Tokyo, Japan – The latest Japanese animation TV rankings for the week of July 21-27 reveal consistent viewership for long-running favorites, while newer entries like You and Idol Precure♪ and Gachiakuta secured notable ratings. These rankings provide an insight into the preferences of Japanese television audiences, based on household ratings in the Kanto region.
Top Anime Programs by Household Rating
The weekly ratings, compiled by Video Research, highlight the continued dominance of established anime series in Japan’s television landscape.
- Sazae-san (Fuji TV, Sunday, 18:30) led the pack with a 5.9% average household rating.
- Detective Conan (NTV, Saturday, 18:00) followed with a strong 4.9% rating.
- Chibi Maruko-chan (Fuji TV, Sunday, 18:00) secured a 4.2% rating.
Mid-Tier and New Entries
Several other animated programs achieved significant viewership during the week:
- You and Idol Precure♪ (TV Asahi, Sunday, 08:30) earned a 2.8% rating.
- One Piece (Fuji TV, Sunday, 23:15) garnered a 2.7% rating, consistently appearing in the top 5.
- Yaiba: Samurai Legend (NTV, Saturday, 17:30) received a 2.5% rating.
- Gachiakuta (TBS, Sunday, 23:30) posted a 2.4% rating. This series, despite being highlighted as a major show for the Summer 2025 season, has reportedly faced challenges in translating its domestic anticipation to international streaming success.
- Marco Polo’s Adventures (NHK, Saturday, 05:10) also secured a 2.4% rating.
- Doraemon (TV Asahi, Saturday, 17:00) came in at 2.2%.
- Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube (TV Asahi, Wednesday, 23:45) achieved a 2.0% rating.
- Soreike! Anpanman (NTV, Friday, 10:55) had a 1.9% rating.
- Gegege no Kitarō: Watashi no Aishita Rekidai no Gegege (Fuji TV, Sunday, 09:00) scored 1.7%.
- Animated O-saru no George (Curious George) (NHK-E, Saturday, 08:35) recorded a 1.6% rating.
- Oshiri Tantei (NHK-E, Saturday, 09:00) rounded out the list with a 1.3% rating.
Understanding Japanese TV Ratings
The reported television ratings are estimates based on a survey of households in Japan’s Kanto region. These figures represent the percentage of the population watching a given program live and do not account for recorded viewings. Historically, a rating of 2.0% or higher for late-night anime (broadcast between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. JST) has been considered a “passing grade,” with 4.0% or higher indicating “high viewership.” However, with the rising popularity of internet streaming in the 2020s, ratings in the 2% range are increasingly seen as indicative of strong viewership.
Broader Anime Popularity Trends
Beyond traditional TV rankings, other platforms offer insights into anime popularity. For the Summer 2025 anime season, the streaming service Niconico, based on “views, comments and [title] accesses” since July 14, 2025, revealed Takopi’s Original Sin as its top-ranked anime. This series surprisingly surpassed Dandadan, which was previously listed as a top recommendation for Summer 2025. Other popular titles on Niconico include My Dress-Up Darling Season 2, Bad Girl, and Secrets of the Silent Witch.
