Hey Corpse I have a short question:
Should "Detective Conan: The Scarlet Alibi" be included in the Detective Conan films list, or being a compilation film is excluded?

I see no reason to not include it. Sure, it's not a feature film, but it's still a theatrical release under the franchise's name.

2021 Chart Updates will be posted shortly, followed by a few with Demon Slayer's updated performance on them.

Top Grossing Films: 2021
Gross ¥ ($) / Admissions [Days In Release] - Film (Distributor)

¥10 billion ↨
¥5 billion ↨
¥3.96 billion ($37.6 million) / 2.94 million [73] - New Interpretation Records of the Three Kingdoms (Toho)
¥3 billion ↨
¥2.73 billion ($26.4 million) / 2.22 million [E] - Stand By Me, Doraemon 2 (Toho)
¥2.16 billion ($20.7 million) / 1.56 million [59] - Poupelle of Chimney Town (Toho)
¥2 billion ↨
¥1.95 billion ($18.7 million) / 1.51 million [66] - The Promised Neverland (Toho)
¥1.92 billion ($18.3 million) / 0.70 million [E] - Takizawa Kabuki Zero 2020: The Movie (Shochiku)
¥1.79 billion ($17.0 million) / 1.31 million [24] - Loved Like a Flower Bouquet (Tokyo Theaters, Co./Little More)
¥1.63 billion ($15.8 million) / 1.39 million [59] - Pokemon: Coco (Toho)
¥1.63 billion ($15.7 million) / 1.17 million [45] - Gintama: The Final (Warner Bros.)
¥1 billion ↑
¥638.1 million ($6.2 million) / 0.49 million [E] - Tengaramon (Giggly Box)
¥534.7 million ($5.1 million) / 0.37 million [E] - Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros.)
¥500 million ↑

Legend:
¥10 billion+ (Uber-Blockbuster) / ¥5 billion+ (Blockbuster) / ¥3 billion+ (Hit) / ¥2 billion+ (Respectable) / ¥1 billion+ (Commercial Success)

Top Grossing Films: 2020 (Demon Slayer is still playing)

Most Overall Weekends in the Top 10 (1997-):
42 (2 from 2012 3D re-release) - Titanic (1997)
39 (7 from 2020 re-release) - Spirited Away (2001)*
31 (2 from 2020 re-release) - Your Name. (2016)*
31 (7 from 2020 re-release) - Princess Mononoke (1997)*
24 - Parasite (2020)**
21 - Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
20 - Armageddon (1998)
19 - Demon Slayer: Mugen Train (2020) [Ongoing]
19 - Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
19 - Frozen (2014)
18 - Weathering With You (2019)**
18 - Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer (2018)
18 - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
18 - Bayside Shakedown (1998)
16 - Midsommar (2020)**
16 - Avatar (2009)
16 - Bayside Shakedown: Save the Rainbow Bridge! (2003)
16 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
16 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
15 - In This Corner of the World (2016)
15 - Crying Out Love in the Center of the World (2004)
15 - Monsters Inc. (2002)
15 - The Green Mile (2000)
15 - Deep Impact (1998)
14 - Not Quite Dead (2020)**
14 - The Eternal Zero (2013)
14 - The Wind Rises (2013)
14 - Ponyo (2008)
14 - The Last Samurai (2003)
14 - The Matrix (1999)
13 (2 from 2020 re-release) - Shin Godzilla (2016)*
13 - Frozen II (2019)
13 - Big Hero 6 (2014)
13 - Les Miserables (2012)
13 - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2004)
13 - Finding Nemo (2003)
13 - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2003)
13 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2002)
13 - Mission: Impossible II (2000)
12 - Birds of Prey (2020)**
12 - Fukushima 50 (2020)**
12 - Beauty and the Beast (2017)
12 - Zootopia (2016)
12 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
12 - Stand By Me, Doraemon (2014)
12 - Alice in Wonderland (2010)
12 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
12 - Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
12 - Saving Private Ryan (1998)

*:Re-release during spring/summer 2020 in response to Covid-19.
**: Run in the top 10 bolstered by spring/summer 2020 delays in response to Covid-19.


