Remember! That it is thanks to Oricon that we get to see these charts on a yearly basis, so be sure to say your thanks by visiting their site here. All the information you see below is accessible via Oricon right here (Series), here (Individuals) and here (Bunko). For previous years’ charts, you can read them here (for 2019) here (for 2020) and here (for 2021). Please note that Oricon only tracks physical copies sold in Japan.
There is more diversity when it comes to publishers’ appearances on Oricon’s Light Novel series sales chart, but there is still one publisher that dominates the lists throughout the last eight years. The number of appearances is the highest for KADOKAWA that saw the major publisher appearing 55 times, towering over the rest by 68.8% while Shuiesha is the second biggest at 7 appearances, 8.75%. Micro Magazine and SB Creative share the same number of appearances of 5, accounting to 6.25% of the total (refer to Chart 1 and Chart 2).
Genres on the other hand witnessed fantasy to be the most preferred at 35 appearances, 20.5% of the total whereas action and drama are both at 29 and 27 appearances respectively, 17.0% and 15.8% of the total (refer to Chart 1 and Chart 2). As for themes, adventure leads at a comfortable 37 appearances, 27.4% of the total with school life and supernatural following right behind at 23 and 20 appearances, 17.0% and 14.8% of the total (refer to Chart 1 and Chart 2).
Note. The genres and themes were taken from criteria set by official publishers: Yen Press, Seven Seas etc. There are few titles that did not possess a theme, as such, it is sourced from sites such as MyAnimeList or Anilist. Some themes like isekai for instance, tend to not be listed oddly enough, for instance Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken only has fantasy noted as its genre by Yen Press.
Light Novel Series Sales Ranking (Top 5)
(November 22, 2021 to November 20, 2022)
1. Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken
by (Author) Fuse and (Illustration) Mitz Vah
Publisher: Micro Magazine
Estimated number of copies: 536,635
Graph: Here
Analysis
The latest outcome for Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken presents the series’ weakest yearly performance to date, selling less than what it did in 2018 and the subsequent years until 2021. The 536,635 copies it sold in 2022 saw the biggest drop against 2019’s 879,734 copies sold (where the Anime’s first season aired from October 2018 to March 2019) while against the rest, it is down by 0.49%, 11.55% and 10.23% against 2018, 2020 and 2021. The series did not make it onto the Top 10 series charts from 2015 to 2017. All In all, from 2018 to 2022, the series has sold a total of 3,160,165 copies in physical volumes in Japan.
2. Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e: 2-nensei-hen
by (Author) Shougo Kinugasa and (Illustration) Shunsaku Tomose
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 492,711
Additional Comments
Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e: 2-nensei-hen has made three consistent appearances on the Top 10 since 2020, however, Oricon began to limit the charts it releases to the wider public from that year itself. This would be the first time it has ever appeared on the Top 5 after the 2-nensei arc began its publication journey in January 2020.
3. Overlord
by (Author) Kugane Maruyama and (Illustration) so-bin
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 487,565
Analysis
It has been quite some time since Overlord’s appearance on the Top 10 list. The series was seen on the charts from 2015 to 2018 where copies sold peaked in 2015 at 927,413 copies sold, most likely driven by the broadcast of its Anime adaptation that occurred from July to September 2015. The 487,565 copies sold in 2022 is not its weakest performance as the number of copies sold is 14.26% more than what it did in 2017. However, the latest performance is still far less by 47.43%, 31.44% and 39.63% than the number of physical copies it sold in 2015, 2016 and 2018.
4. Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e
by (Author) Shougo Kinugasa and (Illustration) Shunsaku Tomose
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 338,932
Analysis
Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e was last seen making onto the Top 10 series charts from 2017 to 2019 (the latter of which the year the first-year arc ended), selling a total of 564,642 copies, 393,949 copies and 420,573 copies in each respective year. Despite having its Light Novel officially ending in September 2019, the fact that it made a resurgence here is quite the spectacular outcome, very likely from the boost it has received from the latest seasonal Anime adaptation that aired from July to September 2022. For comparison’s sake, its 2022’s performance is 39.97%, 13.97% and 19.41% less than the results in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
5. Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Aalya-san
by (Author) Sun Sun Sun and (Art) Momoco
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 294,454
Additional Comments
This is the first time the series has breached the top series chart. Despite making its debut in 2021, it did not rank on the Top 10 the year before.
Light Novel Individual Volume Sales Ranking (Top 7)
(November 22, 2021 to November 20, 2022)
1. Konya, Sekai kara Kono Koi ga Kiete mo (Bunko)
by Misaki Ichijou
Release Date: February 22, 2020
No. of Days: 364
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 259,363
Debut Week: N/A
2. Suzume no Tojimari
by Makoto Shinkai
Release Date: August 24, 2022
No. of Days: 89
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 234,777
Debut Week: Aug. 22 – Aug. 28
3. Overlord Vol. 16
by (Author) Kugane Maruyama and (Illustration) so-bin
Release Date: July 29, 2022
No. of Days: 115
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 158,391
Debut Week: Jul. 25 – Jul. 31
4. Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken Vol. 19
by (Author) Fuse and (Illustration) Mitz Vah
Release Date: November 30, 2021
No. of Days: 356
Publisher: Micro Magazine
Estimated number of copies: 158,202
Debut Week: Nov. 29 – Dec. 5
5. Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon Vol. 6 (Bunko)
by (Author) Agitogi Akumi and (Illustration) Tsukioka Tsukiho
Release Date: July 15, 2022
No. of Days: 129
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 151,176
Debut Week: Jul. 11 – Jul. 17
6. Overlord Vol. 15
by (Author) Kugane Maruyama and (Illustration) so-bin
Release Date: June 30, 2022
No. of Days: 144
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 150,367
Debut Week: Jun. 27 – Jul. 3
7. Lycoris Recoil Ordinary Days
by (Author) Asaura, (Illustration) Imigimuru and (Plan, Original, Supervision) Spider Lily
Release Date: September 9, 2022
No. of Days: 73
Publisher: KADOKAWA
Estimated number of copies: 142,610
Debut Week: Sep. 5 – Sep. 11
As always, if you find any faults with the list above, please do not hesitate to let me know! Also, don’t shy away from dropping a comment or two down below and share your thoughts with us!
Source: Oricon
Previous Chart: 2021
Visualisations:
Series
Volumes
Fact Sheet
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