2025 might just be anime’s greatest year ever in theaters, thanks largely to the overwhelming success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. For the first time in history, two anime films have entered the top 30 highest grossing movies of the year, with Infinity Castle currently sitting in the number five spot.
Anime brought its best to theaters this year, and anime fans have proven that they will show up and support their favorite franchises. However, while everyone’s attention was fixed on the two legendary Shōnen Jump franchises, another anime movie quietly entered North American theaters and floored moviegoers, all without the anime community noticing.
Key Takeaways
- 2025’s Success: Two anime films have made history by entering the top 30 highest-grossing movies of the year.
- Underrated Film: 100 Meters is considered 2025’s most underrated anime movie.
- Box Office Performance: Despite low promotion, 100 Meters grossed $140,000 in its opening weekend.
- Diverse Audience: The film appeals to both sports fans and general audiences alike.
100 Meters Is 2025’s Most Underrated Anime Movie
Another Major Anime Movie Released This Year, and Everyone Missed It
While Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle continued its dominant run at the US box office, another anime movie landed in theaters and went relatively unnoticed, at least compared to the sort of numbers Demon Slayer was pulling in. 100 Meters is a film based on the manga by Uoto, whose Orb: On the Movements of the Earth also stunned audiences this year.
100 Meters quietly released in North America on October 10, 2025, and grossed $140,000 at the domestic box office. While the film’s returns may not look overly impressive compared to Infinity Castle‘s $134 million, it isn’t a figure to scoff at considering the lack of promotion and the source material’s smaller fan base.
The film follows the lives of Togashi and Komiya, two track and field runners who meet as kids before going their separate ways. As the film’s events continue, the cast quickly increases in size, introducing a number of other runners, all with varying skill levels and motivations. Eventually, Togashi and Komiya meet again on the track, both in very different positions than they were when they met.
100 Meters is a moving film that can be enjoyed by both non-sports fans and sports fans alike, diving into why exactly it is that these runners, despite the mental and physical toll it takes, continue to do what they do. Visually, the movie has its highs and lows, but its highs reach a level few anime productions have ever reached.
2025 Is the Year of the Anime Movie
Anime movies have changed in recent years. Aside from the biggest titles from Studio Ghibli, it was rare that an anime movie would even be screened in North American theaters. These days, thanks to anime’s ongoing boom in popularity, it’s become a far more common occurrence, and 2025 appears to be the best year anime has ever had in cinemas.
Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man stunned audiences this fall, and in-between them, 100 Meters reminded anime fans that not every great film needed to come from an already established, popular franchise. All three movies are can’t-miss viewing experiences, even if fans missed their chance to see them in theaters.

- Release Date
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September 19, 2025
- Runtime
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95 minutes
- Director
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Kenji Iwaisawa
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Tori Matsuzaka
Togashi (voice)
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Shota Sometani
Komiya (voice)
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Koki Uchiyama
Saizu (voice)
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Kenjiro Tsuda
Kaidō (voice)

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