When the “Demon Slayer” movie hit cinemas in Japan late last year, its box-office success reverberated beyond the archipelago — all the way to Thailand.
According to Major Cineplex, one of the leading chains of cinemas and theaters in Thailand, the film topped the list of 2020’s top-grossing foreign movies with revenue of 115 million baht (about ¥400 million) even though it was shown for just two months of the year.
For decades, the latest Japanese manga and anime releases have topped Thai youngsters’ must-read and must-watch lists. Yet the influence of Japanese culture has not stopped there. These media are acting as steps to the door of language learning, which is allowing Thai people to gain a better understanding of another culture.