For years, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has stood as the gold standard of anime box office dominance. Its 2020 film, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, didn’t just succeed, it shattered records with an astonishing 40.75 billion yen in Japan, becoming the highest-grossing film in the country’s history. Even years later, its theatrical legacy has remained largely untouched.

But in 2026, that legacy just took a surprising hit, not from a newer global juggernaut like Jujutsu Kaisen or Chainsaw Man, but from a decades-old franchise that Western audiences often overlook: Detective Conan, also known as Case Closed. With a record-breaking theatrical rollout, according to Oricon News, its latest film has surpassed one of Demon Slayer’s most iconic achievements.

The upcoming film Detective Conan: Fallen Angel on the Highway is already making headlines before its official release on April 10, 2026. At T-Joy Yokohama, the film is scheduled for a staggering 59 screenings in a single day. That includes 50 standard showings, 8 Dolby Cinema screenings, and one midnight premiere.

This number isn’t just impressive, it’s historic. By comparison, Mugen Train had 42 screenings on its opening day at Toho Cinemas Shinjuku in 2020. Even in Tokyo, one of Japan’s busiest cinema hubs, Fallen Angel on the Highway is set for 44 screenings at Toho Cinemas Shinjuku, still surpassing Demon Slayer’s original benchmark.

The sheer scale of this rollout has drawn attention across Japan, with screening times reportedly spaced just 5 to 10 minutes apart—resembling a tightly packed train schedule. The strategy reflects enormous confidence in audience demand, effectively turning entire theaters into near-exclusive hubs for the film’s release day.

While Demon Slayer continues to dominate headlines internationally, Detective Conan has quietly built one of the most consistent box office streaks in anime history. Since its debut in 1996, the franchise has released a new movie nearly every year, maintaining a loyal and massive Japanese fanbase.

Its 2025 installment, Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback, earned approximately 14.74 billion yen (around $92.8 million USD) domestically by early 2026. While that figure falls short of Demon Slayer’s peak numbers, it still places the franchise firmly among Japan’s elite theatrical performers.

Meanwhile, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle proved the franchise’s continued dominance by grossing roughly 39.14 billion yen ($246.9 million USD) as of January 2026. Yet even with those massive totals, Detective Conan’s ability to break exhibition records shows its strength lies not just in revenue, but in sustained demand and cultural staying power.

Demon Slayer’s Replacement Is the 10/10 Shonen Anime Cartoon Network Forgot ](/zatch-bell-perfect-demon-slayer-replacement-cartoon-network/)

Zatch Bell! is a strong reminder of multiple classic shonen anime factors that help it stand the time, surprisingly perfect for Demon Slayer fans.

The contrast highlights a fascinating divide: while Demon Slayer thrives globally, Detective Conan remains a domestic powerhouse. Despite having over 1,000 anime episodes and nearly three decades of storytelling, it still hasn’t achieved the same level of recognition in North America, which is a gap that makes its latest achievement even more remarkable.

In beating Demon Slayer’s screening record, Detective Conan isn’t just setting a new milestone, it’s sending a clear message. One of anime’s most successful franchises has been hiding in plain sight, and the global audience may have underestimated it for far too long.

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Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a wildly popular anime and manga franchise created by Koyoharu Gotouge. Set in Taishō-era Japan, it follows Tanjiro Kamado as he battles demons and seeks a cure for his sister, Nezuko, who was turned into one. The franchise includes a manga, anime TV series, films, video games, and spin-offs. Known for its stunning animation and gripping storyline, Demon Slayer is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.