Forum Settings
Forums

Japan's Yearly Light Novel Rankings for Fiscal 2012

New
Dec 2, 2012 6:28 PM
#1

Offline
Feb 2008
4384
Here are the yearly light novel sales rankings for fiscal 2012. (Nov 21 2011 - Nov 18 2012)

Series by series
*1, 2,764,454 Sword Art Online
*2, 2,067,369 Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou
*3, 1,033,906 Accel World
*4, *,767,236 Kotenbu Series
*5, *,696,322 Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei
*6, *,686,467 Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament
*7, *,674,520 Kuroko no Basket -Replace-
*8, *,654,224 Highschool DxD
*9, *,620,972 Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
10, *,544,507 Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai
11, *,450,794 Oda Nobuna no Yabou
12, *,447,053 Papa no Iukoto wo Kikinasai!
13, *,425,343 Hidan no Aria
14, *,411,380 Kokoro Connect
15, *,409,949 Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon
16, *,404,065 Kagerou Days
17, *,389,516 Another
18, *,372,821 Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki
19, *,369,703 Haiyore! Nyaruko-san
20, *,349,496 Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu
21, *,300,996 Date A Live
22, *,278,103 Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo
23, *,277,048 Campione!
24, *,265,512 Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankeinai yo ne

Volume by volume
*1, 846,883 Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou vol.1
*2, 633,127 Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou vol.2
*3, 587,359 Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou vol.3
*4, 372,821 Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki
*5, 368,089 Sword Art Online vol.1
*6, 317,124 Sword Art Online vol.2
*7, 304,731 Sword Art Online vol.9
*8, 299,319 Sword Art Online vol.3
*9, 286,781 Sword Art Online vol.10
10, 286,031 Sword Art Online vol.4

11, 265,953 Monogatari Series: Second Season Koimonogatari
12, 257,905 Kuroko no Basket -Replace- vol.2
13, 256,812 Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament vol.3
14, 256,003 Kotenbu Series vol.1 Hyouka
15, 249,531 Sword Art Online vol.5
16, 248,944 Sword Art Online Progressive vol.1
17, 246,765 Bokura ga Ita
18, 238,096 Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai vol.8
19, 234,235 Sword Art Online vol.6
20, 225,343 Kagerou Days vol.1

21, 224,504 Kuroko no Basket -Replace- vol.3
22, 221,681 Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai vol.10
23, 213,382 Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament vol.4
24, 211,803 Sword Art Online vol.7
25, 208,078 Monogatari Series: Second Season Tsukimonogatari
26, 207,208 Another vol.1
27, 207,060 Toshokan Sensou vol.1 Small Size Edition
28, 206,810 Sword Art Online vol.8
29, 203,672 Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu vol.10
30, 196,364 Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai vol.11

31, 192,111 Kuroko no Basket -Replace- vol.1
32, 187,129 Kotenbu Series vol.2
33, 182,308 Another vol.2
34, 178,722 Kagerou Days vol.2
35, 173,589 Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament vol.5
36, 169,291 Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu vol.10.5
37, 165,492 Kotenbu Series vol.3
38, 163,632 Kotenbu Series vol.5
39, 158,612 Kotenbu Series vol.4
40, 133,564 Durarara!! vol.11

41, 129,807 Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei vol.4
42, 128,955 Accel World vol.11
43, 126,704 Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei vol.5
44, 123,542 Accel World vol.10
45, 115,154 Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki Kids Edition
46, *93,319 Bleach: Spirits Are Forever With You vol.1
47, *74,044 Gintama Kaettekita 3nen Zgumi Ginpachi-sensei Phoenix: Funky Monkey Teachers
48, *65,609 Shousetsu Ban Medaka Box vol.1
49, *56,093 Kuro Majo-san ga Tooru!! vol.14
50, *55,505 Bleach: The Death Save The Strawberry

Source: Oricon Youtaiju
dtshykDec 2, 2012 9:22 PM
This topic has been locked and is no longer available for discussion.
Pages (2) [1] 2 »
Dec 2, 2012 6:33 PM
#2

Offline
Jul 2011
623
Woo... SAO....Yeah...
Dec 2, 2012 6:37 PM
#3

Offline
Jul 2012
374
Hidan no Aria in twelfth, eh? Hooray for my favorite light novel! (Which the anime butchered...)
Wecc said:
All Hail HaXXspetten King of the Loli Traps!

