The Big 3 Have Officially Been Surpassed By A New Gen Anime

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This article contains spoilers from Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.

For many anime fans, *Naruto*, *One Piece*, and *Bleach* – often called the “big three” – hold a special place in their hearts, and that likely won’t change. These series truly defined a generation of anime, inspiring countless people worldwide and bringing them years of enjoyment. They were incredibly important in popularizing anime globally, and it’s safe to say that anime wouldn’t be as well-known today without their influence.

While planning for the future, they also created opportunities for new series to surpass their own previous accomplishments. In the world of anime films, *Demon Slayer*—a popular new-generation Shonen series—has officially become more successful than the traditionally dominant “big three” anime. Its film achievements, particularly *Mugen Train* and *Infinity Castle*, even collectively exceed the lifetime success of those older franchises.

Demon Slayer Has Surpassed The Big Three When It Comes To Movies

No Big Three Anime Movie Comes Close

  • One Piece Film Red comes closest
  • Demon Slayer has two of the biggest anime movies

When it comes to anime, the three most popular series – often called the ‘Big Three’ – consistently deliver high-quality stories that are hard to surpass. While many consider One Piece to be the greatest manga ever created, the landscape changes when looking at anime and films. Demon Slayer currently dominates in animated adaptations, largely due to the success of its movies.

I’ve been following anime movie success closely, and it’s clear that Demon Slayer is in a league of its own. For a long time, *Mugen Train* held the record for the highest-grossing anime film both in Japan and around the world. But incredibly, that record was recently broken by another Demon Slayer movie, *Infinity Castle*, which came out earlier this year. The other major anime franchises just don’t compare.

No Big 3 Movie Can Catch Up To Demon Slayer

The Best Of Demon Slayer Has Yet To Come

Demon Slayer’s movie earnings have far surpassed those of popular anime films like One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach. Surprisingly, its current record is likely to be broken by future Demon Slayer movies. With two more installments of Infinity Castle planned – Part 2 reportedly in 2027 and Part 3 in 2029 – the franchise is poised to reach even greater heights.

Whenever these two new movies are released, they’re almost guaranteed to be even more popular than Infinity Castle Part 1 and become huge hits worldwide. While some fans may disagree, Demon Slayer is already far more successful than the “Big Three” when it comes to anime movies, and that lead isn’t likely to disappear.

The first part of *Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle* is now playing in cinemas. If you can’t wait for the film releases, you can read the story in the manga on Manga Plus. The anime currently has four seasons available to stream on Crunchyroll. The rest of the story will be released as movies, so fans will need to see them in theaters when they become available in their region.

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2025-10-06 00:34