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Of all of the things 2020 has come to be known for, movie releases breaking box office records wasn’t one of them. But one film defied the odds. Launched in Japan on Oct. 16., the animated film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Film: Mugen Train ended a 19-12 months record held by the Studio Ghibli classic Spirited Away. Hitting $313 million in ticket sales in December, the movie overtook director Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus to grow to be the country’s highest-grossing film of all time.

In the months since, the film—based on the manga Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge—has broken one other record beforehand set by Spirited Away: Mugen Train is now the highest-grossing anime movie in the world. It is set for theatrical launch in the U.S. and Canada on April 23, in both a subtitled version and an English dubbed version.

Earlier than the film made headlines for shattering records, the Demon Slayer franchise was already amassing a dedicated world fanbase. Both the manga that was first printed in 2016 and the television series adapted from the manga have recorded feats of their own. Ahead of the North American launch of Mugen Train, right here’s everything to know about Demon Slayer, the writer-illustrator behind it and the meteoric success of the manga, television series and film.

What is Demon Slayer about?

In this fictional world set in early twentieth century Taishō-period Japan, man-eating demons roam the land each night. 13-year-old Tanjiro Kamado’s world is turned upside down when he returns dwelling one morning to find his entire household murdered save for his sister Nezuko—who has turned into a demon. Determined to avenge their deaths and discover a cure that will transform Nezuko back into a human, Tanjiro sets out on a journey to train for the Demon Slayer Corps. The story follows him as he joins this underground organization of skilled fighters who dedicate their lives to protecting humans from the vicious creatures.

Who is Koyoharu Gotouge?

Koyoharu Gotouge (just lately featured as a part of the 2021 TIME one hundred Next) wrote and illustrated Demon Slayer. The mangaka, or manga creator, has not publicly revealed their identity, and instead uses the pen name Gotouge and seems as an avatar of an alligator in glasses when making announcements about the series. Despite not a lot about Demon Slayer’s author being known to the general public, those that collaborate closely with Gotouge are acquainted with their work ethic. "I have known Gotouge sensei [the honorific time period for trainer in Japanese] for the reason that start of their career, they usually weren't necessarily without fault in the beginning," Kohei Ohnishi, an Editor-in-Chief of Weekly Shonen Jump who edits Demon Slayer, tells TIME. "But by means of hard work and perseverance, they had been able to develop considerably as a mangaka."

Although Gotouge’s schedule has not been shared earlier than, the every day work routines of manga authors are reputed to be rigorous. As an illustration, Oda Eiichiro—the creator of One Piece—has shared about sleeping often from 2 AM to 5 AM to work on his manuscript. Ohnishi cites Gotouge’s sturdy sense of integrity and dedication to their work, and says the mangaka is "very aware of how readers are responding to their work." Asked about the most impactful element of Gotouge’s writing and art, Ohnishi references the strong characters and dialogue. "Their characters are all unique, but still rooted in reality, and that’s a really troublesome balance to strike," Ohnishi says. "In addition, there are a number of memorable lines filled with authenticity in Demon Slayer."

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