Top 10 best-selling manga of 2023

The yr is coming to an finish, and it’s time to go over the best-selling manga collection in Japan of 2023, based on Oricon. The following listing ranks the highest 10 manga collection that offered essentially the most quantity of bodily copies in Japan. Let’s dive into it!

Quick word: Oricon doesn’t embody digital gross sales. It solely accounts for bodily copies offered throughout the Oricon yr starting on December 5, 2022 and lasting till November 27, 2023.

1. Blue Lock – 10,527,146 copies offered

Blue Lock by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura claims the highest spot in 2023 after seeing a monumental improve in gross sales. After practically tripling what it offered in 2022, the collection has turn into the primary Kodansha manga collection to high the rating in Oricon historical past! The hit anime adaptation produced by 8bit undoubtedly contributed to its meteoric surge in recognition, particularly because it was timed to air in parallel to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the place the Japanese males’s soccer group had an ideal run.

Blue Lock, a narrative revolving round a controversial soccer coaching program, is serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine and a second season of its anime has been introduced. Also, an anime film adaptation of the Blue Lock spin-off, Blue Lock: Episode Nagi, is ready to premiere on April 19, 2024. Its English print launch by Kodansha has 22 volumes, and the collection may be learn in Kodansha’s manga studying app, Ok Manga.

2. Jujutsu Kaisen – 8,541,411 copies offered

After two consecutive years on the high, Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami fell to second place after seeing a 30% lower in gross sales in comparison with the earlier yr. Even so, it stays a powerhouse within the manga business with Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 21 being the second best-selling quantity of 2023 with 1,777,867 copies offered. The ongoing success of season 2 of the anime overlaying the fan-favorite Shibuya Incident arc has prolonged the collection’ robust presence within the manga market. The supernatural sorcery battle manga is serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, and VIZ Media’s English print launch of Volume 22 is ready to hit shops in April 2024.

3. ONE PIECE – 7,197,532 copies offered

One Piece has not been the identical ever because it misplaced its monopoly of the No. 1 place within the Oricon gross sales rankings to Demon Slayer in 2019. The manga by Eiichiro Oda retains a spot within the Top 3, even with a 31% decline in manga gross sales. The anime reached the long-awaited climax of the Wano arc in 2023, and the One Piece Film: Red completed its theatrical run earlier this yr. Both elements boosted the collection’ recognition, elevating One Piece Vol. 105 because the best-selling manga quantity of 2023 with 1,912,008 copies offered. The pirate journey manga is serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, and the English print launch of Volume 105 is at present out there to pre-order from VIZ Media.

4. [Oshi No Ko] – 5,413,091 copies offered

One of essentially the most notable entries within the 2023 rankings is [Oshi No Ko] written by Kaguya-sama: Love is War creator Aka Akasaka and illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari. The anime adaptation of the idol drama certainly captured the eye of the lots, catapulting the collection to new heights by promoting virtually 4 million copies greater than it did in 2022. In the ultimate episode of the anime, a second season of the collection was introduced and is ready to air subsequent yr. The collection is serialized in Weekly Young Jump, and its first 4 volumes can be found in print by Yen Press. It may be additionally learn in MANGA Plus.

5. Chainsaw Man – 5,348,618 copies offered

Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto continues to make waves within the manga world. In Japan, the satan searching collection rose three spots to take fifth place after a greater than 50% improve in gross sales. On the opposite facet of the world, Chainsaw Man Vol. 1 was the best-selling manga quantity within the U.S. based on NPD BookScan (now Circana). Part 2 of the manga collection started in August 2022, and the momentum stored going robust after the primary season of the anime resulted in December 2022. The collection is at present serialized in Shonen Jump+, and Volume 14 of the collection’ English print launch by VIZ Media will come out in February 2024.

6. SLAM DUNK – 4,968,484 copies offered

The greatest shock within the listing is most undoubtedly SLAM DUNK. The Nineteen Nineties Weekly Shonen Jump basketball manga by the legendary mangaka Takehiko Inoue noticed a resurgence of curiosity because of the anime film The First Slam Dunk, which debuted in Japanese theatres in December 2022. Last yr, the manga by Vagabond and REAL creator noticed incremental rises in manga gross sales because the theatrical premiere date drew nearer. This yr, the collection loved a skyrocketing improve in gross sales because the anime film reignited the eagerness of outdated followers collection and launched this iconic basketball collection to a brand new era.

