Tokyo, Japan – The week of November 3rd to November 9th, 2025, saw a familiar lineup dominating Japanese television animation ratings, with long-running favorites continuing to draw significant viewership. Popular mainstays like Sazae-san and Detective Conan maintained strong positions, alongside other established series, according to data from Video Research in the Kanto region.
Top Anime Programs by Household Rating
During the specified week, several anime programs captured the attention of Japanese households. The following table highlights the top-performing animated series based on average household ratings:
| Rank | Title | Station | Date | Time | Length | Average Household Rating (%) |
| :— | :—————— | :———- | :————– | :—— | :—– | :————————— |
| 1 | Sazae-san | Fuji TV | November 9 (Sun)| 18:30 | 30 min | 8.0 |
| 2 | Detective Conan | NTV | November 8 (Sat)| 18:00 | 30 min | 5.7 |
| 3 | Chibi Maruko-chan | Fuji TV | November 9 (Sun)| 18:00 | 30 min | 5.5 |
| 4 | One Piece | Fuji TV | November 9 (Sun)| 23:15 | 30 min | 3.4 |
| 5 | My Hero Academia final season | NTV | November 8 (Sat)| 17:30 | 30 min | 3.1 |
| 6 | Doraemon | TV Asahi | November 8 (Sat)| 17:00 | 30 min | 2.9 |
| 7 | You and Idol Precure♪ | TV Asahi | November 9 (Sun)| 08:30 | 30 min | 2.7 |
| 8 | Shabake | Fuji TV | November 7 (Fri)| 23:30 | 30 min | 2.6 |
| 9 | Crayon Shin-chan | TV Asahi | November 8 (Sat)| 16:30 | 30 min | 2.4 |
| 10 | Animated O-saru no George (Curious George) | NHK-E | November 8 (Sat)| 08:35 | 25 min | 1.6 |
These ratings represent an estimate of the percentage of the population watching a given program, based on data from a survey of households in Japan’s Kanto region. It’s important to note that these figures do not include recordings that viewers watch at a later time.
Noteworthy Broadcasts and Their Impact
Beyond the regularly scheduled programming, some special anime broadcasts also garnered attention during the week. Mamoru Hosoda’s critically acclaimed anime film Wolf Children aired on NTV on Friday, November 7, at 9:00 p.m. and achieved a 5.8% rating. In contrast, Makoto Shinkai’s film The Place Promised in Our Early Days, broadcast on Fuji TV on Friday, November 7, at 12:45 a.m., recorded a 0.8% rating.
Understanding Japanese TV Ratings
Japanese television ratings, often reported by Video Research, provide crucial insights into viewership trends. These rankings are primarily based on real-time viewing in the Kanto region and do not account for DVR recordings or on-demand streaming. This methodology means that programs with strong dedicated fan bases who might watch at their convenience through other means may not always reflect their full popularity in these specific real-time broadcast rankings.
The Enduring Appeal of Long-Running Anime
The consistent presence of titles like Sazae-san, Detective Conan, and Chibi Maruko-chan at the top of the rankings underscores the enduring cultural significance and broad appeal of these long-running anime series in Japan. Their established viewership bases contribute to their stable performance week after week, making them staples of Japanese television. Newer or seasonal anime often find their audience through a combination of broadcast, streaming platforms, and fan engagement, sometimes performing strongly in different metrics like streaming viewership rankings.
The animation industry in Japan continues to evolve, with traditional TV broadcasts coexisting with a booming digital streaming market and international expansion efforts. However, the weekly TV rankings remain a key indicator of immediate, live viewership within the domestic market.
