Haikyu vs Demon Slayer: Japanese Box Office declares new favourite movie

After a lengthy hiatus, the beloved shonen anime Haikyu!! has returned to the big screen instead of dishing out episodic releases like before. Haikyu the Movie: Decisive Battle at the Garbage Dump continues its two-week lead at the Japanese box office, defeating the newest Demon Slayer theatrical premiere. Both cinematic releases have worn entirely different looks to assuage their fans' patience. While the sports anime premiere has been condensed into a film's duration, the Demon Slayer film is deemed only the first iteration of an extended season ahead.

The sword-fighting Shonen series is an equally worthy rival in this race to the top. However, it has suffered this fate due to its lack of exclusivity as a cinematic release. It has now dropped to the third spot in the sales contest.

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New Haikyu movie surpasses Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc:

According to Anime News Network, the Haikyu movie sold 2.9 million tickets, garnering about 4.1 billion yen ($27 million) in Japan at the end of February. Having sold 1.5 million tickets in three days upon its premiere, it also recorded the biggest weekend. Compared to the volleyball movie's release on February 16 in Japan, Demon Slayer: To The Hashira Training premiered on February 2. While it debuted at the top spot, it eventually fell to the third position after three weeks with 1.2 million tickets, making 1.7 billion yen ($11 million).

The final high-school volleyball plot of Haruichi Furudate's manga has been spread across a two-part film event. On the contrary, the Demon Slayer movie (basically an episode released on the big screen) is a precursor to the upcoming anime season.

It's assumed that Haikyu's more traditional approach to a cinematic premiere may have added to its success. Moreover, its last season, Haikyu!! To The Top Part 2 (Haikyu Season 4 Part 2) concluded its run in 2020. Therefore, it has been a long wait for fans since then, again adding to the loyal fanbase's excitement. On the other hand, Demon Slayer's preceding theatrical chapter (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train) was also re-edited for TV. So, fans can choose to wait for the new one's small-screen release as well.