Japan's TV Screens Light Up: Early July Anime Ratings Unveiled
The first week of July brought fresh excitement to Japan's television landscape, with new anime debuts vying for viewership alongside established favorites. The latest ratings data from the Kanto region offers a fascinating glimpse into what viewers tuned into, highlighting consistent titans and promising newcomers. From long-running family staples to late-night thrillers, the numbers reveal a diverse viewing habit across the nation.
Anime Debuts Make Their Mark in the Top 10
The start of July saw a couple of brand new anime series making an immediate impact by landing in the top 10 ratings for the week. "Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia" debuted on TV Tokyo on Saturday, July 4, at 11:00 p.m., securing the #7 spot with a 2.1% average household rating. This intriguing new series signals a fresh narrative entering the competitive late-night anime slot.
Not far behind, "Draw This, Then Die!" premiered on NTV on Friday, July 3, at 11:25 p.m. This new offering captured the #10 position with a 1.8% rating. Both debuts, airing in late-night segments, demonstrate the appetite for new content even during competitive time slots, proving that unique concepts can quickly find an audience.
Established Anime Dominates Top Spots
As expected, a few evergreen anime series continued their reign at the top of the charts. "Sazae-san" on Fuji TV once again proved its enduring popularity, leading the pack on Sunday, July 5, at 6:30 p.m. with an impressive 6.9% rating. Its consistent performance underscores its status as a cultural phenomenon and a Sunday evening tradition for many Japanese households.
"Chibi Maruko-chan," also airing on Fuji TV on Sunday, July 5, at 6:00 p.m., maintained a strong viewership with a 4.9% rating, securing the second spot. These two classic family-friendly anime continue to be powerhouses in prime-time television.
In the late-night category, "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime season 3" showed remarkable strength. Airing on NTV on Friday, July 3, at 11:05 p.m., it achieved a robust 2.6% rating, placing it third overall and making it the highest-rated late-night anime of the week. This demonstrates the strong following the series has cultivated.
Rounding out the top five were "Doraemon" on TV Asahi, Saturday, July 4, at 5:00 p.m., and "One Piece" on Fuji TV, Sunday, July 5, at 11:15 p.m., both earning a solid 2.5% rating. Their consistent appeal highlights the enduring popularity of iconic characters and long-running adventure series.
Weekend Favorites and Special Airings
The weekend continued to be a strong period for anime viewership. A rebroadcast of the "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" series on Fuji TV, Sunday, July 5, at 9:30 a.m., drew a 2.2% rating. This performance indicates the continued widespread interest in the Demon Slayer franchise, even for repeat airings.
"Crayon Shin-chan" on TV Asahi, Saturday, July 4, at 4:30 p.m., also maintained a steady viewership with a 2.0% rating, showcasing its appeal to younger audiences and families. "Star Detective Precure!" on TV Asahi, Sunday, July 5, at 8:30 a.m., achieved a 1.9% rating, confirming the consistent popularity of the magical girl genre.
Notably, "Detective Conan" took a break this week and did not air a new episode on July 4, which might have shifted some viewership to other programs.
Beyond anime, a marathon re-airing of the sixth season of the live-action series "Solitary Gourmet" aired on TV Tokyo on Wednesday, July 1, at 5:45 p.m., earning a 3.8% rating. This indicates strong viewership for popular live-action dramas as well, providing context to the overall television landscape.
Other Notable Performances
Children's programming continued to perform solidly. "Bluey" on NHK-E, Saturday, July 4, at 8:10 a.m., garnered a 1.4% rating, showing its international appeal crossing over to Japanese audiences. "Oshiri Tantei" on NHK-E, Saturday, July 4, at 9:00 a.m., also secured a 1.3% rating, demonstrating the consistent viewership for educational and entertaining children's content.
These ratings provide a valuable snapshot of television viewing habits in Japan's Kanto region for the first week of July. They underscore the continued dominance of established anime while welcoming new series into the fold, setting the stage for an exciting summer of television.
