Anime Sales in Japan - 2013 (Speculation, preorder rankings, etc)

[Draneor]

Originally Posted by something

While I have no idea to what degree it is a cause (though I think it plays some part) what this would say is that the mere name "Kyoto Animation" doesn't automatically create sales or possibly even awareness at the level often assumed.

This of course has been clear for some years to anyone who remembers SoraAge and was reminded by Nichijou. So old news right?

There are, of course, a lot of factors that go into sales for a certain anime that we don't know the precise effect for (what time slot it gets, coverage across Japan, marketing budget, etc). I think pedigree is important--but people still need to know about it. Especially with stuff like Tamako Market that has the potential to draw in more casual anime fans. It would seem logical to me (although who knows if it is, in fact, the case).

Originally Posted by something

Which is of course clearly absurd to any thinking person who has seen sales numbers ever (not to mention insulting to fans), but lolinternet I guess.

Basically. We get an inaccurate floor of units moved but--due to how much we don't know--what it means for a specific show is basically a crapshoot. If anything, it says more about the person who interprets it.

[Westlo]

Originally Posted by Draneor

Honestly, I think Tamako Market's low numbers have more to do with lack of pre-airing promotion than the quality of the characters or series itself. It may just be that TBS and Pony Canyon don't have the capital to invest in marketing an anime original series like Aniplex does.

Granted, Tamako has clicked pretty well with me for what it is (quirky slice of life about a shopping market), so those who want something different may feel otherwise. I didn't go into this expecting another Chuu2koi or K-On myself.

Some series have taken the charts by storm with f all pre airing hype/promotion... did T&B have more hype? Same with Girlz und Panzer? Infinite Stratos? If a show clicks it sells, Tamako Market hasn't clicked as of now and most likely never will.

[Damius]

From time to time, I check the Top 100 on Amazon JP. I realized that all 6 volumes of Girls und Panzer have been in the Top 100 for more than 100 days. I find it amazing, since it most be quite rare for it to happen for a show with 6 or more volumes.

[Draneor]

Originally Posted by Westlo

Some series have taken the charts by storm with f all pre airing hype/promotion... did T&B have more hype? Same with Girlz und Panzer? Infinite Stratos? If a show clicks it sells, Tamako Market hasn't clicked as of now and most likely never will.

I'd argue not every anime needs to click with the same type of buyers to be successful. I'll take your word that IS had as much pre-airing marketing as TM (although part of me wonders if that was indeed the case, since it wasn't anime original and the first novel was published two years prior). I also suspect the audiences would be different. T&B clearly hit the fujoshi spot in a way TM never could so I don't think that's a good show to compare it to.

[something]

**1位/**1位 ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版:Q EVANGELION:3.33 YOU CAN (NOT) REDO.(初回限定版)(オリジナル・サウンドトラック付き) [Blu-ray]

Yeah so this is going to be a thing for like the next two months. What's going to be amusing is the fact that it is mathematically impossible for Stalker to be even remotely close to the real number. It only has 63 days between solicitation and release, and even if Stalker gives it the max 2,400 points per day every day until release, it can only get about 151,000 points. Of course we know it will really sell more like 500k BDs opening week.

A couple series had event tickets announced recently.

Tamako had one announced right after the B&M exclusive extras were announced. So the B&M extras lowered Amazon ranking but the event ticket raised it and the net effect was, uh, kind of a wash but better than it usually does mid-week. Of course that means it peaked at like 196... Also no really noteworthy B&M bump.

Haganai also had an event ticket announced at the same time. This very briefly put it in the top 100 on Amazon, but isn't game-changing. It's doing okay at HMV but not crushing or anything. I still expect it'll sell close to the first season, though I am starting to wonder a little about that.

Not sure if any other event tickets are new. I think Vivipan's was announced a while ago. I don't remember when Puchimas got one. Love Live, Amnesia and OreShura tickets are old news.

Overall, still a very slow, uneventful period. GJ-bu is still very resilient in its top-200 showing for the past three weeks though. That's one to watch out for for potential dark horse, now that Kotoura-san seems to have abdicated that role in somewhat spectacular fashion, being sub-500 for most of the past two weeks.

However, GJ-bu comes out early (3/06) so it doesn't have as much time left to sell. Ditto on another reasonably strong title right now, OreShura which comes out in a week.

[ultimatemegax]

Originally Posted by something

**1位/**1位 ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版:Q EVANGELION:3.33 YOU CAN (NOT) REDO.(初回限定版)(オリジナル・サウンドトラック付き) [Blu-ray]

Yeah so this is going to be a thing for like the next two months. What's going to be amusing is the fact that it is mathematically impossible for Stalker to be even remotely close to the real number. It only has 63 days between solicitation and release, and even if Stalker gives it the max 2,400 points per day every day until release, it can only get about 151,000 points. Of course we know it will really sell more like 500k BDs opening week.