Dec 2, 2012 6:41 PM
#4

Offline
Dec 2007
606
SAO...SAO...SAO and more SAO. :P
Dec 2, 2012 6:42 PM
#5

Offline
Apr 2012
299
SAO, expected that, but Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou.... Interesting, I may need to read this considering how good the sales are. Now if only there was an english translation somewhere.

Dec 2, 2012 6:47 PM
#6

Offline
Jun 2010
49
I'm kind of shocked that anything had sales close to SAO...
Dec 2, 2012 6:57 PM
#7
Offline
Sep 2012
3496
If anyone didn't know that SAO would get a second season, they do now.
Dec 2, 2012 6:59 PM
#8

Offline
Jan 2012
1724
Yay for papakiki!!
I hope S2 gets announced
Dec 2, 2012 7:01 PM
#9

Offline
Mar 2012
18961
So Highschool DxD is no 7. Its shame there is no Zero no Tsukaima since the author still fighting cancer.
Kickstarter for Rokujouma is fully funded. Good work everyone. Lets wait for the result of our hard work together.
Dec 2, 2012 7:01 PM

Offline
Aug 2011
429
At least New Testament did decently enough...
Dec 2, 2012 7:06 PM

Offline
Mar 2012
18961
Raikenzera said:
Hidan no Aria in twelfth, eh? Hooray for my favorite light novel! (Which the anime butchered...)


I hope with this they make a season 2. Reki is the best heroine in Hidan no Aria.
Kickstarter for Rokujouma is fully funded. Good work everyone. Lets wait for the result of our hard work together.
Dec 2, 2012 7:31 PM

Offline
Feb 2012
2723
dtshyk said:

*4, *,767,236 Kotenbu Series
*7, *,654,224 Highschool DxD
*8, *,620,972 Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
*9, *,544,507 Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai
10, *,450,794 Oda Nobuna no Yabou
11, *,447,053 Papa no Iukoto wo Kikinasai!
Great #'s for some of my favs.

PsychoKitteh said:
Yay for papakiki!!
I hope S2 gets announced
Agreed! The anime didn't sell too well but I'm hoping the novels made up for it >_<
YveseDec 3, 2012 10:04 AM
Dec 2, 2012 7:32 PM

Offline
May 2011
5184
SAO all the way.

Highschool DxD was nice sale there as well.
Dec 2, 2012 7:34 PM
Offline
Oct 2012
6
Really looking forward to the SAO season 2 announcement. I'm also surprised Sakurasou made it on the list. I'm loving the anime but I never saw the light novels rank. Probably SAO's fault.
Dec 2, 2012 7:39 PM

Offline
Jul 2012
374
NeoAnkara said:
Raikenzera said:
Hidan no Aria in twelfth, eh? Hooray for my favorite light novel! (Which the anime butchered...)


I hope with this they make a season 2. Reki is the best heroine in Hidan no Aria.


Agreed, but if they do, they damn well better at least make it through the Sherlock Arc, otherwise I'ma rage like no other...
Wecc said:
All Hail HaXXspetten King of the Loli Traps!

Dec 2, 2012 7:41 PM

Offline
Jun 2011
611
Waiting for Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei (5) anime adaption!

Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou (2), probably needs a bit more material before an anime adaption.

Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki was also a great movie, hope everyone can watch it when the BD comes out.

Kind of surprise that Ben-To is not anywhere on the list. I actually thought that it is/was a popular series.
ShihDec 2, 2012 7:51 PM
Dec 2, 2012 8:10 PM

Offline
Apr 2010
409
I'm surprised haruhi with the no appearance of haruhi on the list. It's true that no new volume came out but it normally make it in the totals series list. Oh well. Biblia doing almost 1 million volume is amazing.
Dec 2, 2012 8:24 PM

Offline
Jan 2012
477
Glad to see PapaKiki, Nobuna and especially HnA selling well, didn't really expect them to - unlike with Haganai for example.