Most-Consecutive Weekends in the Top 10 (1997-)
40 - Titanic [Dec. 20-21 to Sept. 19-20] (1997-1998)
29 - Your Name. [Aug. 27-28 to Mar. 11-12] (2016-2017)
26 - Spirited Away [July 21-22 to Jan. 12-13] (2001-2002)
24 - Parasite [Jan. 11-12 to June 20-21] (2020)*
24 - Princess Mononoke [July 12-13 to Dec. 20-21] (1997)
21 - Howl's Moving Castle [Nov. 20-21 to Apr. 09-10] (2004-2005)
20 - Armageddon [Dec. 12-13 to Apr. 24-25] (1998-1999)
19 - Demon Slayer: Mugen Train [Oct. 16-17 to Feb. 20-21] (2020-2021) [Ongoing]
19 - Bohemian Rhapsody [Nov. 10-11 to Mar. 16-17] (2018-2019)
19 - Frozen [Mar. 15-16 to July 19-20] (2014)
18 - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace [July 10-11 to Nov. 06-07] (1999)
18 - Bayside Shakedown [Oct. 31-Nov. 01 to Feb. 27-28] (1998-1999)
16 - Midsommar [Feb. 22-23 to June 06-07] (2020)*
16 - Avatar [Dec. 26-27 to Apr. 10-11] (2009-2010)
16 - Bayside Shakedown: Save the Rainbow Bridge! [July 19-20 to Nov. 01-02] (2003)
16 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone [Dec. 01-02 to Mar. 16-17] (2001-2002)
16 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets [Nov. 23-24 to Mar. 08-09] (2002-2003)
15 - Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer [Apr. 14-15 to July 21-22] (2018)
15 - Crying Out Love in the Center of the World [May 08-09 to Aug. 14-15] (2004)
15 - Monsters Inc. [Mar. 02-03 to July 08-09] (2002)
15 - The Green Mile [Mar. 25-26 to July 01-02] (2000)
15 - Deep Impact [June 20-21 to Sept. 26-27] (1998)
14 - The Wind Rises [July 20-21 to Oct. 19-20] (2013)
14 - Ponyo [July 18-19 to Oct. 18-19] (2008)
14 - The Last Samurai [Dec. 06-07 to Mar. 06-07] (2003-2004)
14 - The Matrix [Sept. 11-12 to Dec. 11-12] (1999)
13 - Not Quite Dead [Mar. 21-22 to June 13-14] (2020)*
13 - Frozen II [Nov. 23-24 to Feb. 15-16] (2019-2020)
13 - Weathering With You [July 20-21 to Oct. 12-13] (2019)
13 - Big Hero 6 [Dec. 20-21 to Mar. 14-15] (2014-2015)
13 - The Eternal Zero [Dec. 21-22 to Mar. 15-16] (2013-2014)
13 - Les Miserables [Dec. 22-23 to Mar. 16-17] (2012-2013)
13 - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King [Feb. 14-15 to May 08-09] (2004)
13 - Finding Nemo [Dec. 06-07 to Feb. 28-29] (2003-2004)
13 - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [Feb. 22-23 to May 17-18] (2003)
13 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring [Mar. 02-03 to May 25-26] (2002)
13 - Mission: Impossible II [July 08-09 to Sept. 30-Oct. 01] (2000)
12 - Birds of Prey [Mar. 21-22 to June 06-07] (2020)*
12 - Beauty and the Beast [Apr. 22-23 to July 08-09] (2017)
12 - Zootopia [Apr. 23-24 to July 07-08] (2016)
12 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens [Dec. 19-20 to Mar. 05-06] (2015-2016)
12 - Stand By Me, Doraemon [Aug. 09-10 to Oct. 25-26] (2014)
12 - Alice in Wonderland [Apr. 17-18 to July 03-04] (2010)
12 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban [June 26-27 to Sept. 11-12] (2004)
12 - Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones [July 13-14 to Sept. 28-29] (2002)
12 - Saving Private Ryan [Sept. 26-27 to Dec. 12-13] (1998)

*: Run in the top 10 bolstered by spring/summer 2020 delays in response to Covid-19.

Have little doubts about Demon Slayer going for 30+ consecutive weeks in the Top 10 and overall. Could be the first real challenger to Titanic, but it's too early to project the likelihood of that feat.

