While movie theatres the world are struggling to survive, cinemagoers in Japan are helping to smash box office records. Despite COVID-19 social distancing rules, an animated film has just seen ( far) the biggest box office weekend the history of Japan's cinemas. The movie 'Demon Slayer: Mugen Train' not only broke records Japan, it also had the biggest opening weekend any movie anywhere the world. The movie only debuted domestically in Japan but it more than doubled the previous record. Ticket sales last weekend were greater than those all other countries combined. Japanese cinemas saw 3.4 million patrons forking a whopping $44 million tickets.
The movie Demon Slayer is based a smash-hit Japanese manga - a Japanese-style comic book. The story is set early 20th-century Japan. The main protagonist is a young man who joins a group warriors to get revenge a group ghouls and demons that killed his family and cursed his sister. It is the latest a long line of anime and manga to become a phenomenon Japanese popular culture. The 22-volume manga has sold 100 million copies, making it one the most successful manga of all time. Japanologist Roland Kelts from Tokyo's Waseda University said: "This particular title cuts generations. Even people over 40, over 50, really like Demon Slayer."
