Despite smashing Japan box office records, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle director doesn't care about the "numbers game" or chasing a "megahit": "We try to look beyond that"

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is breaking records at the Japanese box office, but co-director Yuichi Terao says he and the team care more about a positive reaction from fans and moviegoers alike than making bank.

"I don't want to just make this a numbers game," Terao told Crunchyroll News. "I know people chase the big megahit, but we try to look beyond that to see the happy faces on different moviegoers, and watching them engaged with the story, that combination...to be able to continue making anime. For us, there's nothing greater."

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle hit theaters in Japan on July 18 and has broken the record for the fastest movie to hit 10 billion yen (equivalent to $87 million USD), a record which was previously held by Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. According to the official Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba franchise Twitter account, the movie has earned 12 billion yen in just 10 days.

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train grossed a total of $500 million against a budget of just $15 million, and remains the highest-grossing movie of all time in Japan. It's very likely that Infinity Castle will meet, if not beat, this record.

The film is a direct sequel to the fourth season of the anime adaptation and covers the final arc of Koyoharu Gotouge's manga, which follows Tanjiro and his Hashira allies as they finally come face to face with series villain Muzan Kibutsuji and his legion of Upper Rank demons. The first 13 minutes were shown behind closed doors at San Diego Comic-Con.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle hits UK and US cinemas on September 12. For more, check out our lists of the best anime and best anime movies you should be watching right now.