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train - Daily Performance Tracker

10/16 - Fri.: ¥1,268,724,700 ($12.0 million) / 910,507
10/17 - Sat.: ¥1,701,723,350 ($16.2 million) / 1,270,234
10/18 - Sun.: ¥1,652,669,400 ($15.7 million) / 1,239,752
10/19 - Mon.: ¥735,000,000 ($7.0 million) / 545,000
10/20 - Tues.: ¥545,000,000 ($5.1 million) / 395,000
10/21 - Wed.: ¥635,000,000 ($6.0 million) / 505,000
10/22 - Thur.: ¥465,000,000 ($4.5 million) / 340,000
10/23 - Fri.: ¥700,000,000 ($6.7 million) / 510,000
10/24 - Sat.: ¥1,500,944,600 ($14.3 million) / 1,115,182
10/25 - Sun.: ¥1,540,504,150 ($14.7 million) / 1,157,654
10/26 - Mon.: ¥620,000,000 ($5.9 million) / 460,000
10/27 - Tues.: ¥410,000,000 ($3.9 million) / 300,000
10/28 - Wed.: ¥575,000,000 ($5.5 million) / 430,000
10/29 - Thur.: ¥390,000,000 ($3.7 million) / 285,000
10/30 - Fri.: ¥555,000,000 ($5.3 million) / 405,000
10/31 - Sat.: ¥1,212,312,550 ($11.6 million) / 887,893
11/01 - Sun.: ¥1,286,354,600 ($12.3 million) / 1,140,390 *Discount Day*
11/02 - Mon: ¥820,000,000 ($7.8 million) / 605,000 *Holiday Boosted*
11/03 - Tues.: ¥1,185,000,000 ($11.3 million) / 900,000 *Holiday*
11/04 - Wed.: ¥350,000,000 ($3.3 million) / 260,000
11/05 - Thur.: ¥230,000,000 ($2.2 million) / 170,000
11/06 - Fri.: ¥325,000,000 ($3.1 million) / 240,000
11/07 - Sat.: ¥863,827,750 ($8.3 million) / 628,614
11/08 - Sun.: ¥909,098,150 ($8.8 million) / 667,179
11/09 - Mon.: ¥315,000,000 ($3.0 million) / 230,000
11/10 - Tues.: ¥220,000,000 ($2.1 million) / 160,000
11/11 - Wed.: ¥295,000,000 ($2.8 million) / 230,000
11/12 - Thur.: ¥200,000,000 ($1.9 million) / 145,000
11/13 - Fri.: ¥310,000,000 ($3.0 million) / 225,000
11/14 - Sat.: ¥795,343,500 ($7.6 million) / 611,418
11/15 - Sun.: ¥726,313,550 ($6.9 million) / 535,986
11/16 - Mon.: ¥265,000,000 ($2.5 million) / 195,000
11/17 - Tues.: ¥165,000,000 ($1.6 million) / 120,000
11/18 - Wed.: ¥240,000,000 ($2.3 million) / 185,000
11/19 - Thur.: ¥165,000,000 ($1.6 million) / 120,000
11/20 - Fri.: ¥240,000,000 ($2.3 million) / 170,000
11/21 - Sat.: ¥439,606,550 ($4.2 million) / 314,726
11/22 - Sun.: ¥592,738,550 ($5.7 million) / 433,315
11/23 - Mon.: ¥460,110,250 ($4.4 million) / 357,741 *Holiday*
11/24 - Tues.: ¥125,000,000 ($1.2 million) / 90,000
11/25 - Wed.: ¥160,000,000 ($1.5 million) / 120,000
11/26 - Thur.: ¥120,000,000 ($1.1 million) / 85,000
11/27 - Fri.: ¥195,000,000 ($1.9 million) / 130,000
11/28 - Sat.: ¥556,443,300 ($5.3 million) / 392,017
