Anime viewer ratings in Japan?

[Suzuku]

As someone already said, ratings don't mean much for late night anime since most otaku either record, download, or watch them online now. The true measure of their popularity is BD/DVD sales, and Madoka pre-orders are nothing short of mind blowing.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by solomon

Are we looking at the same ratings? In Kanto region for past five weeks Madoka is hovering around a 2 at it's height, that's real normal for a show of it's type.

I was looking at these for Fridays at 25:55. I don't see a figure there higher than 1.9. There are more recent figures at the bottom of this lengthy posting above. The ratings for late February and early March are slightly better than those at the Geocities site, but only on 3/04 do I see a figure over two in Kantou.

As totoum says, the Kansai ratings are consistently higher.

Let me add that having scanned the ratings for other late-night shows, Madoka is closer to the head of the pack than the bottom. The sequel to Kimi ni Todoke and a relatively weak offering in the Noitamina block consistently do better than Madoka, but I'd accept that the sequel to a relatively popular series and the Noitamina block aren't comparable to Madoka. So perhaps I overstated the case for Madoka seeming to be unusually popular compared to other late-night shows. It's doing relatively well, though overall viewing of late-night anime has declined compared to a few years back.

[totoum]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

So perhaps I overstated the case for Madoka seeming to be unusually popular compared to other late-night shows. It's doing relatively well, though overall viewing of late-night anime has declined compared to a few years back.

But still,what really counts is DVD/Blu-ray sales because the producers don't make any real money off of the TV airings,and when it comes to that:

Spoiler for image:

When was the last time all 5 volumes of a show topped the amazon charts?

Just look at ika Musume,the show never went above 1.6% and was bellow 1.0% a few times yet it's getting a second season thanks to blu-ray/dvd sales.
And news like this and this show that it was popular despite what the tv ratings might tell you.

[bayoab]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

1) There's a lot of TV viewing that's somehow being missed by Video Research. I tend to discount that as they've been at their work for a long time now.

I'd suspect that this is the same statistical design flaw that matches how Nielsen is unable to properly measure shows that are heavily watched by college students. You don't really expect otaku to be willing participants in surveys or to attach a box that monitors what they are watching.

Also, the show is streamed legally on multiple VoD services, including nico anime channel. Each episode has approximately 300k views there alone. (And episode 10 has nearly double that.)

[jpwong]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

1) There's a lot of TV viewing that's somehow being missed by Video Research. I tend to discount that as they've been at their work for a long time now.

If I recall correctly they only capture people who are actually sitting down watching live. It doesn't count people recording on VCR, DVD, PVR or any other time shift technology.

Makes some sense as advertisers probably don't care as much about people who are likely going to fast forward through their commercials. And from what I've seen, Japanese commercial breaks are so short, it's probably not worth it to channel surf during them for live viewers.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by jpwong

If I recall correctly they only capture people who are actually sitting down watching live. It doesn't count people recording on VCR, DVD, PVR or any other time shift technology.

This subject came up in the discussions of metering rooboy and I had earlier in this thread. We both thought that DVRs were metered as they are in other countries like the US. Turns out we were wrong.

Video Research no longer provides a detailed methodological document on its public website as it did a few years ago. However, I did find this report from Dentsu, dated 2005. According to Dentsu,

Originally Posted by Dentsu

Unlike in the United States and the United Kingdom, in Japan only live viewing is counted in the current TV audience measurement system.

In Japan, only live viewing is subject to the current TV audience measurement system. Recording—including, but not limited to using a DVR while away or watching another program or viewing of recorded programs -- is not included in viewer ratings.

In contrast, in the United States recorded programs are included in viewer ratings regardless of whether they are actually played back. Therefore, even programs that are never watched are reflected.

I believe Dentsu is wrong about the latter, as I think US ratings count viewings of recorded programs rather than the recordings themselves. Nevertheless the published audience figures for Japan will underestimate viewing of time-shifted recorded programs. I'd guess Izumi Konata isn't the only otaku recording her late-night anime shows for later viewing (and complaining loudly when the baseball game goes into extra innings).

Originally Posted by bayoab

I'd suspect that this is the same statistical design flaw that matches how Nielsen is unable to properly measure shows that are heavily watched by college students. You don't really expect otaku to be willing participants in surveys or to attach a box that monitors what they are watching.

