The latest Japanese animation television rankings are in, covering the period from December 23rd to 29th, 2023, providing a glimpse into the most-watched anime series in Japan during the holiday season. These ratings, based on data from a survey of households in the Kanto region, offer valuable insight into the popularity of various anime shows among Japanese viewers. It’s important to note that these ratings do not include recordings watched at a later time, reflecting only live viewership.
Top Anime Series of the Week
The long-running family-centric anime Sazae-san continues to dominate the charts, securing the top spot with an impressive 7.3% average household rating. Airing on Fuji TV, this Sunday evening staple remains a firm favorite among Japanese audiences.
Following Sazae-san, Detective Conan takes second place with a solid 5.9% rating. This popular mystery anime, airing on NTV, continues to captivate viewers of all ages with its thrilling cases and intricate plots.
In third position, we have Chibi Maruko-chan, another classic anime that airs on Fuji TV. This heartwarming series about a young girl and her family achieved a 5.7% rating, demonstrating its enduring appeal.
Other Notable Rankings
Several other anime series also made their mark in the rankings for this week:
- Blue Miburo secured a 3.0% rating, also airing on NTV, showcasing a good performance.
- BLUE LOCK 2nd Season, a highly anticipated sports anime, earned a 2.9% rating, indicating a strong following despite a late-night airing time on NTV.
- Dragon Ball Daima, the latest installment in the legendary Dragon Ball franchise, secured a 2.4% rating on Fuji TV, suggesting its continued relevance with audiences.
- Soreike! Anpanman, a long-running series for younger viewers, received a rating of 2.1% on NTV.
- Animated O-saru no George (Curious George), airing on NHK-E, garnered a 1.9% rating, showing that even imported series can find success in Japan.
- Oshiri Tantei, another program airing on NHK-E, secured a 1.6% rating, demonstrating that educational children’s programming has its place in the anime rankings.
- Animation Hitsuji no Shaun (Shaun the Sheep) rounded out the list with a 1.4% rating on NHK-E.
Live Action Series Ratings
The week also included the airing of a marathon of the live-action series Kodoku no Gourmet (Solitary Gourmet), based on the manga by Masayuki Kusumi and Jiro Taniguchi. The final episode of the fourth season marathon, which aired on TV Tokyo on December 24, received a 4.2% rating. Additionally, an episode of the fifth season marathon aired on December 25, earning a 3.6% rating.
Analysis of the Rankings
The December 23-29 rankings reveal several interesting trends. The enduring popularity of long-running series like Sazae-san, Detective Conan, and Chibi Maruko-chan underscores the power of established brands and family-friendly content in the Japanese market.
The strong performance of BLUE LOCK 2nd Season suggests that sports anime continue to have a significant draw, even when broadcast late at night. Meanwhile, the solid numbers for Dragon Ball Daima highlight the enduring appeal of classic shonen franchises.
It’s also worth noting the consistent presence of children’s programming in the rankings. Shows like Soreike! Anpanman, Curious George, Oshiri Tantei, and Shaun the Sheep demonstrate the importance of anime for young audiences.
2023 Anime Highlights
While the December 23-29 rankings provide a snapshot of the current viewership landscape, it’s useful to look back at some of the other anime highlights of 2023. 2023 was a strong year for anime, with many new series and returning favorites.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End was a highly anticipated series that garnered a lot of attention. In the December 11-17 rankings, the show reached a 4.0% rating, showing its popularity.
Other notable anime series from 2023 include:
- The Apothecary Diaries: This series gained popularity throughout its run, even reaching #10 in the December 11-17 rankings with a 2.4% rating.
- Spy x Family: This popular series continued to air its second season in 2023, with the last episode airing on December 23rd.
- My Hero Academia: This show consistently performs well in ratings, with a 3.8% rating in the September 23-29 rankings.
- One Piece: A long-running classic, continues to have episodes released, maintaining its spot as a fan favorite.
- Dr. Stone: New World: A popular series that has seen continued success.
In addition to the series mentioned above, there were also several anime movies and specials that were released in 2023, including:
- Mary and The Witch’s Flower: This anime film aired on NTV on December 15, achieving a 6.0% rating, showing that anime films can draw impressive viewership.
- Pokémon Concierge: A new stop-motion series that debuted on Netflix on December 28, offering a different format to viewers.
- Dropkick on My Devil!!: End of Century Edition: This special episode aired on December 27 on BS Nippon Television.
Conclusion
The Japanese animation TV rankings for December 23-29, 2023, reflect a dynamic landscape where classic series coexist with new favorites. The rankings demonstrate that while new anime series gain traction, long running series maintain an impressive audience. The variety of genres and target demographics also indicates the breadth of the anime industry. As we move into 2025, it will be interesting to see how these trends evolve and which series will capture the hearts of Japanese viewers.
