Summary
Key takeaways: Anime films have become incredibly popular worldwide, outselling traditional Hollywood films in ticket sales, even though they’re not always released by big-name studios. Movies such as “Weather With You,” “Jujutsu Kaizen 0,” and “Ponyo” were huge box office hits, garnering millions of dollars in acclaim. Top-grossing anime films include works by famous directors such as Makoto Shinkai and Hayao Miyazaki.
Anime has proven to be one of the most popular formats in theaters, with top-grossing anime films sometimes even surpassing traditional Hollywood films. While movies like One Piece: Red and Demon Slayer: Mugen Train aren’t primarily released by big-name studios like Warner Bros. or Universal, they can still receive impressive ticket sales that make them popular worldwide.
This list looks at the ten highest-grossing anime films. To keep things simple, only international box office grosses translated into US dollars are considered. There are bound to be plenty of surprises in store as some of the most popular properties haven’t cracked today’s top 10 properties, but all are based on current numbers without adjusting for inflation.
10 Weather with you – 193 million dollars
Created by Makoto Shinkai and CoMix Wave Films
Makoto Shinkai’s 2016 hit film Your Name, Making the Weather With You, has received rave reviews from both critics and fans worldwide. The sweet love story about a girl who can control the weather easily translated to an impressive $193.7 million at the box office worldwide, winning Japan’s 2020 Oscar for best animation of the year. . It was an excellent follow-up to Shinkai’s most popular film and established him as a must-see director on the big screen.
Now look at a higher level
9 Jujutsu Kaizen 0 – $196.3 million
Created by MAPPA and based on the manga Bege Akutami
This popular Jujutsu Kaisen series takes the next spot in the worldwide gross with $196.3 million. What’s surprising is that if they had gone ahead with their original plan to make this movie a sequel, it wouldn’t have ended up on this list. Instead, the decision to make Jujutsu Kaizen 0 into a movie left fans eager to see the ever-expanding world of witches and cursed spirits that made the manga and anime adaptation so popular on the big screen.
Watch now on Crunchyroll
8 Recovery – 204.8 million dollars
Created by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli
Ponyo, the first of a handful of Studio Ghibli films to become the highest-grossing anime, comes in at an impressive $204.8 million worldwide. This loose adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid has developed a cult following over the years, with some declaring it director Haya Miyazaki’s most underrated film. It’s a sweet little story that has clearly touched the hearts of millions as you see it loved to this day in re-releases every year as part of Gibby Fest. Ponyo has surpassed some of Ghibli’s most popular films, including Kiki’s Delivery Service and Princess Mononoke.
Now look at a higher level
7 Howell’s Moving Castle – $237.5 million
Created by Studio Ghibli and based on the novel by Diana Wayne Jones
Setting Ghibli’s train in motion is the haunting 2004 film Howl’s Moving Castle. This story of a woman cursed by a witch who becomes infatuated with a local wizard is said to be one of the most beloved fantasy films of all time. Howl’s Moving Castle was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, losing to Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Still, it has rightfully earned its place in history as fans flocked to theaters to give it a $237.5 million gross. The characters and story are rich, and the film’s layered storyline makes it a pleasure to watch multiple times.
Now look at a higher level
6 One Piece: Red – $246.6 million
Created by Toei Animation and based on the manga by Eiichiro Oda
Perhaps the most talked about 2022 film for anime fans, One Piece: Red dominated the global box office with a whopping $246.6 million. This musical action-adventure drew some impressive numbers while pushing the American One Piece story forward and being a refreshing entry that stayed true to the spirit of the series. It easily surpasses all other films in the franchise, breaking records for other anime films that came before it. Although it didn’t break the biggest box office gross, it was still an impressive feat for Luffy and his pirate crew with their latest big screen adventure.
Watch now on Crunchyroll
5 The First Slam Dunk – $258.6 million
Created by Toei Animation and based on the manga by Tahiko Inoue
First Slam Dunk might be a shockingly high-grossing anime for Western fans. The film is a sports anime film based on a 90s manga, created by Tahiko Inoue, who will direct the film. This sports story won Best Animation of the Year at Japan’s Academy Awards and won numerous awards around the world. It currently sits at $258.6 million worldwide, but that number will continue to grow as it has yet to be released in the US or Canada. If word of mouth continues to spread, it could continue to rise and become one of the greatest anime films of all time.
4 Suzume – 322.5 million dollars
Created by Makoto Shinkai and CoMix Wave Films
Director Makoto Shinkai returns to the list with his latest film, Suzume, completely dominating the box office. This tale follows a young girl who happens upon a mysterious boy in Japan whose job it is to close the gates of the supernatural by solving natural disasters. It is a love letter to the land of Japan and its beautiful, but sometimes cruel, nature. Suzume’s current box office total of $322.5 million is well-deserved, with the film receiving much praise from critics and audiences alike for its impressive theatrical run as One Piece: Red.
Suzume will be available on Crunchyroll on November 18th!
3 Your name – 382.2 million dollars
Created by Makoto Shinkai and CoMix Wave Films
Your name on this list makes Makoto Shinkai the next big Japanese director after Hayao Miyazaki. His films have found ways to reach a large audience with his narrow themes and beautiful filmmaking. Your Name is arguably his best film, grossing $382.2 million worldwide. This sci-fi body swap story was so well received that it has become an all-time classic and highly recommended anime film for anyone looking to get started in the medium. The character work, writing, and amazing ending make it one of the best stories out there.
Watch now on Crunchyroll
2 Spirited Away – $395.6 million
Created by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli
Unsurprisingly, hailed as Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece, Holy Spirit Away has been one of the highest-grossing anime films since its debut in 2003. A strange spiritual world beautifully explored by its characters. However, the film’s $395.6 million worldwide box office, which saw Miyazaki take home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, owes much to the Academy Awards. This put the film on the map and made it a must-see for movie fans as it continued its theatrical run. It continues to make money to this day and was a highlight of the annual Ghibli Festival to accompany this year’s theatrical release of Spirited Away: Live.
Now look at a higher level
1 Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train – $507.1 million
Created by Ufotable and based on the manga created by Koyoharu Gotuj
After more than 17 years, Spirited Away finally dethroned as the highest-grossing anime movie of all time with the release of the first Demon Slayer movie in October 2020. This anime series has gathered fans all over the world. That same year, Covid-19 closed many theaters for an even more significant event. The Mugen Train has featured several films released prior to Inclusive Detention, including Bad Boys for Life and Sonic the Hedgehog. Also beating Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. It’s an incredible feat that has yet to be added, and it will likely be a long time before any anime movie hits it.
Looking at this list, it’s surprising to see that popular franchises like Pokemon or Dragon Ball never cracked the top 10 given how popular their respective movies were when they were released. However, that says a lot about the anime’s current state. The medium has grown in popularity over the decades to the point where it has become a strong box office contender. It’s amazing to see how far anime has come as a top contender to become one of the top-grossing mediums in the entertainment world. High-grossing anime movies are amazing examples of the medium’s potential!