Biblia is really selling astonishingly well, kinda weird that we got so little info on it. I mean, the synopsis reads somewhat interesting, but how the hell can it sell that good?
Dec 2, 2012 8:28 PM

Offline
Mar 2011
995
Most of novels listed already got its anime adaptation
i'm interested in Biblia, hope it get anime adaptation, because I'm too lazy to read it XD
Dec 2, 2012 8:44 PM

Offline
Nov 2011
55
jmal said:
dtshyk said:
*4, *,767,236 Kotenbu Series

Man, that is fantastic. Three quarters of a million for a couple mystery novels, most of which were 5-10 years old. Very nice.

I know right? I never expected it would come up that high! Awesum!

dtshyk said:

Series by series

12, *,425,343 Hidan no Aria
19, *,349,496 Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu
21, *,278,103 Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo

Volume by volume

18, 225,343 Kagerou Days vol.1
29, 178,722 Kagerou Days vol.2

Very happy too see these on the list!
—Actually, nevermind.
Dec 2, 2012 8:49 PM

Offline
Feb 2012
3122
SAO by a mile~

Glad to see Hyouka there though :D
Dec 2, 2012 9:07 PM

Offline
Feb 2008
4384
hpulley said:
No Kokoro Connect was a bit of a surprise for me but shouldn't be from the weekly numbers. I need to review the weeklies again...

Sorry, there was a copy & paste mistake. Kokoro Connect is on 14th.
dtshykDec 2, 2012 9:16 PM
Dec 2, 2012 9:07 PM

Offline
May 2011
280
inb4 Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei gets an anime.
Dec 2, 2012 9:22 PM
Offline
Oct 2012
6648
Messingo said:
SAO, expected that, but Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou.... Interesting, I may need to read this considering how good the sales are. Now if only there was an english translation somewhere.


Biblia is supposedly outstanding, I haven't read it yet, but I know people who have. It is sort of a Literary Mystery series (books are key to solving the mystery), so people not familiar with Japanese literature will probably have a hard time making sense of it.
Dec 2, 2012 9:30 PM
Offline
Sep 2012
846
Another, Hyouka , Aria, Kokoro Connect, SAO and AW. While these titles did not do well as an anime adaptation for me, I'm more than glad they sold well as LNs. It really shows that some stories are told better in words.

Biblia and Rettousei requires attention and detail for a good anime adaptation to work. Not surprised they haven't got a green-lit. I hope it doesn't end as a mediocre adaptation like the titles above.
Dec 2, 2012 11:39 PM

Offline
Jun 2010
3696
Katsura_da said:
I'm kind of shocked that anything had sales close to SAO...


Anyways, Im really curious about Biblia. I keep hearing good things about it. Too bad there's still no translated version.
Dec 2, 2012 11:51 PM

Offline
Dec 2010
187
Why Monogatari isn't in the 1st list?
265,953 + 208,078 = 474,031. That's 11th place.
Dec 3, 2012 12:37 AM

Offline
Sep 2012
10121
Talk about how well SAO sell is kind of old thing in Japan now. The talk now is when will Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou gets its anime....
So MAL finally starts locking news threads that are only a few weeks old?

I wonder where was the announcement of this change? Or we are seeing yet another case of changes made that impacted users but not communicated to them?

I wonder how long people would put up with this.

As much as I have a bunch of information to share about anime announced recently I cannot share it in news board, and the anime series is too disorganized and chaotic to share information except with people already interested in the particular series.
Dec 3, 2012 12:40 AM

Offline
Mar 2009
65239
Might check out Another.
Dec 3, 2012 12:40 AM

Offline
Sep 2012
10121
Chipp12 said:
Why Monogatari isn't in the 1st list?
265,953 + 208,078 = 474,031. That's 11th place.
Because it does not fit the criteria for the Oricon chart.

In fact the precise category in the Oricon chart is LIGHT NOVEL (BUNKO). Since Bunko format is much smaller and cheaper than the regular format, it is more fair to leave out the novels not in Bunko format from the chart. Monogatari is never published in Bunko format, so it is not in the list.

