The Success Of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Amidst The Pandemic Is The Revival Of The Japanese Film Industry

Stills from Demon Slayer (Instagram @aniplexusa)

JAKARTA - Cinema chains in Japan are experiencing a peak of popularity amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because the film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train is in demand by the public.

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is an adaptation of the comic of the same name by Koyoharu Gotoge. This comic was first released in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from February 2016 to May 2020.

The film tells of a boy named Tanjiro Kamado who becomes a demon exterminator. His family was killed and his younger sister, Nezuko turned into a demon. Later, Tanjiro Kamado joined the Demon Slayer Corps to fight demons.

Becomes the Second Box Office Film in Japan

On Monday, November 30, cinema chain Aniplex noted Demon Slayer: Mugen Train overtook Titanic film revenue in Japanese theaters. Demon Slayer earned US $ 264 million from 45 days from its premiere on October 16.

It is also the sixth highest grossing film in 2020 with screenings in three countries: Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Prior to Titanic, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train passed Frozen with US $ 245 million in 2014 and Your Name with US $ 240 million in 2016.

Early November, 700 people flocked to the Kyushu Railway to watch the train inspired by the film Demon Slayer: Mugen Train in operation.

Tickets for boarding the train sold out in no time. The train offers original merchandise as well as special gifts for passengers who wear traditional Japanese costumes in the Taisho era as the background of the story.

The Japanese company Bandai presents Tamagotchi and replica swords of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. There are nine Demon Slayer characters that can be found in the Tamagochi. In addition, many companies are trying to make a profit by making Demon Slayer-inspired merchandise.

Director Ghibli's response

The success of the Demon Slayer was greeted positively by the public. This film is able to provide benefits to the Japanese film industry in the midst of a pandemic that never ends.

Makoto Shinkai, the director of Your Name, gave his response via his Twitter account. He included a Demon Slayer article that broke Your Name record and wrote, “What? LOL! Even though I feel frustrated, this achievement is commonplace in the entertainment industry where records are always being broken, right? I will do my best every day so I can make a good film. "

Hayao Miyazaki, the director of Spirited Away, also responded when asked by a reporter when Miyazaki was picking up trash. Launching Soranews24, Hayao Miyazaki said, "It would be better if people don't think too much about things like box office records and focus on their work."

Hayao Miyazaki admits he hasn't watched Demon Slayer because he doesn't like watching it. Not a few Studio Ghibli fans are worried that Demon Slayer will take over the record for Spirited Away, the highest box office film of all time in Japan.

“Things like that (box office records) are not something to worry about. Inflation will always exist in the world .. "

Negative Effects of Demon Slayer Success

Apart from the positive news, the obsession with Demon Slayer also had a negative impact. In Taiwan, a man posted a story on his Facebook account because he broke up with his girlfriend after she threw away all of Nezuko, the Demon Slayer character he has.

Not only that, his lover burned his Demon Slayer poster. Quoting Comic Book, the man had not had the chance to watch Demon Slayer in Taiwanese theaters, so he collected Nezuko figures to entertain him.

The man chooses to take the legal route if the ex does not compensate for all the Nezuko figures he threw away. Another case with a 35 year old man in Kyoto who was arrested for unwrapping a Demon Slayer key chain in a shop until he found his favorite character without paying for it.

Why is the Demon Slayer So Popular?

What makes Demon Slayer: Mugen Train so popular in Japan? According to anime critic Ryota Fujitsu to Mainichi, Demon Slayer has a story that is easy for both adults and children to understand.

“Tanjiro's character faces a heavy burden but he accepts it without complaining. This story is like seeing someone who experiences injustice in life but lives it strong and it becomes hope for the audience who witnesses it. "

Demon Slayer, which was adapted for the first time as a television series, is also popular, although it is broadcast at night. "Although the audience is limited (because it is broadcast at night), the series can be watched online, meaning that the series can reach all countries."

The theme song Demon Slayer was also sung by LiSa, a Japanese soloist who is being loved by the public. His participation in Demon Slayer also had a positive effect on the anime. The song, titled Gurenge, topped the Oricon and Billboard World Digital Song Sales charts.

The presence of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train seems to be entertainment for the public in the midst of a pandemic. Sales continue to increase and various items are sold massively making the popularity of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train not going out in the near future. The film will be shown in several countries next year.