Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc reruns topped the Japanese animation TV rankings for the week of July 14-20, with two special broadcasts taking the top spots. Meanwhile, long-running classics like Sazae-san and Detective Conan continued to draw significant viewership.
Top-Ranked Anime Programs
The top anime programs on Japanese television for the week of July 14-20, based on average household ratings in the Kanto region, are as follows:
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc – Kaimaku-hen (Fuji TV, July 16, 7:00 p.m., 134 min.) – 7.7%
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc – Kesshū-hen (Fuji TV, July 17, 7:00 p.m., 134 min.) – 7.6%
- Sazae-san (Fuji TV, July 20, 6:30 p.m., 30 min.) – 5.3%
- Detective Conan (NTV, July 19, 6:00 p.m., 30 min.) – 4.2%
- Chibi Maruko-chan (Fuji TV, July 20, 6:00 p.m., 30 min.) – 3.7%
- You and Idol Precure♪ (TV Asahi, July 20, 8:30 a.m., 30 min.) – 2.5%
- Doraemon (TV Asahi, July 19, 5:00 p.m., 30 min.) – 2.1%
- Crayon Shin-chan (TV Asahi, July 19, 4:30 p.m., 30 min.) – 2.0%
- Soreike! Anpanman: Baikinman to Ehon no Lulun (NTV, July 18, 10:55 a.m.) – 1.9% (anime film)
- The Adventures of Paddington (NHK-E, July 19, 8:10 a.m., 25 min.) – 1.5%
- Animated O-saru no George (Curious George) (NHK-E, July 19, 8:35 a.m., 25 min.) – 1.4%
Analysis of the Week’s Rankings
The dominance of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc reruns highlights the immense popularity of the franchise in Japan, even for repeat broadcasts. The two special editions airing on Fuji TV commanded significant viewership during prime time.
Traditional family-friendly anime like Sazae-san, which has been on air since 1969, and Detective Conan continue to demonstrate consistent appeal, securing their regular spots in the top five.
While not strictly an anime, an episode of Anpan, the new live-action NHK morning drama inspired by Anpanman manga creator Takashi Yanase’s life, achieved a remarkably high 17.2% rating on July 18 at 8:00 a.m. and a 6.0% rating on July 14 at 12:45 p.m., indicating strong general viewership for content related to the beloved Anpanman franchise. The Soreike! Anpanman: Baikinman to Ehon no Lulun anime film also aired during this period, garnering a 1.9% rating.
Comparison with Streaming Trends
It is important to note that these television ratings reflect linear broadcast viewership in the Kanto region and do not account for streaming or recorded viewings. Separately, for the Summer 2025 anime season, the streaming service Niconico released its “Initial Velocity” ranking, which measures immediate impact based on views, comments, and access numbers since July 14, 2025.
The top-ranked new anime series on Niconico for the Summer 2025 season include:
- Takopi’s Original Sin
- Dandadan
- My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- Bad Girl
- Secrets of the Silent Witch
This indicates a different landscape in terms of immediate engagement for newer series on streaming platforms compared to the more established titles dominating traditional TV broadcasts.