Another excellent criticism, though household meters might do a good job of measuring viewing by otaku living in their parents' basements

[Katapan]

Ratings for the week of March 21-27:

21.0%(20.4%) 03/27 18:30-19:00 CX* Sazae-san
13.7%(13.1%) 03/27 18:00-18:30 CX* Chibi Maruko-chan
11.5%(12.2%) 03/27 *9:30-10:00 CX* One Piece
10.3%(--.-%) 03/25 19:30-19:54 EX* Crayon Shin-chan
10.2%(11.1%) 03/27 *9:00-*9:30 CX* Dragon Ball Kai (End)
*9.3%(*9.2%) 03/26 18:00-18:30 NTV Detective Conan
*9.0%(10.1%) 03/25 19:00-19:30 EX* Doraemon
*6.6%(*5.2%) 03/24 19:00-19:30 TX* Pokemon Best Wishes!
*5.0%(--.-%) 03/23 19:00-19:27 TX* Inazuma Eleven
*4.7%(*5.4%) 03/27 *8:30-*9:00 EX* Suite PreCure ♪
-------------------------------
*3.2%(--.-%) 03/25 16:30-17:00 NTV Soreike! Anpanman
*2.7%(*3.6%) 03/26 *9:00-*9:30 TX* Gokujou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou Second Collection (End)
*2.7%(*2.7%) 03/27 *7:00-*7:30 EX* Battle Spirits: Brave
*2.6%(--.-%) 03/27 *7:00-*7:30 NTV Beelzebub
*2.2%(*3.8%) 03/22 24:59-25:29 NTV Kimi ni Todoke Second Season
*2.1%(*3.0%) 03/27 *9:00-*9:30 TX* LilPri (End)
*0.9%(*1.3%) 03/24 25:55-25:25 CX* noitaminA - Fractale - Hourou Musuko

[fanty]

Well, it looks like Noitamina is pretty much dead. Time to start the funeral rites.

[RRW]

ouch. i wonder what happend on to c

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by Katapan

*0.9%(*1.3%) 03/24 25:55-25:25 CX* noitaminA - Fractale - Hourou Musuko

OUCH! No I really mean... OUCH! That seriously hurts to see since neither of those shows were particularly bad but not top of the crop either, very average I would say. Still OUCH! :|

[aquabluesweater]

I have actually posted some analysis of data based on Video Research information. The current one shows the top 10 highest rating shows over the last decade. I would love to hear your comments considering you guys definitely know more about how to intepret the results of this particular database than me

http://aquabluesweater.wordpress.com...-anime-rating/

Having come to read this discussion again after making the post, I can see that the Video Research data definitely have some flaw and is not necessarily the best measure of popularity. A lot of the shows can be affected simply by the time slot it is in. Still I find it fun just to see certain trends emerging once I have gone through enough data. If anyone knows where it exists, I would love to get a hold of the weekly anime dvd sales so I could cross-analyze that along with the tv rating in here

[Katapan]

Originally Posted by fanty

Well, it looks like Noitamina is pretty much dead. Time to start the funeral rites.

I'd tend to agree, but I'd still rather wait until Usagi Drop and No. 6 air before calling noitaminA's end. I can't see [C] & AnoHana doing much better than Fractale/HM, but going back to the josei roots might work. Or at least, I hope it will.
Besides, this season's finale hasn't done too bad...

---

Ratings for the week of March 28 - April 3:

20.0%(21.0%) 04/03 18:30-19:00 CX* Sazae-san
12.9%(13.7%) 04/03 18:00-18:30 CX* Chibi Maruko-chan
10.8%(11.5%) 04/03 *9:30-10:00 CX* Toriko x One Piece Crossover - Part 2
10.2%(*9.3%) 04/02 18:00-18:30 NTV Detective Conan
*9.4%(--.-%) 04/03 *9:00-*9:30 CX* Toriko x One Piece Crossover - Part 1 (New)
*6.5%(*6.6%) 03/31 19:00-19:30 TX* Pokemon Best Wishes!
*5.3%(**.*%) 03/28 19:00-19:30 TX* Tamagochi!
*4.8%(**.*%) 03/31 19:30-19:58 TX* Naruto Shippuuden
*4.6%(**.*%) 04/02 *8:35-*9:00 ETV Osaru no George
*4.6%(*4.7%) 04/03 *8:30-*9:00 EX* Suite PreCure ♪
-------------------------------
*2.9%(*2.7%) 04/03 *7:00-*7:30 EX* Battle Spirits: Brave
*2.8%(*3.2%) 04/01 16:30-17:00 NTV Soreike! Anpanman
*2.5%(*0.9%) 03/31 24:35-25:35 CX* noitaminA - Fractale (End) - Hourou Musuko (End)
*2.3%(--.-%) 04/03 *6:30-*7:00 EX* Digimon Xros Wars: Aku no Death General to Shichinin no Ookoku (New)
*1.7%(*2.6%) 04/03 *7:00-*7:30 NTV Beelzebub
*1.4%(*2.2%) 03/29 25:34-26:04 NTV Kimi ni Todoke Second Season (End)
*0.9%(--.-%) 03/29 26:04-26:34 NTV Kimi ni Todoke Second Season (End)

