Tokyo, Japan – The latest television rankings for Japanese animation from December 15-21, 2025, show consistent strong performance from perennial favorites, with Sazae-san and Detective Conan leading the pack in household viewership. The week also saw the premiere of Blue Miburo season 2, which secured a respectable rating in its debut.
The ratings, provided by Video Research and based on a survey of households in Japan’s Kanto region, estimate the percentage of the population watching a given program live, not including later recordings.
Top Japanese Anime by Household Rating (December 15-21, 2025)
The top animated programs for the week reflect a strong preference for established series that have been staples of Japanese television for decades.
Sazae-san and Detective Conan Tie for First
Fuji TV’s beloved family anime, Sazae-san, continued its impressive run, tying for the top spot with a 6.4% average household rating. Airing on Sunday, December 21, at 6:30 p.m. for 30 minutes, its consistent appeal remains evident.
Matching Sazae-san‘s performance was Detective Conan, broadcast on NTV on Saturday, December 20, at 6:00 p.m. for 30 minutes, also achieving a 6.4% rating. The long-running mystery series consistently draws a significant audience.
Chibi Maruko-chan Secures Third Spot
Another Fuji TV classic, Chibi Maruko-chan, claimed the third position. The heartwarming slice-of-life anime, which aired on Sunday, December 21, at 6:00 p.m. for 30 minutes, garnered a 5.0% rating.
Notable Debuts and Steady Performers
The week’s rankings also highlighted a new season premiere and several other popular series maintaining their viewership.
Blue Miburo Season 2 Premiere
The highly anticipated second season premiere of Blue Miburo on NTV, airing Saturday, December 20, at 5:30 p.m. for 30 minutes, made a strong entrance with a 4.1% rating. This indicates a solid viewership base for the returning series.
Consistent Presence of Anime Mainstays
Doraemon on TV Asahi (Saturday, December 20, 5:00 p.m., 30 min) earned a 3.4% rating, while Crayon Shin-chan on TV Asahi (Saturday, December 20, 4:30 p.m., 30 min) secured 2.6%.
Late-night anime Tougen Anki on NTV (Friday, December 19, 11:10 p.m., 30 min) also registered a 2.6% rating, a strong showing for its time slot.
You and Idol Precure♪ on TV Asahi (Sunday, December 21, 8:30 a.m., 30 min) and One Piece on Fuji TV (Sunday, December 21, 11:15 p.m., 30 min) both received a 2.4% rating.
Rounding out the top animated programs were Animated O-saru no George (Curious George) and Oshiri Tantei, both airing on NHK-E on Saturday, December 20, with ratings of 1.6%.
Methodology of Ratings
These television ratings are based on data from a survey of households exclusively in Japan’s Kanto region. It’s important to note that these figures do not account for recordings that viewers might watch at a later time, providing a snapshot of live viewership during the specified period.
