It seems that award-winning animator-director, Hayao Miyazaki, who is behind some of the best Japanese animated films including “Spirited Away,” “Howl’s Moving Castle,” and “My Neighbor Totoro,” acknowledges the growing success of “Kimetsu no Yaiba: Demon Slayer” not only in the country but around the world.
Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki recounted a conversation he had with Miyazaki about the anime on Fuji TV’s “Bokura no Jidai” show.
“So [Miyazaki] says to me, ‘It seems like Kimetsu is a big hit.’ I haven’t actually seen the anime, or read the manga it’s based on, but I’ve heard about it from other people, so I gave him [Miyazaki] a basic overview of it, and he said [nodding solemnly], ‘Yeah, an anime like that’ll be a success’,” Suzuki said.
He then quoted Miyazaki as saying, “‘Well, you know, to me, Demon Slayer is my rival’.”
“Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie — Mugen Train” dethroned Studio Ghibli’s “Spirited Away’s” 19-year streak as the highest-grossing film of all time in Japan when it premiered in 2020. The series is also currently one of the best-selling manga of all time and has received critical acclaim over the years.
It’s worth noting, however, that Miyazaki didn’t seem to say what he said with malice and does not harbor any ill feelings towards the popular franchise. See the video interview below:
(ALSO READ: “Demon Slayer” Dethrones “Spirited Away” as Japan’s No. 1 Movie of All Time)
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