11/29 - Sun: ¥448,060,450 ($4.3 million) / 320,031
11/30 - Mon.: ¥140,000,000 ($1.3 million) / 105,000
12/01 - Tues.: ¥170,000,000 ($1.6 million) / 145,000 *Discount Day*
12/02 - Wed.: ¥125,000,000 ($1.2 million) /100,000
12/03 - Thur.: ¥x95,000,000 ($0.9 million) / x70,000
12/04 - Fri.: ¥145,000,000 ($1.4 million) / 105,000
12/05 - Sat.: ¥319,013,550 ($3.1 million) / 225,976
12/06 - Sun.: ¥336,505,700 ($3.2 million) / 239,874
12/07 - Mon.: ¥100,000,000 ($1.0 million) / x75,000
12/08 - Tues.: ¥x85,000,000 ($0.8 million) / x55,000
12/09 - Wed.: ¥115,000,000 ($1.1 million) / x90,000
12/10 - Thur.: ¥x85,000,000 ($0.8 million) / x60,000
12/11 - Fri.: ¥115,000,000 ($1.1 million) / x80,000
12/12 - Sat.: ¥588,408,200 ($5.7 million) / 407,286
12/13 - Sun.: ¥351,003,000 ($3.4 million) / 248,024
12/14 - Mon.: ¥120,000,000 ($1.2 million) / x85,000
12/15 - Tues.: ¥x85,000,000 ($0.8 million) / x60,000
12/16 - Wed.: ¥110,000,000 ($1.1 million) / x85,000
12/17 - Thur.: ¥x75,000,000 ($0.7 million) / x55,000
12/18 - Fri.: ¥x90,000,000 ($0.9 million) / x65,000
12/19 - Sat.: ¥187,788,050 ($1.8 million) / 133,068
12/20 - Sun.: ¥202,627,400 ($2.0 million) / 148,780
12/21 - Mon.: ¥x75,000,000 ($0.7 million) / x55,000
12/22 - Tues.: ¥x65,000,000 ($0.6 million) / x45,000
12/23 - Wed.: ¥x90,000,000 ($0.9 million) / x65,000
12/24 - Thur.: ¥x70,000,000 ($0.7 million) / x50,000
12/25 - Fri.: ¥105,000,000 ($1.0 million) / x75,000
12/26 - Sat.: ¥554,583,650 ($5.3 million) / 355,697
12/27 - Sun.: ¥353,034,550 ($3.4 million) / 219,946
12/28 - Mon.: ¥290,000,000 ($2.8 million) / 190,000
12/29 - Tues.: ¥325,000,000 ($3.2 million) / 205,000
12/30 - Wed.: ¥335,000,000 ($3.3 million) / 240,000
12/31 - Thur.: ¥210,000,000 ($2.0 million) / 135,000
01/01 - Fri.: ¥320,000,000 ($3.1 million) / 230,000 *Holiday, Discount Day*
01/02 - Sat.: ¥351,200,000 ($3.4 million) / 220,150 *Bank Holiday*
01/03 - Sun.: ¥326,800,000 ($3.2 million) / 204,850 *Bank Holiday*
01/04 - Mon.: ¥275,000,000 ($2.6 million) / 180,000 *Pre-Holiday Boosted*
01/05 - Tues.: ¥160,000,000 ($1.5 million) / 100,000
01/06 - Wed.: ¥135,000,000 ($1.3 million) / x95,000
01/07 - Thur.: ¥x80,000,000 ($0.8 million) / x50,000
01/08 - Fri.: ¥x65,000,000 ($0.6 million) / x40,000
01/09 - Sat.: ¥125,790,000 ($1.2 million) / x75,600
01/10 - Sun.: ¥173,710,000 ($1.7 million) / 104,400
01/11 - Mon.: ¥132,804,950 ($1.3 million) / x84,300 *Holiday*
01/12 - Tues.: ¥x40,000,000 ($0.4 million) / x25,000
01/13 - Wed.: ¥x45,000,000 ($0.4 million) / x30,000