I think dtshyk should have made it clearer.
symbvDec 3, 2012 1:39 AM
So MAL finally starts locking news threads that are only a few weeks old?

I wonder where was the announcement of this change? Or we are seeing yet another case of changes made that impacted users but not communicated to them?

I wonder how long people would put up with this.

As much as I have a bunch of information to share about anime announced recently I cannot share it in news board, and the anime series is too disorganized and chaotic to share information except with people already interested in the particular series.
Dec 3, 2012 12:42 AM

Offline
Mar 2011
404
Kawahara must be glad.
Accel World and SAO are selling really good.

want to see adaptation of Mahouka Rettousei.

Dec 3, 2012 12:46 AM

Offline
Oct 2011
36
Still fun to see how many light novels and manga's are sold. And still they are breaking records. I guess reading is still very popular in comparison to many other countries in the world where the participation to read is declining.
Also I guess the anime producers benefit from the popularity and vice versa.
Dec 3, 2012 1:08 AM

Offline
Sep 2012
10121
NinetyBeats said:
I guess reading is still very popular in comparison to many other countries in the world where the participation to read is declining.
I read that readership has declined in Japan too but it is much slower than other countries. The publishing industry is still doing a lot of printing and though the number of bookshops has decreased it can be partly explained by the growth of big bookstore chain and CD shop or rental chain getting into book retail business, though the rise of big 2nd hand bookstores is also a major factor. I am still very impressed by the number of big bookstores (sometimes taking up multiple floors) I can find when I am in Tokyo. It is a true paradise for people who love to read (though you need to know Japanese).
symbvDec 3, 2012 1:28 AM
So MAL finally starts locking news threads that are only a few weeks old?

I wonder where was the announcement of this change? Or we are seeing yet another case of changes made that impacted users but not communicated to them?

I wonder how long people would put up with this.

As much as I have a bunch of information to share about anime announced recently I cannot share it in news board, and the anime series is too disorganized and chaotic to share information except with people already interested in the particular series.
Dec 3, 2012 1:23 AM

Offline
Oct 2011
36
@ Symbv

Really? Well at least the bookstores aren't vanishing as rapidly as out side of Japan.
Well still it's impressive to say the least that it can manage to stay big enough to make a profit and keep bookstores alive. As you mentioned the bookstore chains and second hand bookstores are on the rise.
Dec 3, 2012 1:47 AM

Offline
Jul 2009
71
Mahouka is going to be the next SAO.

Also nice seeing Index remain the most consistently best selling established franchise that didn't have an anime this year.
Dec 3, 2012 2:22 AM

Offline
Mar 2010
369
dtshyk said:

40, 133,564 Durarara!! vol.11
46, *93,319 Bleach: Spirits Are Forever With You vol.1
50, *55,505 Bleach: The Death Save The Strawberry

lol, my favs barely made it :D
Do pop-up headlights really endanger pedestrians that much?
Dec 3, 2012 2:33 AM

Offline
Sep 2011
1073
Would have been extremely shocked if SAO wasn't the first lol.
Dec 3, 2012 2:40 AM

Offline
Feb 2012
27
Accel World ♥
I can die in peace
Dec 3, 2012 2:41 AM

Offline
Dec 2011
8943
No surprise whatsoever with the top 2. It's interesting to see some of the lower ones though, many of which barely showed up on the rankings, or didn't at all.

Good to be able to see the impact of the anime for stuff like Kokoro Connect at last.
There is no such thing as shit taste. Only idiots who think everyone should have the same taste as they do.
Dec 3, 2012 3:22 AM

Offline
Dec 2011
121
>High School DxD

nice results, i'm really happy.
Dec 3, 2012 3:36 AM

Offline
Mar 2011
1125
Nice to see SAO,Accel World and Index.
Dec 3, 2012 3:52 AM

Offline
May 2012
556
I am very glad to see Oda Nobuna in the list. They deserves it.
Dec 3, 2012 4:18 AM
Offline
Sep 2011
155
There must be mistake in volume sales. Accel world vol 12 is not there, but sales were definetely above 100k - http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=485437&show=0

