Tokyo, Japan – Traditional long-running anime powerhouses once again dominated Japanese television rankings for the week of September 22-28, 2025, with Sazae-san leading the pack. While enduring favorites held strong, the week also saw the finales of several series, including Yaiba: Samurai Legend and Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube.
Top-Rated Japanese Animation Programs
The beloved family anime Sazae-san on Fuji TV secured the top spot with a 6.7% average household rating for its Sunday, September 28 broadcast. Following closely was Detective Conan on NTV, which garnered a 5.8% rating on Saturday, September 27.
Consistent Performers
- Sazae-san (Fuji TV): The perennial favorite continues to draw a significant audience, airing on Sunday evenings. Its consistent high performance underscores its status as a cultural institution in Japan, a role it has held for decades.
- Detective Conan (NTV): The iconic detective series maintained a strong viewership in its Saturday evening slot.
- Chibi Maruko-chan (Fuji TV): Another long-running family staple, Chibi Maruko-chan, broadcast on Sunday, September 28, achieved a 4.7% rating.
Notable Anime Broadcasts and Finales
The week also featured several other popular anime series and significant programming events.
Other Top-Tier Anime
- You and Idol Precure♪ (TV Asahi): This magical girl series, airing on Sunday mornings, secured a 3.0% rating.
- One Piece (Fuji TV): The globally popular pirate adventure notched a 2.6% rating for its late Sunday night episode.
- Tougen Anki (NTV): A Friday night broadcast of Tougen Anki earned a 2.5% rating.
- Doraemon (TV Asahi): The classic robot cat series recorded a 2.3% rating on Saturday, September 27.
Series Finales and Special Broadcasts
The week marked the conclusion for a couple of series, impacting their viewership.
- Yaiba: Samurai Legend (NTV): The finale episode of Yaiba: Samurai Legend on Saturday, September 27, garnered a 2.3% rating.
- Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube (TV Asahi): This series also aired its finale during the week, securing a 2.0% rating.
- Fermat Kitchen (TV Asahi): The finale of Fermat Kitchen also recorded a 2.3% rating on September 27.
Other Programming of Interest
Beyond traditional animation, several other programs with ties to manga or anime creators also aired and drew considerable attention. An episode of Anpan, NHK’s new live-action Renzoku Terebi Shōsetsu (morning drama) inspired by Anpanman manga creator Takashi Yanase, achieved an impressive 18.1% rating on Friday, September 26. A rerun of The Silent Service live-action series, based on Kaiji Kawaguchi’s manga, aired on Fuji TV and earned ratings of 4.6% and 4.4% on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Understanding Japanese TV Ratings
The television ratings provided are estimates of the percentage of the population watching a given program. These figures are based on data collected from a survey of households in Japan’s Kanto region and do not account for recordings watched at a later time. The Kanto region’s data is often used as a proxy for national trends, though it represents approximately one-third of Japan’s total population.