01/14 - Thur.: ¥x45,000,000 ($0.4 million) / x25,000
01/15 - Fri.: ¥x50,000,000 ($0.5 million) / x30,000
01/16 - Sat.: ¥x95,550,000 ($0.9 million) / x57,810
01/17 - Sun.: ¥107,750,000 ($1.0 million) / x65,190
01/18 - Mon.: ¥x40,000,000 ($0.4 million) / x23,000
01/19 - Tues.: ¥x35,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x20,000
01/20 - Wed.: ¥x40,000,000 ($0.4 million) / x27,000
01/21 - Thur.: ¥x35,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x20,000
01/22 - Fri.: ¥x40,000,000 ($0.4 million) / x25,000
01/23 - Sat.: ¥x87,960,400 ($0.8 million) / x53,648
01/24 - Sun.: ¥x95,673,000 ($0.9 million) / x58,352
01/25 - Mon.: ¥x33,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x21,000
01/26 - Tues.: ¥x29,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x18,000
01/27 - Wed.: ¥x38,000,000 ($0.4 million) / x26,000
01/28 - Thur.: ¥x30,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x19,000
01/29 - Fri.: ¥x35,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x21,000
01/30 - Sat.: ¥x78,544,500 ($0.7 million) / x48,829
01/31 - Sun.: ¥x90,219,600 ($0.9 million) / x56,171
02/01 - Mon.: ¥x36,000,000 ($0.4 million) / x28,000 *Discount Day*
02/02 - Tues.: ¥x27,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x16,000
02/03 - Wed.: ¥x34,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x24,000
02/04 - Thur.: ¥x27,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x16,000
02/05 - Fri.: ¥x28,000,000 ($0.3 million) / x17,000
02/06 - Sat.: ¥x67,883,790 ($0.6 million) / x42,974
02/07 - Sun.: ¥x77,443,410 ($0.7 million) / x49,026
02/08 - Mon.: ¥x25,000,000 ($0.24 million) / x16,000
02/09 - Tues.: ¥x23,000,000 ($0.22 million) / x14,000
02/10 - Wed.: ¥x35,000,000 ($0.34 million) / x25,000
02/11 - Thur.: ¥x75,000,000 ($0.72 million) / x47,000 *Holiday*
02/12 - Fri.: ¥x32,000,000 ($0.31 million) / x20,000
02/13 - Sat.: ¥x54,533,337 ($0.52 million) / x34,746
02/14 - Sun.: ¥x66,316,163 ($0.63 million) / x42,254
02/15 - Mon.: ¥x27,000,000 ($0.26 million) / x17,000
02/16 - Tues.: ¥x25,000,000 ($0.24 million) / x16,000
02/17 - Wed.: ¥x33,000,000 ($0.31 million) / x23,000
02/18 - Thur.: ¥x24,000,000 ($0.23 million) / x15,000
02/19 - Fri.: ¥x28,000,000 ($0.27 million) / x17,000
02/20 - Sat.: ¥x73,694,892 ($0.69 million) / x46,455
02/21 - Sun.: ¥x77,010,408 ($0.73 million) / x48,545
02/22 - Mon.: ¥x41,000,000 ($0.39 million) / x27,000 *Pre-Holiday Boosted est.*
02/23 - Tues.: ¥x87,000,000 ($0.83 million) / x55,000 *Holiday est.*

