Sang-il and starring Ryo Yoshizawa. This work, based on Kabuki, earned 19.5 billion yen, breaking the 22-year-old record for the highest-grossing live-action film in Japan previously held by 〈Bayside Shakedown The Movie 2〉 set in 2003.

Additionally, blockbusters that surpassed 10 billion yen in box office revenue included 〈Detective Conan the Movie: One-Eyed Flashback〉 (14.7 billion yen) and 〈Chainsaw Man The Movie: Reze Arc〉 (10.4 billion yen), contributing to the market's growth.

By sector, Japanese films led the market with a record high of 207.5 billion yen. Foreign film revenue was only 66.8 billion yen, with 〈Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning〉 ranking first among foreign films with 5.2 billion yen.

The number of theatergoers reached 188.75 million, a 30.7% increase from the previous year, achieving the second-highest number ever. The number of released films also reached a record high of 1,305.

Yoshishige Shimadani, president of the Japan Film Producers Association, stated in an interview with NHK, "Last year, people of all ages visited theaters evenly," and added, "The box office performance of this year's releases will be a litmus test for the true strength of the Japanese film industry."