As Crunchyroll shows off first Demon Slayer Infinity Castle footage behind closed doors, its movie chief declares "Anime is niche no more"

As Demon Slayer Infinity Castle movie is expected to be a box office hit this year and shows like Jujutsu Kaisen and The Apothecary Diaries are becoming cultural phenomenons on TV, it's clear that anime is soaring in the global scene. With 17 million subscribers and the largest anime library, Crunchyroll is riding this wave, which is predicted to keep growing in the next five years.

According to the latest Crunchyroll study, conducted by National Research Group (NRG), anime fandom is expected to reach at least 1.5 billion by 2030, even without including Japan and China, as its global audience keeps growing non-stop, particularly among younger viewers. "Anime is niche no more," said Crunchyroll EVP of global commerce and head of theatrical Michel Berger (via Variety).

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Per the official synopsis, Infinity Castle sees Tanjiro and the Hashira rush to save the Demon Corps headquarters, but they're "plunged into a deep descent to a mysterious space by the hands of Muzan Kibutsuji. The destination of where Tanjiro and Demon Slayer Corps have fallen is the demons' stronghold – the Infinity Castle. And so, the battleground is set as the final battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons ignites."

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.