The year 2024 witnessed intense competition in the manga world, with several series vying for the top spot. As the year drew to a close, two titans of the shonen genre, Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia, engaged in a final showdown for the title of December’s best-selling manga. While Jujutsu Kaisen dominated overall annual sales, My Hero Academia clinched a narrow victory in the final month, adding a thrilling twist to the year’s manga sales narrative.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Reign and Year-End Surge
Throughout 2024, Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen consistently held a commanding lead in manga sales, ultimately becoming the best-selling manga of the year. Its sales figures soared to an impressive 7,610,995 copies, far surpassing its competitors. This dominance was fueled by the series reaching its highly anticipated conclusion, a narrative event that drew massive fan attention. The final volume, which included a brand-new epilogue, further boosted sales, making it a must-have for dedicated readers. In December, Jujutsu Kaisen sold an impressive 1,836,843 copies. The series’ popularity was also significantly boosted by the success of its anime adaptation, which won Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
Jujutsu Kaisen reclaimed its status as an industry giant after losing the top spot in 2023. Despite an 11% drop in sales compared to the previous year, the series’ momentum, especially from Season 2 of the anime, propelled it to the top of the charts. The series’ four new volumes released in 2024 all ranked among the top-selling volumes, with Volume 25 selling over 1.5 million copies. The series finale, which concluded with chapter #271 on September 29, was a highly anticipated event that spurred sales throughout the year.
My Hero Academia’s Comeback
Despite Jujutsu Kaisen’s overall annual victory, Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia staged a remarkable comeback in December. The series’ final volume also dropped that month, accompanied by a significant epilogue. This release generated a huge wave of sales, pushing My Hero Academia to the second spot in December with 1,182,751 copies sold. Additionally, in the last week of December, volume 42 of My Hero Academia outsold volume 30 of Jujutsu Kaisen by a mere 2,965 copies, demonstrating an extremely close race between the two manga. The final volume sold 807,283 copies, outperforming Jujutsu Kaisen’s volumes 29 and 30, which sold 796,910 and 804,318 copies respectively, and thus making My Hero Academia the top-selling manga in the final week of 2024.
The series’ conclusion marked the end of a hugely popular series that began in 2014, and the final arc garnered immense attention, leading to substantial sales. Like Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia also benefited from its anime adaptation, which further fueled fan interest in the manga.
December 2024’s Top Manga Series
The battle between Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia highlighted a dynamic month for manga sales. While these two series took the top spots, other popular titles also made significant impressions in December. Here’s a look at the top performers of December 2024, according to Oricon:
- Jujutsu Kaisen: 1,836,843 copies sold
- My Hero Academia: 1,182,751 copies sold
- Dandadan: 772,790 copies sold
- Blue Lock: Sales figures within the top 5.
- Kingdom: Sales figures within the top 5.
Dandadan, a newer series, experienced a surge in popularity due to its recent successful anime adaptation. This demonstrates how anime adaptations can significantly impact manga sales. Blue Lock and Kingdom continued their strong performance, solidifying their place among the top-selling series.
Other Notable Manga in 2024
While Jujutsu Kaisen dominated the year’s sales, other series also experienced notable success. One Piece, a long-standing favorite by Eiichiro Oda, secured second place in annual sales with 5,250,210 copies sold, despite facing several hiatuses. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, took third place with 4,988,170 copies, showcasing its growing popularity, especially after its anime adaptation. The Apothecary Diaries, Blue Lock, and Kaiju No. 8 also ranked high in the top 10, showcasing the diversity of popular manga in 2024.
Top 10 Best-Selling Manga of 2024:
- Jujutsu Kaisen – 7,610,995 copies
- One Piece – 5,250,210 copies
- Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – 4,988,170 copies
- The Apothecary Diaries – 4,723,562 copies
- Blue Lock – 3,881,269 copies
- Kaiju No. 8 – 3,398,326 copies
- Kingdom – 3,234,204 copies
- Haikyuu!! – 3,077,085 copies
- My Hero Academia – 2,943,985 copies
- Spy x Family – 2,662,408 copies
It is worth noting that Oricon sales data does not include digital sales, and only reflects physical copies sold in Japan within the Oricon sales year (December 4, 2023, to November 25, 2024).
The Impact of Anime Adaptations
The success of manga sales is often intertwined with anime adaptations. Several series saw significant increases in their manga sales after the release or success of their anime counterparts. For example, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and Dandadan experienced substantial sales boosts due to their popular anime adaptations, demonstrating the power of cross-media promotion. Jujutsu Kaisen‘s continued success throughout 2024 was also heavily influenced by its second season’s popularity, which further cemented its position in the market.
Future Trends
As we move into 2025, it will be interesting to see how these manga series continue to perform. With Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia having concluded, it is likely that there will be shifts in the top rankings. However, their legacies are sure to continue with potential anime releases and fan re-reads. New and ongoing series like Dandadan, Blue Lock, and others, are poised to climb the charts. The manga market remains vibrant and dynamic, with fans always eager to discover new stories and revisit their favorites. The influence of anime adaptations will also continue to play a crucial role in determining the popularity and sales of various manga series.
Conclusion
The manga sales for December 2024 provide a snapshot of a highly competitive and exciting year in the manga industry. Jujutsu Kaisen‘s overall dominance was challenged by My Hero Academia‘s late surge, creating a captivating narrative that kept fans engaged until the very end of the year. The performance of other series, such as Dandadan and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, highlighted the growing diversity and dynamism of the market. As we look ahead to 2025, it’s clear that the manga world will continue to deliver compelling stories and engaging characters that captivate audiences worldwide. The influence of anime adaptations on manga sales remains a critical factor, indicating the importance of a multimedia approach for success in the industry.
