Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. The movie, which has brought in millions at the global box office, is only a small part of what Sony sees as a much larger and long-term plan for its anime division. According to the company, this phase of its anime business is like being in the early days between the launch of the PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2, a period that was full of rapid growth, experimentation, and industry-shaping changes.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has proven to be a cultural and commercial powerhouse. Fans around the world have shown up in huge numbers, praising its high-quality animation, emotional storytelling, and intense fight sequences. Sony, which owns anime giant Crunchyroll and has deep ties to Japanese studios, has benefited greatly from this success. However, instead of viewing it as a peak moment, Sony sees it as just one milestone in a much bigger journey.
When the PlayStation 1 came out in the mid-90s, it marked Sony’s bold entry into gaming. The PS2 era that followed brought even greater popularity, changing the way people thought about video games. Sony is now applying the same long-term vision to anime. The company believes that what we are seeing now is only the beginning of a much larger transformation, where anime becomes an even bigger part of global entertainment.
Demon Slayer Franchise (Credits: Koyoharu Gotouge)
Sony Says Anime Division Still in Early Stage Despite Demon Slayer’s Huge Success
Sony’s strategy involves both producing and distributing anime content on a massive scale. Crunchyroll has already become the go-to streaming service for anime fans, hosting thousands of titles and simulcasting new episodes directly from Japan. This reach allows Sony to not only share popular shows worldwide but also promote original productions and work closely with Japanese studios to bring unique projects to life.
Demon Slayer ’s success has also shown that anime films can stand alongside major Hollywood blockbusters. In some markets, Infinity Castle has even outperformed big-name Western releases, proving that anime is no longer a niche interest but a global force in entertainment. Sony wants to build on this momentum by investing in more high-quality anime productions that can capture worldwide attention.
The company’s leadership believes that Western audiences are more open to anime than ever before. With its mix of imaginative worlds, emotional depth, and intense action, anime offers something fresh compared to many formulaic Hollywood productions. This shift in audience preference is giving Sony a unique opportunity to position itself as the main bridge between Japanese creators and international fans.
But Sony’s goals aren’t just about streaming and cinema. The company plans to expand its anime presence into merchandise, live events, video games, and interactive experiences. Just as PlayStation grew beyond being just a gaming console, Sony wants its anime business to become a multi-platform powerhouse.
Sony Compares Anime Growth to PS1-to-PS2 Era, Plans Major Expansion
Industry experts say that the comparison to the PS1 and PS2 era suggests Sony is prepared for years of steady growth. Back then, Sony built its gaming empire through strong partnerships, exclusive content, and global marketing. In anime, this could mean more collaborations with top creators, more investments in technology to improve animation quality, and more aggressive promotion in new markets.
Demon Slayer Franchise (Credits: Koyoharu Gotouge)
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle may be the hit of the moment, but Sony is playing the long game. The company sees anime not just as a profitable trend but as a core pillar of its future entertainment empire. If this strategy works, the current wave of anime popularity could be just the beginning of a much bigger global phenomenon, one that could redefine how audiences around the world experience Japanese storytelling.
With Sony’s resources, global influence, and experience in building entertainment empires, the anime industry may be entering a new golden age. If the PS1 and PS2 era is anything to go by, what’s coming next could be even more revolutionary than what we’ve seen so far.
Set during Japan’s Taishō era, Demon Slayer follows Tanjiro Kamado, whose family is killed by demons and whose sister Nezuko becomes one. To avenge his family and find a cure, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps alongside allies Zenitsu and Inosuke, battling demons with unique “Breathing”-based swordsmanship. The series intensifies through televised seasons and films like Mugen Train, adapting arcs through Swordsmith Village and Hashira Training, leading up to the final Infinity Castle arc.
Shinichiro Watanabe, the well-known creator behind the legendary anime Cowboy Bebop, has shared some surprising thoughts about his latest project, Lazarus. The new anime, which has strong financial backing from American producers, might seem like a dream project from the outside.
With more money on the table, many people would assume production would run smoothly and with fewer limitations. However, Watanabe has explained that in reality, the higher budget brought more problems rather than solving them.
Lazarus is a high-profile anime project with ambitious goals. It features cutting-edge animation, a unique blend of science fiction and action, and a creative team made up of both Japanese and international talent.
Given Watanabe’s reputation for delivering stylish and memorable works, expectations for Lazarus have been very high. Yet during recent discussions about the production process, he admitted that working with a bigger budget and overseas investors created more difficulties than anticipated.
According to Watanabe, one of the main challenges came from the extra oversight and approval steps that came with American funding. Because the investors wanted to make sure their money was being used effectively, they imposed additional layers of management and decision-making. This slowed down the creative process and added pressure to meet different expectations from various sides. Watanabe explained that these outside opinions sometimes clashed with his vision for the series, forcing compromises that wouldn’t have been necessary on a smaller project.
Cowboy Bebop Franchise (Credits: Shinichirō Watanabe)
Cowboy Bebop Creator Says Bigger Budget Made Lazarus Anime Harder to Make
Another unexpected issue was the complexity of communication between international teams. While global collaboration can bring fresh ideas, it also means dealing with time zone differences, language barriers, and cultural misunderstandings.
For Lazarus, these problems were made worse by the fact that there were more stakeholders than usual. With so many voices in the room, the decision-making process became slower and more complicated. Watanabe noted that this sometimes made it difficult to keep the production on schedule and maintain the original creative direction.
He also pointed out that while a larger budget allows for more ambitious animation and action sequences, it can lead to overcomplication. When money is less of a limiting factor, teams may feel tempted to push for bigger, flashier scenes, even if they take longer to produce and don’t necessarily improve the storytelling.
Watanabe stressed that creative restraint is important and that too much freedom can sometimes harm the focus of a project.
Lazarus is still one of the most anticipated anime releases in recent years, partly because of Watanabe’s strong track record and partly because of the unique combination of talent involved. The series is set in a near-future world filled with mystery, intense action, and philosophical themes, much like Watanabe’s earlier works. Its style, pacing, and tone are expected to carry his signature touch, even if the production process has been more challenging than usual.
Shinichiro Watanabe Shares How High Funding Created Unexpected Problems for Lazarus
Despite these difficulties, Watanabe remains committed to delivering a finished product that lives up to both his vision and the fans’ expectations. He acknowledged that the road to completing Lazarus has been rough, but he also suggested that overcoming these challenges has pushed him and his team to find creative solutions.
Even though the extra funding made things more complicated, it also gave the team access to better technology, more staff, and higher-quality resources than they might have had otherwise.
Fans of Cowboy Bebop , Samurai Champloo, and Watanabe’s other works are eager to see how these behind-the-scenes struggles will shape the final version of Lazarus. Some are curious if the issues caused by the high budget will be visible in the finished anime, or if the team will manage to turn those problems into strengths.
Lazarus Franchise (Credits: Warner Bros)
For many, Watanabe’s honesty about the difficulties is refreshing, as it gives a rare look into the realities of modern anime production.
While no exact release date for Lazarus has been confirmed yet, the project continues to generate excitement. Watanabe’s involvement alone is enough to draw attention, but the mix of international collaboration, ambitious visuals, and thought-provoking storytelling is likely to make it a standout title when it finally premieres.
Whether the high budget will ultimately be seen as a blessing or a curse remains to be seen, but one thing is certain, Lazarus will be one of the most closely watched anime of its release year.
