LayarHijau – Several Japanese films scheduled to be released in China, including Crayon Shin-chan: The Hot Kasukabe Dancers and Cells at Work!, have been announced as postponed on November 17, 2025. The delay comes amid rising political tensions between China and Japan, following statements from Japanese officials supporting military policies related to Taiwan. Beijing responded by increasing scrutiny over Japanese entertainment content in the Chinese market, sparking speculation that the film postponements are linked to the political situation.
Amid these reports, netizens speculated that the popular animated film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle (Mugen Castle) Chapter 1 could also be affected, with rumors circulating that it might be pulled from theaters starting November 20. Some cinemas have not opened ticket sales for screenings after the 19th. However, verification shows that cinemas have not received official notice regarding the film’s removal, and tickets for already scheduled screenings remain available.
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Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle – Chapter 1 recorded strong box office revenue since its first day: 117 million yuan (approximately USD 16.8 million), increasing to 147 million yuan (approximately USD 21.1 million) on the second day, though dropping to 89.89 million yuan (approximately USD 12.9 million) on the third day. Total three-day revenue, including midnight shows, reached 372 million yuan (approximately USD 53.5 million), placing it among the top five highest-grossing imported films of the year and the eighth highest-grossing Japanese film in China.
For comparison, the Hollywood film Now You See Me 3 earned 48.43 million yuan (approximately USD 6.96 million) on its first day, rising to 64.68 million yuan (approximately USD 9.3 million) on the second day, and falling to 40.52 million yuan (approximately USD 5.8 million) on the third day. Its total three-day revenue reached 153 million yuan (approximately USD 22 million), making it the third top-performing Hollywood release this year and placing it 11th among imported films.
The Chinese crime film Family at Large, starring Hu Ge, Wen Qi, Gao Ziqi, Yan Ni, Song Jia, Gao Ye, and Ou Hao, earned 8.9 million yuan (approximately USD 1.28 million) on its first day, dropping to 3.9 million yuan (approximately USD 560,000) on the second day, with a two-day total of 13.47 million yuan (approximately USD 1.94 million). This figure is far lower than the two imported films, and its final revenue is estimated at around 30 million yuan (approximately USD 4.3 million).
Despite rumors fueled by China–Japan political tensions, box office data shows that Chinese audiences remain highly interested in Japanese films. This trend underscores that Japanese films still have strong influence in the Chinese market, while local productions face stiff competition from imported releases.
