So every so often ICv2 releases a new report on manga and anime sales in North America, including a look at overall sales as well as listing out the top 25 manga properties and the top 10 anime properties. This time around they have also released two lists, the top 10 shoujo properties and the top 10 shounen properties-- I think that's fairly new.
The overall news is relatively cheering: anime sales have only dropped 2% this year compared to last year, which is great compared to the drop the previous year, 11%. The people currently buying anime, I guess, are not going to stop buying anime.
FUNimation , which I vaguely remember having about 25% of the market share back in '07 and a third in '08, is now up to 40%. That's partially due to loss of competitors ( Central Park Media , Geneon ), as well as to FUNimation's gain of a giant mass of titles at Anime Expo '08 (from Geneon and ADV ), and doubtless to some of their own marketing efforts.
Fruits Basket Vol 1
It should be pretty easy to extrapolate from the above that the top three shounen series are Naruto, Bleach, and Death Note, in that order. But if you're curious about the third shoujo series : the top three are Fruits Basket, Vampire Knight, and...drumroll!... Gentlemen's Alliance . I'm pleased to see Shugo Chara! at #4, but I'm surprised that Ouran High School Host Club didn't make it into the top 10.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE: it is unclear to me at this time whether these last two top 10 lists are for the manga, or both the anime AND manga. Both lists feature a manga cover at the top, and several titles on the shoujo list have no anime, but that doesn't make it impossible, so...I'm not entirely sure.
Interesting info, though, to be sure. Quick show of hands: does anyone here NOT read (or has anyone here not read) ANY of the top 25 manga, top 10 shounen, or top 10 shoujo? I'm just curious. Those of you who have read, which ones?
