Will a major anime film surpass all global box office records before 2029?

Could Anime Top the Global Box Office?

Anime’s global influence has expanded from niche fandom into mainstream cultural force. Blockbuster films draw international crowds, while streaming platforms amplify their reach across continents. The idea of anime breaking all-time box office records no longer feels unthinkable—it feels like a matter of timing and opportunity.

However, global cinema dominance requires mass-market appeal on a scale only a few franchises have ever reached. Cultural specificity, language barriers, distribution strategies, and marketing budgets all shape a film’s planetary footprint. Even wildly popular anime films often remain a step below Western mega-franchises in pure theatrical muscle.

My prediction: anime will continue climbing, perhaps even breaking genre-specific records, but reaching the absolute #1 global spot before 2029 remains unlikely.

Still, one extraordinary hit could rewrite the rulebook—and the possibility lingers like a spark in the dark.