The last time the animated film Demon Slayer topped the North American box office was 22 years ago when the Pokémon movie

According to foreign media reports on May 5, the animated film "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba", which broke the record in film history in Japan, also swept North American theaters. According to the latest statistics, the box office record has topped the North American film market. The last time a Japanese film won the championship in North America was the Pokémon movie 22 years ago.

"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train" is adapted from the manga "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" by Koyoharu Gotouge. It was released in Japan on October 16, 2020, breaking the record of "Spirited Away" with the fastest box office of 30 billion yen.

According to statistics from the North American Film Information Station, from April 30 to May 2, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train" earned 6.4 million US dollars at the box office, topping the North American movie box office market.

It is not easy for a Japanese film to win the North American market. The last time was in 1999 with "Pokémon: The First Movie", and it happened again after 22 years.