Tokyo, Japan – The week of August 4-10, 2025, saw a mix of perennial favorites and a notable live-action series dominating Japanese television ratings for anime and anime-related programming. While long-running animated shows continued to draw consistent viewership, an episode of “Anpan,” a live-action series inspired by the creator of Anpanman, captured the highest rating of the week.
Top Performers: Anpan Takes the Lead
The live-action “Anpan” series, the latest installment in NHK’s “Renzoku Terebi Shōsetsu” (Serialized TV Novel) franchise, garnered an impressive 17.1% average household rating for its Friday, August 8, 8:00 a.m. broadcast. A separate episode on August 6 at 12:45 p.m. also achieved a 6.4% rating. This series, which draws inspiration from the life story of Anpanman manga creator Takashi Yanase and his wife Nobuo Komatsu, significantly outranked traditional animated fare during this period.
Consistent Viewership for Anime Mainstays
Despite “Anpan’s” strong performance, several beloved animated series maintained their steady viewership, demonstrating their enduring popularity across generations in Japan’s Kanto region.
Family Favorites Remain Strong
“Sazae-san,” a cultural staple known for its long-standing appeal, aired on Fuji TV on Sunday, August 10, at 6:30 p.m., securing a 5.9% rating. Similarly, “Chibi Maruko-chan,” broadcast on Fuji TV on the same day at 6:00 p.m., registered a 4.2% rating. Both series are renowned for their light-hearted portrayal of family and societal dynamics.
Detective Conan and Doraemon Continue to Engage
“Detective Conan” on NTV, known for its intricate mystery plots, achieved a 5.0% rating for its Saturday, August 9, 6:00 p.m. showing. “Doraemon,” another enduring children’s classic, earned a 2.6% rating for its Saturday, August 9, 5:00 p.m. slot on TV Asahi. These programs consistently engage mystery enthusiasts and younger audiences, respectively.
Other Notable Anime Rankings
The ratings for the week also included:
- Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (NHK-E, August 9, 9:15 p.m.): 3.4%
- Yaiba: Samurai Legend (NTV, August 9, 5:30 p.m.): 2.8%
- You and Idol Precure♪ (TV Asahi, August 10, 8:30 a.m.): 2.7%
- One Piece (Fuji TV, August 10, 11:15 p.m.): 2.6%
- Crayon Shin-chan (TV Asahi, August 9, 4:30 p.m.): 2.5%
- Soreike! Anpanman (NTV, August 8, 10:55 a.m.): 2.1%
- Animated O-saru no George (Curious George) (NHK-E, August 9, 8:35 a.m.): 1.6%
- The Adventures of Paddington (NHK-E, August 9, 8:10 a.m.): 1.5%
- Oshiri Tantei (NHK-E, August 9, 9:00 a.m.): 1.4%
These ratings, provided by Video Research, 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. They do not account for recordings that viewers might watch at a later time.
The Landscape of Japanese Television Ratings
Television ratings in Japan serve as a crucial metric for understanding audience engagement and preferences. While animated series like “Sazae-san” hold the Guinness World Record as the longest-running animated television program, continuing to be cultural staples, the success of live-action adaptations and dramas like “Anpan” highlights the diverse entertainment landscape appealing to varied tastes. This snapshot of viewership for August 4-10, 2025, underscores the dynamic nature of Japanese entertainment, where both enduring classics and new interpretations find significant audiences.
