Fuyumi Ono’s Yumei no Kishi: Juni Kokuki has remained at No. 1 on the Billboard JAPAN Book Hot 100 for a second consecutive week. The chart, published Oct. 1, covers sales and other activity recorded from Sept. 21 through Sept. 27.
The latest installment in Ono’s long-running The Twelve Kingdoms series continued to lead the overall book chart after also taking the top position in the previous week. The book ranked No. 1 across both physical bookstore and e-commerce activity, while also placing fourth in social-media engagement.
Yumei no Kishi: Juni Kokuki is the latest entry in The Twelve Kingdoms, the fantasy novel series that is celebrating its 35th anniversary. The new book arrived seven years after the previous installment, giving the series another major release during its anniversary year.
Yama Wayama’s Onna no Sono no Hoshi, Vol. 5 held at No. 2 for a third consecutive week in the Billboard JAPAN Book Hot 100. The manga remained strong across both digital and physical formats, ranking second in electronic sales and fourth in bookstore activity.
Keiko Shibata’s Pan Dorobo to Sasurai Ramen, the eighth installment in the popular The Bread Thief picture-book series, climbed from No. 4 to No. 3. The book moved ahead of Hirohiko Araki’s The JOJOLands, Vol. 9, which fell one position to No. 4.
Meanwhile, Yuu Nagira’s novel Nanji, Hoshi no Gotoku climbed from No. 9 to No. 6. The increase came ahead of the Oct. 9 theatrical release of its live-action film adaptation, starring Ryusei Yokohama and Suzu Hirose.
The novel has now appeared on the Billboard JAPAN Book Hot 100 for 46 weeks. Its move into the top six came as readers turned to the book ahead of the movie’s release, with the chart report noting increased interest in reading the original work before seeing the film.
The latest chart also saw Kazune Kawahara’s Taiyo yori mo Mabushii Hoshi, Vol. 15 debut at No. 5. Other titles in the upper portion of the chart included Ryo Asai’s In the Megachurch at No. 7 and Keigo Higashino’s Eien no Kioku at No. 8.
The Billboard JAPAN Book Hot 100 combines activity from physical books, electronic books, library and subscription services, and social-media interest to determine its weekly rankings. Yumei no Kishi: Juni Kokuki continues its run at No. 1 as the chart enters October.