The First Slam Dunk was a large success incomes over 10 billion yen (roughly 71.6 million {dollars}) in field workplace income in its first 67 days. The success of this basic is supported by the discharge of the reader’s guidebook THE FIRST SLAM DUNK re:SOURCE, which positioned thirtieth on the Oricon best-selling manga quantity rating with 473,852 copies offered. The film was launched in July earlier this yr within the U.S. All 31 volumes of the manga can be found in print by VIZ Media. Unfortunately, the film reader’s guidebook isn’t but out there in English.

7. SPY×FAMILY – 4,326,425 copies offered

After being one of the massive pictures of 2022, SPY×FAMILY by Tatsuya Endo dropped out of the rostrum because it offered lower than half of what it did final yr. Despite the quick decline, the traction generated by Season 2 of the anime at present airing and the upcoming anime film SPY×FAMILY: Code: White set to debut in December 2023 signifies that its recognition stays robust. Even so, such a big fall in gross sales isn’t a great signal for the collection’ long-run gross sales. The collection is serialized in Shonen Jump+, and the primary 10 volumes are at present out there in print by VIZ Media.

8. My Hero Academia – 3,528,423 copies offered

A disappointing yr for My Hero Academia because it struggles to remain within the Top 10. The manga by Kohei Horikoshi noticed a 34% lower in gross sales, even with Season 6 of the anime airing till March of this yr. Unlike 2022, the collection didn’t launch an anime film this yr, and the standalone anime season was not sufficient to maintain the tempo up.

2023 is the worst-selling yr for My Hero Academia since its first-year rating in Oricon again in 2015, the place it ranked twenty seventh and offered 2,190,845 copies. One may argue Horikoshi’s fixed breaks could have hindered its gross sales efficiency. However, contemplating the collection launched the identical quantity of volumes as Chainsaw Man this yr (three volumes), the argument doesn’t maintain effectively. My Hero Academia backlog gross sales energy is getting weaker, and the person quantity gross sales are much less and fewer leggy with each new launch. The superhero manga is serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, and Volume 36 may be pre-ordered from VIZ Media’s web site. 

9. Tokyo Revengers – 3,218,117 copies offered

Tokyo Revengers by Ken Wakui noticed a substantial gross sales drop in 2023, promoting lower than a 3rd in comparison with final yr’s 11 million copies. However, the drop is simply pure because the manga launched the ultimate quantity of the collection in January earlier this yr.

Tokyo Revengers Vol. 31 is the tenth best-selling manga quantity of 2023 with 914,042 copies offered. This implies that the remaining two million copies have been purely from backlog gross sales, exhibiting the continued recognition of the collection. Such a feat may be attributed to the airing of Season 2 and the continuing Season 3 of its anime all year long, along with the manga finale. The time-traveling juvenile gang collection was serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine and is out there in English by Kodansha.

10. Kingdom – 3,207,691 copies offered

Kingdom by Yasuhisa Hara takes up the final place within the Top 10. Continuing its regular and gradual decline, the manga solely noticed a 16% lower in gross sales. The Chinese historic warfare manga reached 100 million copies in circulation earlier this yr with the discharge of Volume 70. Kingdom is the primary Weekly Young Jump collection to attain the milestone. Despite its staggering success in Japan, the collection nonetheless has not been licensed in English.

And that’s it for the Top 10! Now, there are a number of collection that have been neglected price mentioning. Kaiju No. 8 and Don’t Call It Mystery ranked within the Top 10 in 2022, but their gross sales disappointingly decreased by greater than half this yr. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and The Apothecary Diaries each launched their debut anime in October 2023 and noticed success too late to make it within the rating. Even so, their wonderful gross sales will certainly proceed subsequent yr, making them robust contenders for the highest spots!

And final, Sakamoto Days is the manga collection with out an anime (or anime within the works) with the strongest gross sales. Sadly, no anime has been introduced but for this wonderful murderer manga.

Next yr can be attention-grabbing with many anticipated anime diversifications happening. My prediction? In no explicit order, I consider we’ll see One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, The Apothecary Diaries, Chainsaw Man, SPY×FAMILY, My Hero Academia, and Blue Box. Okay, possibly not Blue Box (I’m simply extraordinarily biased and principally manifesting Blue Box anime success) so instead let’s say [Oshi No Ko].

Of course, many issues can occur, specifically with these with new anime and not using a particular launch date introduced. And My Hero Academia or Jujutsu Kaisen could finish throughout the yr as effectively. Who is aware of? Nothing is ready in stone. Let’s wait and see what 2024 brings us!

The best-selling manga by quantity in Japan of 2023 may be present in Oricon News (in Japanese) or the linked @WSJ_manga X/Twitter put up.

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