The other interesting point is that (at least so far), Amazon's selling it at MSRP. They'll do the pre-order price guarentee, but 3.33's hanging on at 1 and 3 at full price thus far. It'll be interesting to see what happens. I've not seen any store bonuses thus far either.

[something]

DVD Daily
*18 *19 *20 *21 *22 *23 *24
*** **2 **1 *** *** *** *** Ookami Kodomo
*** *12 *16 *** *** *** *** Kamimashita v3
*** *13 *19 *** *** *** *** Chuunibyou v3
*** *15 *** *** *** *** *** Lupin thing
*** *24 *** *** *** *** *** Jintai v6
*** *29 *** *** *** *** *** Yuru Yuri♪♪ v6

BD Daily
*18 *19 *20 *21 *22 *23 *24
*** **1 **1 *** *** *** *** Ookami Kodomo
*** **2 **3 *** *** *** *** Chuunibyou v3
*** **4 **4 *** *** *** *** Ookami Kodomo DVD/BD combo
*** **5 **7 *** *** *** *** Yuru Yuri♪♪ v6
*** **6 **9 *** *** *** *** Jintai v6
*** **7 *11 *** *** *** *** Saki Achiga-hen v7
*** **9 *15 *** *** *** *** Busou Shinki v3
*** *** *20 *** *** *** *** Jojo v1
*** *13 *** *** *** *** *** Dakara Boku wa H v6
*** *14 *** *** *** *** *** Lupin thing
*** *16 *** *** *** *** *** Kamimashita v3
*** *18 *** *** *** *** *** Ideon BD Box
*** *19 *** *** *** *** *** Shinsekai Yori v4
**8 *** *** *** *** *** *** Geass Akito v1
*20 *** *** *** *** *** *** Girls und Panzer v1

Tomorrow is pre-sale day for GirlPan, so let's take a snapshot before that nuke goes off. It's worth noting it's out of stock again, so Bandai Visual did not fully fix their problems. Amazon immediately shifted from preorder to currently projecting they won't be restocking until the 28th, long after release week is over. So we could see a big second week unless they restock much earlier than that.

I'm really interested in seeing how Achiga-hen does. So far, it's similar to the past two volumes: just behind Yuru Yuri and Jintai for the pre-sale and release day. Slightly more than usual, but one or two spots probably doesn't mean anything considering no other anime is between them. I was wondering if it might see a bump in sales for the bonus eps, but I suppose with them airing on TV there's no real reason they'd get a sales boost.

Stalker has the versions of Ookami Kodomo totaling to about 30k, but I don't know how much accuracy to expect for a mainstream movie like that. Haven't really paid enough attention to compare. But in all likelihood it'll be the best seller of the week, as GirlPan doesn't appear to be fully stocked. It may not even be 20k if stock is really bad.

[hpulley4]

Today was presale day for GuP v2, it shipped out of Tokyo and should be in my hands tomorrow afternoon unless I am unlucky with some sort of delay. Glad I preordered it in December and didn't mess that order. Learned my lesson hopefully...

Shinsekai Yori 4 was sold out too, now they have a few in stock. Guess they didn't want to press too many given low sales. Again, glad I preordered it.

[something]

Originally Posted by hpulley4

Today was presale day for GuP v2

Right, when I said "tomorrow" I meant "when we have the daily ranking for the 21st" since we only have up to the 20th so far because of the wait for it to be released by Oricon and posted. Next daily comes out in ~8 hours.

it shipped out of Tokyo and should be in my hands tomorrow afternoon unless I am unlucky with some sort of delay. Glad I preordered it in December and didn't mess that order. Learned my lesson hopefully...

They're still holding my order until the end of the month, but I'm just glad they didn't decide to be completely evil and hold the whole thing until late March because Dog Days' got delayed. I considered canceling and reordering at first but they've listed it as two shipments since shortly after the delay so I should be good (they're pretty decent about splitting when things get delayed at least). But that's just yet another thing for my March bill which is something like ¥195,000 now. C'mon yen, keep getting weaker. ¥100 by the time that order goes out is my only hope of staying below $2k.

[hpulley4]

Wow, I look forward to your entry in the March imports thread. You must have a lot of the boxed sets coming.

Sorry, the tomorrow's are hard to keep track of.

Girls Und Panzer 2... Hard to believe they are out of stock again until the 28th when they already delayed it by a month and knew about nearly 30k orders for volume one. How could they do this again? Did they choose a distribution partner who can't make enough?