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Of all the things 2020 has come to be known for, film 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 Movie: Mugen Train ended a 19-12 months record held by the Studio Ghibli traditional Spirited Away. Hitting $313 million in ticket sales in December, the film overtook director Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus to turn out 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 another record previously 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 each a subtitled model and an English dubbed version.

Before the film made headlines for shattering records, the Demon Slayer franchise was already amassing a dedicated international fanbase. Both the manga that was first revealed in 2016 and the television series adapted from the manga have recorded feats of their own. Ahead of the North American release 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 20th century Taishō-period Japan, man-consuming demons roam the land every night. thirteen-yr-old Tanjiro Kamado’s world is turned upside down when he returns house one morning to find his complete household murdered save for his sister Nezuko—who has turned into a demon. Decided to avenge their deaths and find a treatment that might 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 group of skilled fighters who dedicate their lives to protecting people from the vicious creatures.

Who's Koyoharu Gotouge?

Koyoharu Gotouge (not too long ago 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 makes use of the pen name Gotouge and appears as an avatar of an alligator in glasses when making announcements about the series. Despite not a lot about Demon Slayer’s writer being known to the public, those that collaborate carefully with Gotouge are familiar with their work ethic. "I have known Gotouge sensei [the honorific time period for trainer in Japanese] because the start of their career, and they were not necessarily without fault initially," Kohei Ohnishi, an Editor-in-Chief of Weekly Shonen Jump who edits Demon Slayer, tells TIME. "However by means of hard work and perseverance, they have 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. For example, Oda Eiichiro—the creator of One Piece—has shared about sleeping commonly from 2 AM to five AM to work on his manuscript. Ohnishi cites Gotouge’s strong 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 essentially the most impactful element of Gotouge’s writing and art, Ohnishi references the strong characters and dialogue. "Their characters are all unique, yet still rooted in reality, and that’s a really difficult balance to strike," Ohnishi says. "In addition, there are a number of memorable lines filled with authenticity in Demon Slayer."

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