131-Day Cumulative Total: ¥37,904,680,150 ($362.90 million) / 27,535,040 Admissions

Note: Mon.-Fri. are rounded estimates (excluding Holiday Mondays), therefore adding up each day won't equal the actual total.

Big, big number from Tuesday's holiday (Emperor's Birthday). In fact, it's the biggest single day it's had for all of February! And it's almost its biggest single day in the last 30 days (since Jan. 24th).

Corpse was there a chart for most weekends at Top 5? I wonder how high it will be on that chart because by this time Your Name wasn't in Top 5 if I remember correctly.

Also looking very likely that DS will beat Your Name's Top 10 records.

Here you go.

I added the consecutive weeks in the top 5 in parentheses for this chart.

Most Overall Weeks in the Top 5 (1997-)

38 (36-Consecutive & 1 from 2012 3D re-release) - Titanic (1997)
30 (24-Consecutive & 6 from 2020 re-release) - Spirited Away (2001)*
25 (19-Consecutive & 6 from 2020 re-release) - Princess Mononoke (1997)*
23 (23-Consecutive) - Parasite (2020)**
23 (16-Consecutive & 1 from 2020 re-release) - Your Name. (2016)*
19 (19-Consecutive) - Demon Slayer: Mugen Train (2020) [Ongoing]
18 (18-Consecutive) - Frozen (2014)
18 (18-Consecutive) - Armageddon (1998)
16 (16-Consecutive) - Avatar (2009)
16 (16-Consecutive) - Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
16 (16-Consecutive) - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
15 (11-Consecutive) - Weathering With You (2019)
15 (15-Consecutive) - Deep Impact (1998)
14 (13-Consecutive) - Bayside Shakedown (1998)
13 (13-Consecutive) - Not Quite Dead (2020)**
13 (13-Consecutive) - The Last Samurai (2003)
13 (13-Consecutive) - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
13 (13-Consecutive) - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
13 (13-Consecutive) - The Matrix (1999)
12 (12-Consecutive) - Zootopia (2016)
12 (12-Consecutive) - Big Hero 6 (2014)
12 (12-Consecutive) - The Eternal Zero (2013)
12 (12-Consecutive) - The Wind Rises (2013)
12 (12-Consecutive) - Finding Nemo (2003)
12 (12-Consecutive) - Bayside Shakedown: Save the Rainbow Bridge! (2003)
12+

*:Re-released during spring/summer 2020 in response to Covid-19.
**: Run in the top 10 bolstered by spring/summer 2020 delays in response to Covid-19.

Great thanks again. I remember that by this time Your Name was barely hanging inside Top 5 mainly because of the strength of overall box office and went up and down even though it saw increases over weekends.

Well, Your Name. is pretty unique. It spent 16 straight weeks in the top 5 before it fell outside the top 5 for the following 6 weeks. But it then returned to #1 (not just resurfacing back in the top 5) and went on to achieve 6 more weeks in the top 5.

This sets it apart from pretty much every other top performing film, since returning to the top 5 is pretty rare, and if it happens, it's usually just for one or two more weeks right after falling out (let along rising back to #1 over a month later and staying in the top 5 for another 6 weeks).

It was doing crazy numbers that were just below Spirited Away and Frozen up until week 19/20, but it blows both their runs out of the water after week 20. Unless Titanic holds any weekend records from week 20 onward (we don't know its weekend numbers), Your Name. holds every weekend record from week 19 onward.

That's true YN returning to #1 was pretty amazing!

Hmmmmmmmm. It's an interesting question, but I do think it's still very much in question. While Kimetsu seems to smash all the records all the time whenever it pleases, I have a suspicion this one is an uphill climb. The DVD/BD market in Japan has been dropping off a cliff for years, and anime is no longer immune.

While TV series sales != film sales, it's worth noting that Kimetsu wasn't even the series with the highest average disc sales in 2019. Even if we discount Manaria Friends for only being 2 volumes and boosted by Granblue Fantasy mobage codes and give Kimetsu #1 in 2019 (I don't recommend this approach, but for the sake of argument), its 28k average nets it only 46th place for TV series in the Oricon era (~2000 to present). It will rise a little further, but I think 35th place (32k avg) is its likely upper limit. Maybe the high 20s (35k avg for 29th) if the discs get a ton of new life with S2 or the film BD release, and if they don't release a box set and stop single volume production. Even 35k would be less than 1/2 of what the top two series averaged (Bakemonogatari 79k and Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica 71k). In other words, Kimetsu may not be the kind of series that necessarily converts a huge portion of its fanbase into video disc buyers. At least it hasn't been thus far.

To my knowledge (possibly incomplete since I only track film disc sales sparingly), by far the highest opening week and total disc sales for an anime in the last decade was Kimi no Na wa. It sold 638k in its first week and 905k total back in 2017. Tenki no Ko in 2020 managed 138k first week and 210k lifetime, which is 23% of its spiritual predecessor's disc sales despite having 56% of its box office gross.

If we extend this out to western mainstream animated films, we have Frozen in 2014 opening at ~1.5m and reaching ~2.5m lifetime, while Frozen II from 2020 opened at 258k and is currently ~380k lifetime. That's 15% of the disc sales on 52% of the box office gross. (I only track anime so numbers for these are less accurate, but the ballpark won't change.)

Kimetsu isn't a sequel to another film so sequel drop-off won't apply a la Frozen. And there's very little correlation between box office gross and video disc sales so there's a huge range of possible outcomes. But what I'm just trying to show is that the disc market has contracted while the box office has not (at least, pre-Covid). Frozen II's disc numbers are nothing compared to the original even on a proportional basis, and that's not just sequel fatigue.

