Demon Slayer star says anime film's success is mind-blowing

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The lead voice actor in global box office smash Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle says he's been "blown away" by the anime film's success.

Based on a 2016 manga series, the film is the first part of a trilogy that caps off the story of an enormously popular animated TV series launched in 2019.

It follows the story of teenager Tanjiro Kamado, who joins a team of demon hunters after his sister is turned into one.

Zach Aguilar, who plays Tanjiro in the English language version, tells BBC Newsbeat the success of the film shows the series has become a full-on "pop culture phenomenon".

Since its release, Infinity Castle has taken more than $600m (£447m) at the worldwide box office, putting it ahead of Mission Impossible and Fantastic Four in this year's top 10.

It hit the number one spot in its first week in Japan and the US, and was only kept off the top in the UK by Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

Zach, 27, who has lent his voice to dozens of video games and anime titles, tells Newsbeat anime "has slowly been on this track to reaching mainstream popularity".

He thinks Inifinity Castle is the title that pushed it over the line.

"I just think it's so freaking cool to have anime be this mainstream thing and Demon Slayer be the backbone of that," he says.

Rahul Purini, president of streaming service Crunchyroll, told the BBC earlier this year that anime was "one of the fastest-growing entertainment sectors" in the world.

He said it owes its popularity to the many sub-genres and styles that exist within the medium.

"What makes anime for us is that it is authentically conceived and created in Japan," he said.

"It is a very unique storytelling format, and it has not only stunning visuals, but strong characters, very unique storytelling that's set in these amazing worlds, and that's what attracts fans to these stories."

The company estimates there are 1.5 billion "anime-curious" fans around the world who are finding it easier to access popular shows as streamers such as Crunchyroll and Netflix add them to their services.

Zach says it can be a lot of pressure to portray a role such as Tanjiro, who he describes as "the hardest character" he has ever had to portray.

"I draw from my own personal hardships and pour some of that into Tanjiro," he tells Newsbeat.

"There are times when I feel like I'm physically going through that pain."

Demon Slayer is made in Japan, initially written for and recorded by Japanese actors.

Zach says that can be a challenge for those like him who provide foreign-language dubs, especially when it comes to matching animations to voices.

"If a scream is ten seconds exactly and you do ten and a half, that's too long," he says.

Voice actors rarely record with their co-stars, says Zach, so it's down to him to imagine what others are doing in a scene for his own lines to "make emotional sense".

"It is a niche skill, having that imagination," he says.

"You don't get to be on a set with all these props and things to play off, you have to really imagine that world in your head.

"If you are running through a scene you can't physically run - you have to make that scene in your head and make it natural."

Zach, whose love of anime drew him to voice acting, says he hopes the success of Infinity Castle will inspire people to dive further into what the genre has to offer.

"You've got to give anime a shot, you don't know what you're missing," he says.

"It has some of the greatest storytelling I've ever experienced."

But how much time he'll have to spend watching it himself is up for debate. He's signed up for parts two and three of the Demon Slayer trilogy.

"I cant even imagine the second and third one - it's going to be insane.

"It's only going to get bigger and bigger from here on out."

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

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Whoa, this artwork is insane! The main character's red hair and eyes are so eye-catching. I'm not even into anime that much, but this makes me want to check out the series. The colors and details are so vibrant, it's like you can feel the energy coming off the image. And lol, I just got done crushing a leg day at the gym, but this guy's intensity is on a whole other level. Anyone know what series this is from? I need to get into it, maybe it'll motivate me to hit my fitness goals harder.
 
lmao this image is straight fire!! the character in the front with the spiky red hair is giving me major anime vibes lol. the whole scene looks like it's straight out of a epic battle or something. i love the color palette, it's so warm and energetic. and what's with the glowing details on their outfit? is that some kind of magical power or tech? anyway, it's definetly caught my attention. btw, is this from demon slayer or what? the bbc news logo at the bottom is kinda random lol
 
MY. GOSH!!! Demon Slayer's success is NOT just about the anime, it's about the COSMIC ALIGNMENT of Japanese folklore and global audiences!!! It's like the entire world is RESONATING with the vibrations of Tanjiro's sword!!! I mean, have you seen the parallels between his journey and the ancient myths of $$\frac{\pi}{2}$$ radians in sacred geometry??? MIND. BLOWN.
 
I just love how vibrant and dynamic this image is (it really draws you in, doesn't it?)! The main character's expression is so intense, I find myself wondering what's happening in the scene (is he reacting to something surprising, or is he just really passionate about something?)? And the surrounding characters all seem to have their own stories going on (I'm especially curious about the blonde character - what are they looking at?). The whole atmosphere feels really energetic and fantastical (I'm getting some serious anime vibes from this). Does anyone else get the sense that this image is from a really pivotal moment in the story (or am I just overthinking it, as usual?)?
 
MY. GOSH!!! Demon Slayer's success is NOT just about the anime, it's about the HIDDEN SYMBOLISM!!! Think about it... the demons represent TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS and Tanjiro's journey is about BREAKING FREE!!! It's like, DEEP, you know?! We need more anime that TACKLES REAL ISSUES like this!!!
 
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