Sazae-san once again led the Japanese animation TV rankings for the week of July 21-27, 2025, securing a 5.9% average household rating. Long-running favorites Detective Conan and Chibi Maruko-chan also maintained strong viewership. The ratings are based on data from Video Research in Japan’s Kanto region, providing an estimate of the percentage of the population watching a given program live.
Top Animated Programs
The top-performing animated programs during the week were:
- Sazae-san (Fuji TV, July 27, 6:30 PM): 5.9%
- Detective Conan (NTV, July 26, 6:00 PM): 4.9%
- Chibi Maruko-chan (Fuji TV, July 27, 6:00 PM): 4.2%
- You and Idol Precure♪ (TV Asahi, July 27, 8:30 AM): 2.8%
- One Piece (Fuji TV, July 27, 11:15 PM): 2.7%
- Yaiba: Samurai Legend (NTV, July 26, 5:30 PM): 2.5%
- Gachiakuta (TBS, July 27, 11:30 PM): 2.4%
- Marco Polo’s Adventures (NHK, July 26, 5:10 AM): 2.4%
- Doraemon (TV Asahi, July 26, 5:00 PM): 2.2%
- Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube (TV Asahi, July 23, 11:45 PM): 2.0%
Other Notable Entries
- Soreike! Anpanman (NTV, July 25, 10:55 AM): 1.9%
- Gegege no Kitarō: Watashi no Aishita Rekidai no Gegege (Fuji TV, July 27, 9:00 AM): 1.7%
- Animated O-saru no George (Curious George) (NHK-E, July 26, 8:35 AM): 1.6%
- Oshiri Tantei (NHK-E, July 26, 9:00 AM): 1.3%
Context of the Rankings
These television ratings reflect live viewership in the Kanto region and do not include recordings or streaming numbers.
The Dominance of Long-Running Series
The consistent presence of shows like Sazae-san, Detective Conan, and Chibi Maruko-chan at the top of the rankings highlights the enduring popularity of established franchises in Japan’s television landscape. These programs often air during family-friendly time slots, contributing to their high viewership.
Live-Action Drama Crossover Success
While the focus is on animation, it’s worth noting the significant ratings achieved by the live-action series Anpan, inspired by the life of Anpanman manga creator Takashi Yanase. Episodes aired on NHK’s “Asadora” (Morning Drama) slot on July 25 at 8:00 a.m. and on July 21 at 12:45 p.m., earning 17.0% and 6.7% ratings respectively. This demonstrates the strong viewership for NHK’s morning drama slots, which can sometimes feature animated content or related live-action adaptations.
New and Seasonal Anime Performance
Newer or seasonal anime like You and Idol Precure♪ and Gachiakuta also made it into the top rankings, demonstrating their ability to capture a segment of the audience despite often airing in later time slots. Gachiakuta, for instance, has been touted as a significant new release for the Summer 2025 anime season, though its international streaming performance has varied.
The Japanese animation industry has seen shifts in viewership patterns over the years, with a decline in prime time ratings on main commercial stations since a peak in 2006. However, channels like TV Tokyo, local stations, and satellite channels remain active in broadcasting anime, even if often with smaller budgets.
