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Anime shows no sign of relenting in its continued onslaught on pop culture. Just weeks after Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle set box office records on fire, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has come to continue that trend. While it hasn’t become quite the same box office juggernaut as Demon Slayer, the people who made the Chainsaw Man movie are keenly aware of how important this moment is for anime.

While talking to Crunchyroll at New York Comic Con 2025, MAPPA President Manabu Otsuka discussed how the international market for anime is rapidly changing and what it means for the Chainsaw Man movie. The studio is certainly aware of how Japanese animation is having a moment in 2025 and is eager to tap into it. “We truly value and are deeply grateful to our fans in Japan, but one of our biggest challenges was figuring out how to share this work with audiences around the world. With the international success of titles like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, we feel this is a crucial time for Japanese animation as a whole.”

“I believe how this film reaches people across the globe will be connected to the future of Japanese anime,” Otsuka continued. “As we continue our promotional efforts with a strong sense of responsibility, we hope to spark excitement and passion among audiences worldwide.”

Since that interview, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has gone to gross over $150 million worldwide, with over $18 million in its opening weekend in the US, so there is definitely something to the MAPPA President’s statement. Anime is having a moment around the world, and it isn’t confined to just Demon Slayer.

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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