Sony's 'Demon Slayer' sets anime record in North American box office debut

A statue of young swordsman Tanjiro Kamado, the title character in the Demon Slayer anime franchise, is displayed at a cinema in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district on Sept. 9. | AFP-JIJI Sony Pictures' Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle has become the top movie in U.S. and Canadian theaters, setting an opening weekend record for the Japanese anime genre. The film, about a boy who joins an organization that hunts demons after his little sister is turned into one, brought in $70 million, the division of Sony said Sunday. That topped the previous $31 million record set by Pokemon: The First Movie -- Mewtwo Strikes Back in 1999. Box Office Pro had forecast weekend sales of $60 million to $75 million. The opening underscores the surging global appeal of Japanese anime.