The Japanese anime film 'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle' is breaking box office records in South Korea, creating an awkward cultural moment as the nation celebrates its independence from Japanese colonial rule. The latest installment in the popular manga and anime franchise has already sold 411,835 presale tickets, capturing 53.2 percent of all tickets sold as of Friday. At this unprecedented pace, the film is projected to reach nearly one million ticket sales before its official release on August 22.

The timing has sparked controversy on social media, with critics calling it tone-deaf for a Japanese film to dominate Korean theaters during the country's liberation commemoration period. Korea observes Liberation Day on August 15 to mark its freedom from Japanese occupation, making the film's success particularly sensitive. The controversy extends beyond timing, as the 'Demon Slayer' franchise has faced ongoing criticism for what some perceive as problematic historical associations.

Specific complaints have targeted various elements of the franchise, including the protagonist's earrings, which critics claim resemble Japan's Rising Sun flag - a symbol widely viewed in Korea as representing Japanese militarism and colonial oppression. The series' Taisho-era setting, spanning from 1912 to 1926, coincides with Japan's period of imperial expansion, further fueling concerns. Additionally, some have drawn parallels between the titular Demon Slayer corps and wartime student soldiers due to the characters' young ages.

The backlash reached a peak last week when the LG Twins baseball team was forced to cancel plans for 'Demon Slayer' characters to throw the ceremonial first pitch at their August 9 game. The public outcry was swift and intense, with many fans and citizens condemning the promotion as inappropriate given its proximity to Liberation Day celebrations.

Despite the political tensions, Korean audiences have consistently demonstrated their ability to separate entertainment from politics when it comes to Japanese content. In 2021, the franchise's first theatrical release, 'Mugen Train,' attracted 2.2 million Korean viewers despite facing identical controversies. This success came just two years after Korea staged intense boycotts during a trade dispute with Japan, which resulted in Japanese beer sales plummeting 97 percent and car sales dropping 57 percent in a single month.

'Infinity Castle' launches a trilogy that will conclude the anime adaptation of Koyoharu Gotouge's massively successful manga series. The film follows protagonist Tanjiro and his demon-slaying team as they enter their final confrontation within the villain's fortress. The story continues directly from where the anime's fourth season ended in May 2024, promising fans the climactic battles they have been anticipating.

The film has already achieved remarkable success in its home country of Japan, shattering multiple box office records since its July 18 opening. It claimed the biggest opening day ever with 1.64 billion yen ($11 million), followed by the largest single-day earnings of 2 billion yen, and the most successful three-day debut with 5.52 billion yen. The film ultimately grossed 22 billion yen, making it Japan's sixth highest-grossing film of all time.

Meanwhile, 'Mugen Train,' the 2020 release based on an earlier story arc, continues to hold Japan's all-time box office record with 40.43 billion yen in ticket sales. Its extraordinary success during the COVID-19 pandemic established 'Demon Slayer' as a global entertainment phenomenon and laid the foundation for the current trilogy's record-breaking performance in theaters worldwide.