Ask John: What Anime Is Popular In Japan?

Question:
What are the most popular anime series and movies in Japan? What are the newest also?

Answer:
Before I provide specific examples, I need to first establish a context within which to answer your question. Now, as always, children’s and family anime programs earn the highest television ratings in Japan. Long-running, popular family shows commonly earn upwards of five times as many viewers as more typical Shonen or shoujo series do. The Simpsons may be the longest running animated television program in the US, but The Simpsons is a mere baby when compared to some anime TV series like Doraemon, which has over 800 episodes, and Sazae-san, which has over 1500 episodes. Stability of this sort is a testament to the popularity of these shows. In a related topic, I’d like to mention that anime comes over the the US, relatively, very late. Out of all of the dozens of anime titles currently being released in the US, including TV shows and OAVs, only Pokemon, Digimon, and Monster Rancher are still broadcasting new episodes on Japanese TV. Card Captor Sakura, which is due for release in the US soon, is still airing new episodes in Japan, but Sakura’s scheduled 70 episodes will likely be over by the time the show premiers in the US. Ah! My Goddess and Cowboy Bebop both have motion pictures in production, but their TV series have both long since concluded in Japan. Now, for specifics, the highest rated shows on Japanese TV at the moment, according to the February 2000 issue of Newtype magazine, include Oja Majo Doremi, Crayon Shin-chan, Jibakukun, Anpanman, Chibi Maruko-chan, Digimon Adventure, Doraemon, Pocket Monster, Meitantei Conan, Medalot, Monster Farmer, and Young Kindachi’s Case Files. All of these shows roughly fall into the children’s/family entertainment category. The highest rated “otaku-ish” shows at the moment include Kaimkaze Kaitou Jeanne, GTO, Dai-Gard, Hunter X Hunter, One Piece, Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Revenge, Mugen no Levauis, and Future Boy Conan II: Tiger Adventure.