As the James Gunn Era of the DC films prepares to take the box office by storm, the nigh-bygone DCEU still sputters and crawls to keep the audience engaged. The sorry state of the franchise, with its sentai/anime-inspired visuals, is best seen in the disappointing box office numbers of its latest film: Blue Beetle.
According to The Numbers, the movie ended up grossing a measly $128.6 million against its $ 120 million budget, the film barely broke even, and fell short of expectations, despite critical acclaim. However, while the 2020s have not been kind to the DCEU, it has been quite generous to anime films, even giving the community one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Here is a look at every anime in this decade that has outgrossed Xolo Maridueña movie:
1. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2022)
Ufotable knew they had a win on their hands when they began to produce Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. An instant hit and a classic in the making, the third arc of the manga was adapted as a movie instead of a standard season of the anime.
Animation aside, the character of Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, won the hearts of moviegoers, while also furthering the story of Tanjiro and his allies. With its breathtaking visuals and jaw-dropping fights, it is no wonder that such a powerful entry in an already strong franchise brought in a whopping $507 million, according to The Numbers, making it the highest-grossing anime film to come out of Japan EVER.
2. Suzume (2022)
While this is the only entry in the list that does not come from an established franchise, that doesn’t mean that it does not have a big name involved in its production. The latest presentation of the visionary director Makoto Shinkai, Suzume is a heartfelt story about a boy and girl going on an adventure unlike any other.
Makoto Shinkai is a master of his craft, who not only delivers beautifully constructed images, but also heartfelt stories that are reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki’s philosophy on love, life, and people. Without a shadow of a doubt, audiences resonate with these ideas too, allowing Suzume, according to The Numbers, to rake in a staggering $322.5 million.
Also Read: The Staggering Amount Of Money Spent Per Episode Of Your Favorite Anime, Ranked
3. The First Slam Dunk (2022)
The only film on the list that is produced completely in 3DCG, The First Slam Dunk is a surprise entry into this list. There is no doubt that Slam Dunk as a franchise is no less than Dragon Ball, but the fact that the first feature-length movie of the decade from Dragon Ball did not earn nearly as much as The First Slam Dunk did. What’s more, Dragon Ball Super Superhero was also produced in 3DCG, a move that made a lot of fans skeptical of the medium.
New technology aside, Slam Dunk presented a time-tested underdog sports story that resonated with the audience, in the shiny new package of 3DCG. There can be no doubt that this potent mix of genre and medium contributed to the film’s $ 257 million collection, according to The Numbers.
4. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (2021)
Coming off the back of the smash hit anime Jujutsu Kaisen, this film was quite a treat for fans of the franchise. Dwelling into deep lore to explore the origins of the Jujutsu Society, Spirit Demons, and everyone’s favorite white-haired mentor, Gojo Satoru, this film had something for every kind of fan.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 was produced by MAPPA, who have lately been wowing the anime community with its high-quality animation on properties like Vinland Saga, Attack on Titan, and Hell’s Paradise. The film, with the love of its fans and hype around the property it was a prequel to, grossed a whopping $196.2 million according to The Numbers
Also read: 5 Most Expensive Anime Movies Ever Made- Are They Worth Watching?
5. One Piece Film: Red (2022)
One Piece needs no introduction after its Netflix debut as a live-action series. However, the franchise has been around for a while, given that Red is One Piece‘s 15th feature-length entry.
Unlike most movies based on anime-hot properties, the plot of the film had a direct connection to the main One Piece continuity. While anime such as Dragon Ball and Naruto have non-canon, stand-alone stories in movies, Red stands out as a film that fans could not afford to miss. By the looks of its box office numbers, it seems not many did. The Numbers say that the film brought in a whopping $187 million, making it a big win for the Pirate King.
