The Crunchyroll Anime Awards Film of the Year Lineup
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards Film of the Year category is packed with some of the most impressive theatrical releases in recent memory. Among the standout films, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle has been a global box office sensation, raking in staggering amounts of money. Meanwhile, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc made a huge impact with its chaotic energy and sold-out hype. This year’s nominee list feels particularly bold, blending high-octane spectacle with deeply emotional storytelling, making the category unpredictable and exciting.
There are also dark horses like 100 Meters and Scarle who opted for a more subtle approach, while others faced tough competition with strong box office performances.
1. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle didn’t just dominate theaters—it bulldozed them. The Ufotable production managed to earn over $741 million globally, with projections reaching near $800 million after a massive $52.4 million surge in China. In North America alone, the film earned $136.9 million, making it the biggest U.S. haul for an international release since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Rather than adapting the manga’s final chapters into weekly episodes, Aniplex and Toho took a bold approach by releasing a theatrical trilogy. The result was a cinematic experience that felt appropriately grand. Infinity Castle plunges Tanjiro Kamado and the Demon Slayer Corps into surreal, gravity-defying carnage within Muzan Kibutsuji’s shifting fortress. Between the stunning animation and relentless emotional beats, the film even earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Film.
Audiences were completely hooked before the opening weekend, as the idea of Muzan dragging the entire Demon Slayer Corps into the chaos of the Infinity Castle felt engineered for maximum cinematic impact. The story promised non-stop emotional damage wrapped in breathtaking visuals, even making fans look forward to Part 2.
2. Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc arrived with massive expectations and still managed to exceed them. The MAPPA production earned $191.4 million worldwide, with North America contributing $43.4 million, including a powerful $18 million opening weekend debut at number one. Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll watched as Denji turned theatrical chaos into a commercial success.
Beneath the gore and flying chainsaws, the film thrives as a doomed romantic tragedy between Denji and the mysterious Reze. The movie even surpassed Jujutsu Kaisen 0 on the all-time anime box-office chart and is followed by The Rose of Versailles.
3. The Rose of Versailles
The Rose of Versailles never aimed for blockbuster dominance but still captured attention as a prestige theatrical event in Japan. The MAPPA production earned roughly $1.48 million worldwide after debuting at number nine domestically. Directed by Ai Yoshimura, the adaptation revived Riyoko Ikeda’s legendary shōjo classic with lavish visuals and a modern emotional sensibility.
At the center of the film is Lady Oscar, the aristocratic swordswoman raised as a man to guard Marie Antoinette during France’s slow descent into revolution. The film focuses on political tension, doomed loyalty, and identity crises rather than explosive action. After its limited theatrical run, Netflix brought the historical epic to global audiences, where the beautifully tragic drama gained awards-season momentum.
4. Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II — The Ashes of Rage
Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II — The Ashes of Rage never tried to chase mainstream box-office glory. The surreal horror feature earned around $660,000 globally while focusing on its hypnotic paper-texture visuals and experimental storytelling. The story follows the enigmatic Medicine Seller as he investigates a furious spirit born from the suffering of women trapped inside Edo Castle’s Ooku. Netflix later expanded the haunting supernatural mystery to international audiences, proving that this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards lineup celebrated everything from billion-dollar juggernauts to fiercely uncompromising artistic risks.