Note that Digimon Xros Wars has switched timeslots - I marked it as "new", but it remains a continuation of the series. Needless to say, this 6:30am one is... notably worse.

[roriconfan]

As usual, One Piece is the only one I really fancy in this list.

[Destinyblade]

Originally Posted by Katapan

Note that Digimon Xros Wars has switched timeslots - I marked it as "new", but it remains a continuation of the series. Needless to say, this 6:30am one is... notably worse.

At first, when I learned about the timeslot change, I thought it was 6:30pm!! I guess I should've realized I was wrong sooner, 'cause I doubt TV Asahi would want it competing against Sazae-san.

Yeah, it's a worse timeslot, but it doesn't look like it's going to change much in the ratings. Xros Wars was only getting a 3% at best, and that's pretty bad for a golden timeslot like 7:30PM on a Tuesday. Toei probably regrets not putting it on the old Sunday morning slot on Fuji TV like the other Digimon incarnations.

It's really a shame that anime can no longer bring in great ratings on golden time like it used to. It'll probably be a long time, if ever, before another anime airs at 7PM or 7:30PM outside of TV Tokyo.

EDIT: I forgot to ask. Katapan, did One Piece really air? I was under the impression that One Piece wasn't on because it would be Toriko and that Crossover Special.

[Katapan]

Originally Posted by Destinyblade

EDIT: I forgot to ask. Katapan, did One Piece really air? I was under the impression that One Piece wasn't on because it would be Toriko and that Crossover Special.

I just checked Syoboi and it lists Toriko on at 9, and One Piece at 9:30, both with the subtitle "Toriko x One Piece Crossover". Looks like this was indeed a 1-hour special - I didn't think it had carried on to the OP timeslot as well.

I can't help but expect a significant drop for Toriko's real start next week... though the crossover worked really well and was the best stunt they could possibly have come up with.

[Katapan]

Ratings for the week of April 4 - 10:

18.7%(20.0%) 04/10 18:30-19:00 CX* Sazae-san
12.9%(12.9%) 04/10 18:00-18:30 CX* Chibi Maruko-chan
11.6%(--.-%) 04/08 19:29-21:48 EX* Doraemon x Crayon Shin-chan Special (Part 2)
*9.8%(--.-%) 04/08 19:00-19:29 EX* Doraemon x Crayon Shin-chan Special (Part 1)
*9.7%(10.8%) 04/10 *9:30-10:00 CX* One Piece
*9.4%(10.2%) 04/09 18:00-18:30 NTV Detective Conan
*8.0%(--.-%) 04/10 17:00-17:30 TBS Manga Nippon no Mukashibanashi (Special)
*7.9%(*9.4%) 04/10 *9:00-*9:30 CX* Toriko
*5.3%(*6.5%) 04/07 19:00-19:30 TX* Pokemon Best Wishes!
*5.2%(*4.6%) 04/09 *8:35-*9:00 ETV Osaru no George
-------------------------------
*5.1%(*4.6%) 04/10 *8:30-*9:00 EX* Suite PreCure ♪
*4.4%(--.-%) 04/06 19:00-19:27 TX* Inazuma Eleven
*4.4%(--.-%) 04/06 19:27-19:55 TX* Danball Senki
*4.3%(--.-%) 04/09 *9:30-10:00 TX* Jewelpet Sunshine (New)
*3.8%(*4.8%) 04/07 19:30-20:00 TX* Naruto Shippuuden
*3.0%(--.-%) 04/04 18:00-18:30 TX* Gintama' (New)
*3.0%(--.-%) 04/09 *9:00-*9:30 TX* Tottoko Hamtaro Dechu (New)
*2.9%(--.-%) 04/07 18:00-18:30 TX* Sket Dance (New)
*2.7%(--.-%) 04/09 10:00-10:30 TX* Pretty Rhythm - Aurora Dream (New)
*2.7%(--.-%) 04/09 10:30-11:00 TX* Fairy Tail (new timeslot)
*2.4%(*2.9%) 04/10 *7:00-*7:30 EX* Battle Spirits: Brave
*2.4%(*1.8%) 04/09 *8:00-*8:30 TX* Cardfight!! Vanguard
*2.3%(--.-%) 04/05 25:34-26:04 NTV Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji - Hakairoku-hen (New)
*2.2%(*1.7%) 04/05 18:00-18:30 TX* Bleach
*2.1%(*2.8%) 04/08 16:30-17:00 NTV Soreike! Anpanman
*2.0%(*2.3%) 04/10 *6:30-*7:00 EX* Digimon Xros Wars
*2.0%(*1.7%) 04/10 *7:00-*7:30 NTV Beelzebub
*2.0%(--.-%) 04/05 17:30-18:00 TX* Keroro Gunsou (Rerun)
*1.6%(--.-%) 04/07 25:25-25:55 TBS Kämpfer - für die Liebe (Special)
*1.4%(*1.6%) 04/10 *6:00-*6:30 EX* Crayon Shin-chan × Digimon
*1.4%(--.-%) 04/08 26:20-26:50 TBS A Channel (New)
*1.3%(*1.3%) 04/04 25:30-26:00 TX* Level E (End)
*1.2%(--.-%) 04/08 26:50-27:20 TBS Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera (New)
*0.9%(*0.9%) 04/07 25:55-26:25 TBS Yumekui Merry (End)
*0.8%(*0.5%) 04/08 28:18-28:48 NTV Dragon Crisis!
*0.4%(*1.6%) 04/08 25:23-25:53 TX* Gosick

