Anime has stormed into the global stage in the past few decades, establishing itself as an entertainment powerhouse that captivates millions of viewers worldwide. With the increasing popularity of anime, it has become common to see anime movies screened in theaters outside of japan, much to the delight of fans worldwide.
From the enchanting creations of studio ghibli to the adrenaline-pumping shonen blockbusters, anime movies consistently dominate the box office year after year. These highest-grossing anime films have achieved legendary status, attracting both new viewers and dedicated fans alike. They have become cinematic classics that leave a lasting impression on audiences.
In this list of the top 10 highest-grossing anime movies of all time, we’ll explore the phenomenal success and enduring appeal of these animated masterpieces. Prepare to be amazed as we reveal the incredible financial milestones achieved by these films, surpassing expectations and breaking records along the way.
Top 10 Highest Grossing Anime Movies Of All Time (2023)
| Rank | Movie | Total Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train | $507,127,293 |
| 2 | Spirited Away | $395,580,000 |
| 3 | Your Name | $382,238,181 |
| 4 | Suzume | $319,696,958 |
| 5 | The First Slam Dunk | $258,558,390 |
| 6 | One Piece Film: Red | $246,570,000 |
| 7 | Howl’s Moving Castle | $237,536,126 |
| 8 | Ponyo | $204,826,668 |
| 9 | Jujutsu Kaisen 0 | $196,290,952 |
| 10 | Weathering With You | $193,715,360 |
This Article Include
1. Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train
Total Revenue: $507,127,293
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is a gem full of action and has made more money than any other anime movie. The film, which Ufotable animated, stayed faithful to the source material by Koyoharu Gotouge and turned everything up to eleven with a loud soundtrack and excellent CGI work. With the success of Mugen Train and Jujutsu Kaisen 0, it’s clear that fans would much rather see canon material turned into pictures than non-canon filler plots.
Killer of Demons The Movie: When it came out in the U.S. in 2021, Mugen Train was called a game-changer for anime pictures. The movie was so successful that it broke records and blew fans’ minds. The movie’s bloody fight scenes and darker tone also disproved the old idea that anime is a childish form of entertainment.
2. Spirited Away
Total Revenue: $395,580,000
Hayao miyazaki’s spirited away is the ultimate studio ghibli film. It even won the oscar for best animated feature. Even if someone hasn’t seen the movie, no-face is like a mascot for ghibli figures so that they will know the famous yokai.
Spirited away, which came out in 2001, is about what happens to chihiro after discovering she can see ghosts. Many of the spirits are scary, but hayao miyazaki has a way of showing everything through the eyes of a child’s innocence and pure curiosity, which makes every viewer miss their youth.
3. Your Name
Total Revenue: $382,238,181
Your name is a sad romantic movie directed by makoto shinkai. Taki and mitsuha, one of the best anime pairs, play the main characters. They are two high school kids who live very different lives but switch bodies and have to live the other’s life.
Your name is an excellent movie because it has a lot of exciting plot changes and focuses on the characters. It also got good reviews. Your name became an instant cult classic as soon as it came out in the late summer of 2016. It has excellent dialogue, stunning visuals, a beautiful soundtrack, and a famous director.
4. Suzume
Total Revenue: $319,696,958
Suzume, which came out in 2022, has become a worldwide sensation and one of the most popular anime films ever. It’s about a high school student named suzume iwato, who tries to save the world by closing strange, weird doors that could cause many natural disasters.
Suzume, directed by the talented and well-liked makoto shinkai, has gotten a lot of applause, especially for its marvelous art. People think that shinkai’s growth as a director is shown by the fact that the character in this movie is more grown than those in your name and weathering with you.
5. The First Slam Dunk
Total Revenue: $258,558,390
Takehiko inoue wrote and directed the 2022 japanese anime sports movie the first slam dunk. Toei animation and dandelion animation studio made it. It is based on inoue’s manga series slam dunk. On december 3, 2022, it was shown in theatres in japan.
In 2023, the japan academy prize for animation of the year went to the first slam dunk. The movie made $260 million worldwide, making it the fifth highest-grossing anime movie ever.
6. One Piece Film: Red
Total Revenue: $246,570,000
One piece film: red is one of the many pictures in the one piece series, but it is by far the most well-known. The movie came out in 2022 and quickly broke box office records for one piece and the japanese anime business, making it the fifth highest-grossing anime in history.
Uta, an international singer, and luffy’s childhood friend, is the main character of one piece film: red. She starts as a good guy but soon becomes the primary bad guy. One piece film: red is a great anime movie for both fans of the series and people who have never seen it before. It has excellent and lively song numbers and a exciting and scary story.
7. Howl’s Moving Castle
Total Revenue: $237,536,126
Howl’s moving castle, which came out in 2004, is another movie that shows how talented and intelligent hayao miyazaki is as a director. Sophie hatter is the main character in howl’s moving castle. She is forced to age a lot by a witch. She meets howl, a wizard who can break the spell and set her free.
Howl’s moving castle may look like a funny love comedy, but miyazaki put anti-war messages all over the movie as a reference to what happened in the early 2000s. But it also has ideas about accepting yourself and not romanticizing being young.
8. Ponyo
Total Revenue: $204,826,668
Even though it’s one of the most popular anime films of all time, this is considered one of miyazaki’s most underrated works. Aside from that, it’s a great example of a movie made for kids. But that also doesn’t stop the film from being fun for adults.
9. Jujutsu Kaisen 0
Total Revenue: $196,290,952
The film jujutsu kaisen 0 is an animated version of the book of the same name. The movie takes place a year before the events of jujutsu kaisen. Even though yuji, nobara, and megumi aren’t in the film, jujutsu kaisen 0 focuses on the second-year kids at tokyo jujutsu high.
Rika, an evil spirit with a certain level of vengeance, haunts yuta okkotsu. Rika is one of the darkest characters in the jujutsu kaisen series. Rika used to be a person, but she died in a terrible car crash, haunting yuta ever since. Yuta goes to tokyo jujutsu high to make up for his mistakes and learn how rika’s curse works.
10. Weathering With You
Total Revenue: $193,715,360
The famous makoto shinkai oversees the 2019 romantic movie weathering with you. It became one of shinkai’s most well-known movies because it shows everything about who he is as a director. The movie is a masterpiece from start to finish. It has a simple but beautiful art style, ethereal settings, and music that sounds like a dream.
Hodaka is the main character in weathering with you. He is a freshman in high school who runs away from home and goes to tokyo. He works all the time to make money and finally gets a job at an occult magazine. His life changes when he meets hina, a girl who can make the clouds disappear and the rain stopped.
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