To be perfectly honest, if Kimetsu opens at or below 500k week one, I will not be terribly shocked. I wouldn't bet a lot of money on it, nor confidently declare it a >50% possibility, but it's actually far more plausible than the franchise's performance in every other medium may suggest. Personally I might put higher odds on it beating KnNw's opening weekend, since the market was already in major decline in 2017 when it broke 600k opening week, but I don't know if the market can sustain totally crushing its opening, let alone crossing two million.

--

There is one way I could perhaps see truly historic numbers happening, though - including the perfect exclusive pack-in bonus. What they probably want do is put exclusive print material in the BDs. Something relatively significant too, like a new story epilogue, if the plot allowed for it (I know nothing about the series itself). You might convince seven figures worth of people to drop $50-120 on a disc that way. (Exclusives are a double-edged sword though, because you might have made even more money selling them separately. Aniplex/Sony would probably have to give Shueisha a cut/a bigger cut of video disc sales to make it worth Shueisha's time to not just release such a thing themselves.) Maybe throw in a ticket lottery for a big Kimetsu live event. Maybe even extend a fight scene or add new scenes not seen in theaters. Perhaps even launch it with an unexpectedly low MSRP (low for anime being, like, ¥4k+/$40), at least for the regular edition. There are ways to dope up the appeal of a disc release, and doing so is almost required to see really big DVD/BD numbers these days.

Of course, Kimetsu is also the only film connected to a late-night anime franchise that has put up box office numbers like this, being about 13-14x bigger than second place's box office (7x if we include Eva, which was technically not a modern-style late night anime). So yes, maybe literally all bets are off and the realities and expectations of the physical video disc market simply do not apply to Kimetsu. That's... definitely not something I can rule out, after seeing everything else it's done.

But it'd be an even more impressive and unlikely feat than its box office gross, in my opinion. It may depend, above all else, on what types of people end up buying it. If the demographics of its consumers are more akin to Kimi no Na wa, then there's no chance. If they're more like the people buying big Ghibli and Disney blockbusters, which are seemingly required purchases by all parents for their children... then maybe!

(Especially since for it to get the true #1 spot it'd need to top Sen to Chihiro's, like, ~4.2m or whatever insane number it managed, not just Frozen's 2.5m.)

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Edit: Found an old post from back in 2017 where I did some digging into the available numbers, including VHS, for the top 10 all-time best-selling anime video releases:

01. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi [4.2 million]
02. Tonari no Totoro [1.9 million]
03. Mononoke-hime [1.5 million]
04. Howl no Ugoku Shiro [1.4 million]
05. Tenkuu no Shiro Laputa [1.1 million]
06. Kaze no Tani no Naussica [987 thousand]
07. Gake no Ue no Ponyo [945 thousand]
08. Evangelion 2.22 [839 thousand]
09. Majo no Takkyuubin [836 thousand]
10. Kimi no Na wa [797,840 week 5] [see notes]

In other words, the most recent anime to break 1 million lifetime home video sales was Howl no Ugoku Shiro in 2004. 17 years ago! Or possibly Ponyo by now, but that'd still be 13 years ago.

Note 1: This was back when Kimi no Na wa was only out for a few weeks. Right now it'd be #8 with 905k, as I don't imagine Majo has pulled in an additional 70k since then. Kimetsu may get on this list but the gap between #1 and the rest is kinda... monumental.

Note 2: All of the Ghibli totals would be marginally higher now as their DVD re-releases continue to rank basically all the time, but we're not talking about significant changes in the totals or ranking.

Note 3: The above numbers include re-releases for the Ghibli films. Typically we only compare first release to first release, but for older releases the front-loading of home video sales that is the norm now simply wasn’t as much of a thing. A lot of the Ghibli films racked up a ton of sales in early/mid 00s DVD re-releases. Almost 800k of Laputa’s known total is from a 2002 DVD re-release for example, eclipsing whatever VHS/LD sales it got in the 80s and 90s.

I'm pretty sure that, by and large, the only non-anime films that would rank in the top 10 if this were expanded beyond anime to every home video release would be a handful of Disney/Pixar films like Frozen 1, Finding Nemo, and Monsters Inc. I am not aware of any live-action films with massive video sales but I also don't research those, so, shrug. Maaaybe some super super huge concert discs have at some point broken into the 800k+ club as well? Not sure.

