Sazae-san once again claimed the top spot in Japanese animation TV rankings for the week of September 8-14, 2025, with a 5.5% average household rating in the Kanto region. Long-running favorites Detective Conan and Chibi Maruko-chan followed, while Gachiakuta made a notable entry at fourth place.
Top Animated Programs in Japan
The latest data from Video Research, covering the Kanto region, highlights the continued dominance of established anime series in prime viewing slots. These rankings provide an estimated percentage of the population watching a given program and do not include later-watched recordings.
Persistent Popularity: Sazae-san Leads the Pack
Sazae-san, a beloved cultural staple airing on Fuji TV, secured the highest rating for the week, achieving 5.5% with its Sunday, September 14 broadcast at 6:30 p.m.. This reflects the consistent viewership for the series, which has been on air for over five decades and holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running animated series.
Consistent Performers: Detective Conan and Chibi Maruko-chan
Following closely behind were two other long-standing animated series. Detective Conan on NTV, aired Saturday, September 13 at 6:00 p.m., earned a 5.0% rating. Chibi Maruko-chan, broadcast on Fuji TV on Sunday, September 14 at 6:00 p.m., garnered a 4.2% rating. Both shows frequently feature in the top rankings, underscoring their enduring appeal to Japanese audiences.
Gachiakuta’s Strong Debut in the Top Tier
A notable entry this week was Gachiakuta, which aired on TBS on Sunday, September 14 at 11:30 p.m., achieving a 2.9% rating and landing in fourth position. Its placement among veteran titles indicates a strong reception for the newer series.
Other Key Animated Programs
The full breakdown of the top-rated Japanese animation TV programs for the week of September 8-14, 2025, based on average household ratings in the Kanto region, is as follows:
- Sazae-san (Fuji TV, Sunday, September 14, 6:30 p.m.) – 5.5%
- Detective Conan (NTV, Saturday, September 13, 6:00 p.m.) – 5.0%
- Chibi Maruko-chan (Fuji TV, Sunday, September 14, 6:00 p.m.) – 4.2%
- Gachiakuta (TBS, Sunday, September 14, 11:30 p.m.) – 2.9%
- Doraemon (TV Asahi, Saturday, September 13, 5:00 p.m.) – 2.8%
- Yaiba: Samurai Legend (NTV, Saturday, September 13, 5:30 p.m.) – 2.7%
- You and Idol Precure♪ (TV Asahi, Sunday, September 14, 8:30 a.m.) – 2.5%
- One Piece (Fuji TV, Sunday, September 14, 11:15 p.m.) – 2.3%
- Crayon Shin-chan (TV Asahi, Saturday, September 13, 4:30 p.m.) – 2.2%
- Animated O-saru no George (Curious George) (NHK-E, Saturday, September 13, 8:35 a.m.) – 1.8%
- Oshiri Tantei (NHK-E, Saturday, September 13, 9:00 a.m.) – 1.8%
- The Adventures of Paddington (NHK-E, Saturday, September 13, 8:10 a.m.) – 1.7%
Methodology of Ratings
These television ratings are provided by Video Research and represent an estimate of the percentage of the population that watched a particular program in Japan’s Kanto region. It is important to note that these figures are based on live viewership and do not account for recordings that viewers may watch at a later time.
