Image: Koyoharu Gotouge / Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable
AMBot | 03/14/2026 | Reading Time: 3 Min.
The anime film "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle" won the award for Best Animated Film at the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize ceremony. The ceremony took place on March 13, 2026, at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo. The film is the first part of the "Infinity Castle" trilogy, which depicts the final battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and the supreme demon Muzan Kibutsuji. The official title of the first part is "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns".
Director Haruo Sotozaki accepted the award and thanked the team at animation studio ufotable as well as the audience: "I am truly happy. This award belongs to the entire ufotable team and everyone involved. And we also owe it to the viewers who came to the cinema and voted for us." Looking ahead to the planned sequels, he added: "A second and third part will follow, but to defeat Muzan Kibutsuji, we as a team will continue to fight alongside Tanjiro with burning hearts."
Yuichi Teraoka, responsible for cinematography, emphasized the studio's unique working method: "According to the credits, we collaborated with over 900 colleagues, and the studio has grown to over 300 staff. But I believe it's not about numbers. The passion and will we have poured into the project over a long period—that, in my opinion, is what defines working at ufotable. That we now receive such an award and so many people see our film makes me very happy. I hope that a bit of this atmosphere can be felt through it."
Alongside "Demon Slayer," the films "Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc," "100 Meters," "Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise," and "Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback" had also been awarded in the "Excellence in Animation" category. These films were also nominated for the main prize. The Japan Academy Film Prizes are considered one of the country's most important film awards.
The highly anticipated first part of the "Infinity Castle" trilogy premiered in Japanese cinemas in July 2025. Internationally, it was distributed by Crunchyroll, among others. The film continues the story of the successful anime series "Demon Slayer," which is based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge.
Director Haruo Sotozaki accepted the award and thanked the team at animation studio ufotable as well as the audience: "I am truly happy. This award belongs to the entire ufotable team and everyone involved. And we also owe it to the viewers who came to the cinema and voted for us." Looking ahead to the planned sequels, he added: "A second and third part will follow, but to defeat Muzan Kibutsuji, we as a team will continue to fight alongside Tanjiro with burning hearts."
Yuichi Teraoka, responsible for cinematography, emphasized the studio's unique working method: "According to the credits, we collaborated with over 900 colleagues, and the studio has grown to over 300 staff. But I believe it's not about numbers. The passion and will we have poured into the project over a long period—that, in my opinion, is what defines working at ufotable. That we now receive such an award and so many people see our film makes me very happy. I hope that a bit of this atmosphere can be felt through it."
Alongside "Demon Slayer," the films "Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc," "100 Meters," "Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise," and "Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback" had also been awarded in the "Excellence in Animation" category. These films were also nominated for the main prize. The Japan Academy Film Prizes are considered one of the country's most important film awards.
The highly anticipated first part of the "Infinity Castle" trilogy premiered in Japanese cinemas in July 2025. Internationally, it was distributed by Crunchyroll, among others. The film continues the story of the successful anime series "Demon Slayer," which is based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge.
This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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