I think Demon Slayer has a good chance of breaking the Titanic records because there is not too much Hollywood competition, and if he can maintain himself and stay on top until the summer anything is possible.

Only 10% drop today is great after an amazing vacation day. Maybe Demon Slayer will eventually overtake Spirited Away from the 20th weekend and later Your name. ¥38Bn will be passed by Saturday and the $370M and 28 million admissions will come not long after.

Corpse do you think we could see an increase again this weekend?

And what seems to be locked right now ? $375M / ¥39Bn / 28M-29M admissions ?

It would be unbelievable if it exceeded 30 million entries and $400M (the final target) but it seems difficult. We will see how it evolves, in any case Demon Slayer not only broke the old records of Spirited Away, he will have pulverized them with about 5 million entries and ¥10Bn ($100M) in addition. And that will never have happened again. Never.

I wouldn't count on another increase this weekend. Pretty sure it increased last week since it was the first weekend following the Season 2 announcement.

¥39 billion (~$375 million) and 28 million+ admissions is locked. But as I've mentioned a couple times recently, nothing is suggesting a total below ¥40 billion (~$385 million) and 29 million+ admissions right now, it'll just take several more months.

somekindofthing: Thank you for the very detailed post about home video sales and the sales information as well.

I think it's a near certainty that a limited-print item of some kind will be included with the home video release. We saw how much the giveaways at the box office back in November and December boosted those weekends, and they'd be silly not to include a limited item with the home video release.

And what largely separate it from every other film or franchise before it is just how large and diverse the fanbase is. It's managed to draw in elementary aged children all the way up to 80/90-year-old great grandparents. There isn't a demographic the franchise hasn't touched. In this way, you could make comparisons to older Ghibli films that were multi-generational in their appeal.

Yeah the "limited edition" version of an anime release is typically the default version of the release (and almost never actually limited in numbers) so it'll definitely get *something*. There will be a >¥10k edition with a bunch of bonuses.

But it has to be more than, say, some postcards, a reversible cover, and a collection of commercials/trailers. It has to be something that people want more than the disc itself. Convincing fans to drop another ¥1,000 or so to see the film again in theaters to get a poster is one thing, convincing them to drop ¥8,000 on a video disc, something many people typically never anymore, is a higher bar to clear. So they really need to go all-out if they want to to juice up the disc sales to counteract that. I do expect they will try, of course!


The admissions numbers certainly speak to the unparalleled breadth of its appeal. But the demographics of film-goers will differ from the demographics of DVD/BD buyers. Those great grandparents are very unlikely to purchase up a BD for their personal use.

A lot comes down to how cleverly and successfully they market it. The 20-30 somethings who buy the decreasing amount of discs the video disc industry still manages to sell will show up, but there's a pretty low ceiling on what they can accomplish. Maybe a couple hundred thousand.

But if this becomes The Thing that all parents absolutely must buy for their children, then the ceiling starts to skyrocket. Kids and teenagers are gonna be the key. If you make them desperately want it (as opposed to them just being satisfied with toys and manga and posters and t-shirts and such), and their parents don't object, then you've got a recipe for millions of sales. And, of course, if you can include bonuses that tap into their desire for those toys and manga and etc etc, rather than rely primarily on drumming up interest in weird, archaic plastic video discs that increasingly few people care about.

As someone who has followed anime disc sales for like 13 years now I'm pretty interested to see how far it can go. For it to come even close to Sen to Chihiro would be a completely unparalled feat in home video history, whether we look at it as a late-night anime or as a mainstream shounen manga title, neither of which have ever produced even 1m sellers. Exponentially so if it can accomplish this in a rapidly dying market.

Biggest year ever for the manga industry (since data began in 1978). I knew 2020 was Shueisha's biggest year ever--they sold (sold, not shipped) something like 140/150 million PHYSICAL books--and suspected it could be the true for the whole industry as well, but still an absolute incredible achievement.

And 2021 might be even bigger! Not for Demon Slayer, since it ended last year (still selling very well though, over 21 million for the year already), but overall manga sales right now are currently outpacing 2020's at the same point in time.