Fuyumi Ono’s ‘Yumei no Kishi: Juni Kokuki’ Sweeps Three Metrics to Top Billboard Japan Book Hot 100

Fuyumi Ono’s Yumei no Kishi: Juni Kokuki hits No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Book Hot 100 chart released Sept. 24, tracking the week from Sept. 14 to 20.

The title is the first new installment in seven years of the popular fantasy novel series Juni Kokuki (The Twelve Kingdoms), celebrating its 35th anniversary. It tops three metrics — brick-and-mortar, e-commerce (EC) and social media — and claims a decisive lead at No. 1, with more than three times the points of the runner-up.

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Last week’s No. 1, Onna no Sono no Hoshi Vol. 5, a comedy manga set at an all-girls high school, slips to No. 2 while holding at No. 1 for e-books. Hirohiko Araki’s The JOJOLands Vol. 9 follows at No. 3, placing No. 3 in both brick-and-mortar and e-books.

Debuting at No. 4 is Pan Dorobo to Sasurai Ramen, the eighth installment in Keiko Shibata’s popular picture book series Pan Dorobo. The book is a spirited, heartwarming story that follows Pan Dorobo (literally, “bread thief”) after they arrive on the freezing Buruburu Island.

The Billboard Japan Book Hot 100 is a comprehensive chart combining physical sales, e-books, library loans, subscription data and social media activity. Below are the top 10 titles on this week’s list.

(Numbers in parentheses indicate the title’s metric placements for brick-and-mortar, EC, e-books, subscriptions, and social media, top 20 only. English title given if translations or adaptations exist.)

1. Yumei no Kishi: Juni Kokuki, Fuyumi Ono (1/1/–/–/1)

2. Onna no Sono no Hoshi Vol. 5, Yama Wayama (4/–/1/–/–)

3. The JOJOLands Vol. 9, Hirohiko Araki (3/11/3/–/–)

4. Pan Dorobo to Sasurai Ramen, Keiko Shibata (2/6/–/–/–)

5. Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki (In the Clear Moonlit Dusk) Vol. 11, Mika Yamamori (5/–/5/–/–)

6. Eien no Kioku, Keigo Higashino (12/–/–/13/9)

7. In The Megachurch, Ryo Asai (–/–/–/2/3)

8. Shiki Vol. 2: Ruri to Hari, Kaoru Takada (6/–/–/–/–)

9. Nanji, Hoshi no Gotoku, Yu Nagira (–/–/–/1/5)

10. Hakucho to Komori (Guilt) Part 1, Keigo Higashino (8/–/–/–/–)