It's difficult to get a good idea of the ratings for most anime. The main commercial ratings sites, Video Research and Oricon, just cover the top ten, which are almost all prime-time kids' shows.There is another site that appears to collate info about shows lower in the ratings list, probably from postings on 2channel and elsewhere by people who work for companies that have paid Video Research for the full list.Here is a translation of the latest rankings list. The most recent ratings available are for the end of February. Some shows are not listed, and I've edited out some others that I didn't know or didn't seem of interest.The highest late-night ratings are for NANA (avg 4.4, early late-night, 11:55) and Nodame Cantabile (avg 4.4, but it has fallen from initial dizzying heights), and Death Note (avg 3.1). Next are History's Greatest Disciple Kenichi (2.5), Corda D'Oro (2.4), and Getsumen To Heiki Miina (2.3). Getsumento is a big hit in Japan, but doesn't seem as popular in Western countries.Next come Code Geass (2.1) and Ghost Hunt and Hidamari Sketch (both 1.8) and Manabi Straight and Busou Renkin (1.7). Then there is a low group of Venus vs. Virus, Super Robot Wars (1.5), Tokimeki, Galaxy Railways (both 1.4), Venus Vs. Virus, Red Garden (both 1.3), Master of Epic, Yamato Nadeshiko, Souten no Ken (all 1.2), and Sumomo mo Momo mo (1.1). Some shows are not included in the list.The thing that strikes me most is the popularity of shows aimed primarily at females: NANA, Nodame, and Corda D'Oro. And we might include the prime-time show Kirarin Revolution in that. It started low but has gradually risen into the same range as Gintama, and about triple Negima's numbers.The thing that strikes me most among shows in prime time is the dismal performance of the very good show Negima!?, which is clearly being broadcast at the wrong time: 5:30 Wednesday evenings, rather than late at night.Oricon also has a weekly DVD sales ranking.Here is a list of average rankings between the beginning of January and the end of February. Data is available for different numbers of episodes for different shows, and the source is unofficial, so this is a very rough guide that the exactness of the figures makes seem more accurate than it is: time/stn avg 18:30 CX Sazaesan 19.5 18:00 CX Chibi Maruko-chan 14.1 19:30 ANB Crayon Shin-chan 10.8 19:00 ANB Doraemon 10.1 19:30 NTV Detective Conan 9.7 19:30 TX NARUTO Shippuden 8.0 19:00 TX Pokemon Diamond and Pearl 7.8 19:00 NTV Kekkaishi 7.2 08:30 ANB Yes！Precure 5 6.7 18:00 ETV MAJOR 2nd season 6.6 19:30 TX NARUTO 5.8 19:26 TX BLEACH 4.7 19:00 TX Eyeshield 21 4.6 23:55 NTV NANA 4.4 18:00 TX Kirarin Revolution 4.4 24:45 CX Nodame Cantabile 4.4 10:00 TX Fushigiboshi Futagohime Gyu! 4.3 10:30 TX Kateikyousha Hitman REBORN! 4.2 09:00 TX Otogijushi Akazukin 4.2 18:00 TX Gintama 4.0 08:00 TX Deltora Quest 3.9 18:00 TX D.Gray-man 3.4 18:00 TBS Tempou Ibun Ayakashi Ayashi 3.2 24:56 NTV DEATH NOTE 3.1 18:30 ETV Tsubasa Chronicles 3.1 18:00 TX Yugiou 3.1 24:55 TX History's Greatest Disciple Kenichi 2.5 25:00 TX Corda D'Oro 2.4 26:15 CX Getsumen To Heiki Miina* 2.3 25:55 TBS Code Geass 2.1 25.25 TBS Hidamari Sketch 1.8 25:00 TX Ghost Hunt 1.8 25:30 TX Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight 1.7 25:00 TX Busou Renkin 1.7 07:00 TX Demashitaa! Powerpuff Girls 1.5 25:30 TX Super Robot Wars OG 1.5 17:30 TX Negima!? 1.5 25:30 TX Tokimeki Memorial～Only Love～ 1.4 26:25 TBS Galaxy Railways~Eternity Junction~ 1.4 25:55 TBS Venus Versus Virus 1.3 26:40 ANB RED GARDEN 1.3 26:30 TX Master of Epic　～The AnimationAge～ 1.2 25:30 TX Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge 1.2 26:40 ANB Souten no Ken 1.2 25:35 NTV Sasami Mamou Shoujo Club 1.1 26:40 ANB Sumomo mo Momo mo 1.0
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

I know I’ve been neglecting this blog for a while, sorry but yes it’s because of the usual reasons: work, lack of inspiration, and I got sick again. Now with that out of the way, on to the updates. Good news: I’ve caught up with Saiunkoku Monogatari, with only 2 subbed episodes unwatched. Bad news: [...]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Niki check! (imitating Cardcaptor Sakura's Kero-chan ^^) Correcting: The Japan version of the Saiunkoku Monogatari DVD Vol.8 First Press Limited Edition and the Normal edition will not be available on the seventh as reported in my March 2007 schedule. It's expected to release two more days from now (the ninth). The Japan version DVD releases for 7 March 2007 (available from YesAsia) are these:
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Finally, it’s the day for Mogi High sports festival where Sunako and the guys will participate. Sports festival has been a famous tradition for high school themed anime and if you look at current on-going series, Tokimeki Memorial is one of them that had an episode with sports festival. If you ask [...]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Oh, Sunako’s aunt bought an island at the south and invited her precious niece and the guys for a stay. The guys are ecstatic with the vacation but Sunako is terrified by the news since place is hot. She always thinks she could melt under heavy sun. However, Kyouhei dragged her with [...]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

After a while of not checking Chuang Yi which publishes English versions of some shoujo manga I'm following (or would like to start reading), I found out that the company released the following titles in the last quarter of 2006. *scribbles furiously to edit her To Buy list* Included among the upcoming titles is volume 21 of Takaya Natsuki-sensei's Fruits Basket (I will provide the street date
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Finally, Ranmaru will be getting married soon, not. He was told about the marriage arrangement by his father and now Ranmaru is planning on ways to break the arrangement. He consulted the guys and they advising him to be a horrible man and make that girl hate him. He was shocked at [...]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Jigoku Shoujo composers present Yamato Nadeshiko Shihi Henge OST! About darn time! Seems like I’ve been waiting forever… March 21, 2007 release. 「 ヤマトナデシコ七変化 」 サウンドトラック Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge Soundtrack  Hiromi Mizutani & Yasuharu Takanashi 2007.03.21 : LTCA-00051
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

Hahaha…. is the best episode I saw so far. The part when Sunako transforms from her small body to her actual normal body is really funny. Her hands, legs, become longer and her eyes also become visible after she ate some weird looking mushroom. The transformation has caused Sunako to become a [...]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)

It’s time for Christmas and the gang is having fun with decorating the Christmas tree. Most people decorate the tree with pretty things while Sunako beautify it with skulls. What, no Sunako? This is the only episode that doesn’t concentrate on Sunako. The episode will recap on the guy’s past and how [...]
(Read the rest of this entry) (Entry meta)