By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Jakks Pacific’s Disguise division has expanded its multi-year licensing agreement with Aniplex for the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba franchise.
Building on their existing partnership, the new deal grants Disguise the rights to produce licensed Demon Slayer costumes across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Ireland and the UK. This extension will officially begin in 2026.
In addition, Disguise’s current rights to design, develop and manufacture costume accessories and toy weapons for the franchise will be expanded to entire EMEA market starting this fall.
Aniplex’s expanded partnership with Disguise follows the recent record-breaking release of the franchise’s latest cinematic installment, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle.
Released in theaters on September 12, the movie became the biggest anime movie debut in history after earning over $663 million in ticket sales in its opening weekend, and over $70 million in the US alone.
“Anime is no longer a niche genre, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has solidified itself as the leading brand in fan engagement,” said Disguise president, Tara Cortner. “We’re thrilled to be part of this global phenomenon and cultural moment with the launch of our new line of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba costumes and accessories—designed for fans of all ages.”
The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime franchise follows a boy named Tanjiro Kamado who has joined the Demon Slayer Corps after his parents are killed and his younger sister Nezuko is transformed by a demon.
Kanado joins the Corps to find a way to turn his sister back into a human after her transformation.
The animation production for the series is handled by the Ufotable studio and is based on a popular manga by author Koyoharu Gotoge through the SHUEISHA publishing company.
Aniplex of America oversees the distribution and licensing of the Demon Slayer anime across North America, South America, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
A subsidiary of JAKKS Pacific, Disguise is a costume design company that offers an extensive portfolio of licensed and wholly-owned products through its network of global distribution partners.
JAKKS Pacific is a global design, manufacturing and marketing company that offers a wide range of toys and consumer products.
Image Source: JAKKS Pacific/GlobeNewswire.