19, 10,574 *99,843 Accel World Vol. 12 in The weekly manga and light novels rankings for August 20th - 26th


Maybe typo in volume numbers?
Dec 3, 2012 5:07 AM

Offline
May 2009
347
SAO being up there was to be expected. Remember the numbers when the anime started airing?
Dec 3, 2012 5:14 AM

Offline
Aug 2011
809
Good to see Kokoro Connect. After all the shit that happen to the anime.
Also, only 3volumes are released this year. So the increase by volume may be greater than some other series.
I was so freaking happy to see that volume9 sold 26,000+ by 2nd week since from my research I've never seen a 2nd week before the anime and first week is about 10,000~
So my impression for the series is that it never sold well and even though the anime clearly boost the sales, I'm was still sad knowing the series popularity.
So this make me feel really happy regards to this fandom.
I think I can write an essay out of this. I was really sad when the anime sh*t happen.

Good to see Sakurasou too :D
OniAi and Baka to test too :)

Congrats Reki Kawahara. People can hate him , but having 2 series that sold so much he is definitely successful. He can make a living writing light novel.
SoshinraDec 3, 2012 5:17 AM

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Dec 3, 2012 5:36 AM

Offline
Dec 2011
8943
Xaliuss said:
There must be mistake in volume sales. Accel world vol 12 is not there, but sales were definetely above 100k - http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=485437&show=0

19, 10,574 *99,843 Accel World Vol. 12 in The weekly manga and light novels rankings for August 20th - 26th


Maybe typo in volume numbers?


Also, if you take boku wa tomodachi ga sukunai vol 8 from the total, the remainder gives 54697 sales per volume. I'd be very surprised if none of them got 55k plus.

Similarly, the 9 volumes of Oda Nobuna no Yabou and the 13 volumes of highschool dxd both come to over 50k average each, with none ranked.

The average of unranked mahouka koukou no rettosei volumes is almost 88k.

I think anything outside the top 35 or so is questionably placed, and the bottom 4 or 5 are certainly not actually ranked in the top 50.
There is no such thing as shit taste. Only idiots who think everyone should have the same taste as they do.
Dec 3, 2012 6:13 AM

Offline
Jun 2012
70
SAO at the top is no surprise there, but to think another series was that close to it. Might have to read this Biblia Koshodou Jikan Techou.
Dec 3, 2012 6:42 AM

Offline
Jan 2011
135
I hope my fav light novels get in the top too (T ^ T)
Dec 3, 2012 7:43 AM

Offline
Jul 2012
198
Woot!


Very nice... hopefully the businessmen in Japan think the same...


underoath777 said:
Kawahara must be glad.


Definetely :)

Critic.
Dec 3, 2012 9:51 AM

Offline
Nov 2011
267
SAO just topping all the charts this year thanks to anime adaptation. Kawahara must be really happy for SAO & Accel sales.

Index consistently stays in the chart. I hope upcoming Railgun S2 & Index movie also hopefully S3 will boost the sales in the future.

Yay for Horizon too.
This topic has been locked and is no longer available for discussion.
Pages (2) [1] 2 »

More topics from this board

» 'Kinnikuman: Kanpeki Chоujin Shiso-hen' Unveils Additional Cast, Staff, Second Promo

Hyperion_PS - 15 minutes ago

0 by Hyperion_PS »»
15 minutes ago

» 'Yuru Camp△' Season 3 Announces Additional Cast

Nioxys - 7 hours ago

7 by Gear707 »»
39 minutes ago

» Novel 'Ganbatte Ikimasshoi' Gets Anime Movie

DatRandomDude - Mar 21

5 by kihel »»
50 minutes ago

» 'Dungeon Meshi' Second Cour Reveals Additional Cast, Theme Songs, Third Promo

DatRandomDude - 11 hours ago

4 by RobertBobert »»
5 hours ago

» 'Kusuriya no Hitorigoto' Second Season Announced

Nioxys - Mar 23

18 by Adnash »»
12 hours ago
It’s time to ditch the text file.
Keep track of your anime easily by creating your own list.
Sign Up Login