---

It is pretty hilarious to see Nippon no Mukashibanashi air as a special on Nichigo and gather 8% of the viewers when all the other anime on the timeslot have never even come close to that. I can only hope these 8% will think that the old series is carrying on to next week, but will end up watching Ao no Exorcist all the same - it'd make for a strong start, unlike what happened for... eh, SutaDora to name one. That's probably what the producers have in mind anyway? :P

[Malkuth]

Dragon Crisis WTF!? It hardly sold a thousand DVDs.

Anyway, I always wandered, these percentages are based on what? total population, active TV-sets? Tokyo, whole country? Do they include nation-wide broadcasters, pay-channels?

and is it possible to post alongside links to the source?

[roriconfan]

Toriko has 8% for being fairly new. If it keeps up like this it will disappear in a month from these charts.
Kaiji 2% ??? WTF???

[solomon]

Originally Posted by Katapan

---

It is pretty hilarious to see Nippon no Mukashibanashi air as a special on Nichigo and gather 8% of the viewers when all the other anime on the timeslot have never even come close to that. I can only hope these 8% will think that the old series is carrying on to next week, but will end up watching Ao no Exorcist all the same - it'd make for a strong start, unlike what happened for... eh, SutaDora to name one. That's probably what the producers have in mind anyway? :P

It's elementary;
.
Mukashibanashi is a classic watched by NORMAL people (back in the 70s it'd pull around 20% in prime time), Nichigo stuff is for nerds. Fullmetal Alchemist had the best chance of getting strong ratings and it's numbers were fairly lower than what they got during the Saturday 6pm timeslot. Unless you have a blockbuster franchise, don't expect much.

[Katapan]

Originally Posted by solomon

It's elementary;
.
Mukashibanashi is a classic watched by NORMAL people (back in the 70s it'd pull around 20% in prime time), Nichigo stuff is for nerds. Fullmetal Alchemist had the best chance of getting strong ratings and it's numbers were fairly lower than what they got during the Saturday 6pm timeslot. Unless you have a blockbuster franchise, don't expect much.

Oh, I did grasp the differences between the series, but like, I didn't expect people to actually catch on with the fact that Nippon no Mukashibanashi was showing. The timeslot has been deserted for a while, so even for this sort of classic, I couldn't imagine such a high number. I guess TBS/MBS did properly place commercials for it throughout the week after all.

Originally Posted by Malkuth

Anyway, I always wandered, these percentages are based on what? total population, active TV-sets? Tokyo, whole country? Do they include nation-wide broadcasters, pay-channels?

and is it possible to post alongside links to the source?

They're based on the total of TV owners in the region of Kantou. Numbers are only available for the regional broadcasters (NHK, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, TBS, NTV, TV Tokyo), no pay channels are included.

All the figures I repost are originally from this thread.