SAO and Hidan no Aria 2011 sales ranking

[Naeko]

In case you are interested in how SAO stood relative to its LN competitors in terms of 2011 light novel sales:

Top selling LNs of 2011:
*1位　435,124部　Haruhi
*2位　253,748部　BakaTest　9
*3位　251,287部　Index new testament　2
*4位　238,712部　Haganai　5
*5位　234,510部　Index new testament
*6位　233,595部　OreImo　8
*7位　208,502部　OreImo　9
*8位　207,104部　Haganai　6
*9位　201,658部　BakaTest　9.5
10位　190,900部　IS 7
11位　190,411部　IS 6
12位　189,712部　Haganai
13位　187,496部　Haganai　7
14位　185,084部　Durarara!!×9
15位　171,789部　IS
16位　168,013部　Saiunkoku Monogatari　上
17位　167,391部　Haganai　2
18位　167,009部　Saiunkoku Monogatari　下
19位　164,222部　IS　2
20位　159,365部　IS　3
21位　159,002部　Durarara!!×10
22位　155,542部　Haganai　3
23位　154,828部　IS　4
24位　151,593部　IS　5
25位　147,382部　Haganai　4
26位　138,310部　GOSICK
27位　114,970部　Hidan no Aria　Ⅸ
28位　114,194部　Hidan no Aria　Ⅷ
29位　110,582部　Sword Art Online　6
30位　110,110部　Sword Art Online　7
31位　108,959部　Sword Art Online　8
32位　106,503部　Hidan no Aria　Ⅹ
33位　105,697部　Seitokai no mizugiwa　4
34位　101,720部　Seitokai no mizugiwa　5
35位　*99,291部　Full metal panic マジで危ない九死に一生？
36位　*99,047部　mahouka koukou no rettousei　1
37位　*95,217部Hidan no Aria
38位　*94,643部　GOSICK　Ⅱ
39位　*93,587部　Full metal panic　アナザー　1
40位　*90,996部　OreImo　7
41位　*89,561部　Kino no Tabi　ⅩⅤ　-the Beautiful World-
42位　*88,743部　mahouka koukou no rettousei 2
43位　*84,077部　Hidan no Aria Ⅱ
44位　*82,960部　OreImo
45位　*82,356部　Haganai　7　with DVD
46位　*80,814部　Shana　XXII
47位　*80,448部　GOSICK　Ⅶ
48位　*80,356部　Mayo Chiki!　7
49位　*79,231部　ZnT　20
50位　*78,450部　Mayo Chiki!　6

Because sales are grouped so closely together for the related issues, it may be assumed that purchases are primarily made by dedicated fans and not by causual consumers. I also wonder if that means there isn't many new customers to the franchise because all the people that would buy such a light novel already know of that its existence by the time several novels have been released.

[Darklor]

Is that good or more like so-so?

[Mystes]

Take out the IS and Haganais domination, and it'd be pretty good, I think.

[BeginnerXP]

We also have to consider everything above SAO already had anime adaptations while SAO anime will start airing later half and continue until end of this year.

What impressed me and brought me to read SAO was the latest issue of Kono Light Novel ga Sukoi! 2012 edition. In which SAO had been jumped from 4th rank in last year to 1st place in this year, as well as Kirito being top male lead & Asuna as 2nd female lead (lose to Misaka Mikoto of Index series). I wonder what happened in vol.7/8 that caused popularity to raise so quicky.

If anime adaptation team doesn't mess up, I think sale number of SAO volumes after anime finished should be able to see substantial boost.

[Teh_ping]

I think it's also more like they don't want to see the same LN dominate the polls as well. Considering that Baka Test vol 9 sold more than SAO 6 and 7 combined (and Haruhi was selling at Haruhisque-levels), it's more likely to me. Then again, the power of anime does come into effect here and there, and by my logic, Haganai would be a contender for top place. it seems that Kono Sugoi's general rule is that no top placed LN will be top for another year again (though Id from Zaregoto, Hideyoshi Kinoshita (and they list him as a guy. What blasphemy.) and Misaka Mikoto break that trend for characters). I see it more as a promotion of LNs instead of a poll, like once you're a champion, you don't need to make a statement.

And slight OT: Even with the SAO anime, I don't think Asuna will beat Misaka Mikoto in a popularity contest.

[Darklor]

And slight OT: Even with the SAO anime, I don't think Asuna will beat Misaka Mikoto in a popularity contest.

I assume Asuna wouldnt get as much screentime as Misaka Mikoto had...

[BeginnerXP]

Latest sale number of SAO volume 1 is already exceed 300,000 volumes.

I can't wait to see the 2013 volume of このライトノベルがすごい (this light novel is great), want to see if Kirito could still maintain the top male lead spot or not.

Edit: Latest sale numbers:
*63,774部　*63,774部　12/08/10　***3日　Accel World 12
*21,405部　331,566部　09/04/08　1223日　Sword Art Online 1
*18,578部　278,718部　09/08/06　1103日　Sword Art Online 2
*16,730部　252,880部　09/12/08　*979日　Sword Art Online 3
*16,156部　243,951部　10/04/08　*858日　Sword Art Online 4
*12,294部　221,872部　10/08/08　*736日　Sword Art Online 5
*11,892部　213,580部　10/12/08　*614日　Sword Art Online 6
*11,752部　177,597部　12/07/10　**34日　Sword Art Online 10
*11,200部　203,763部　11/04/08　*493日　Sword Art Online 7
*11,034部　203,446部　11/08/10　*369日　Sword Art Online 8
*10,025部　199,099部　12/02/10　*185日　Sword Art Online 9

First column - this week sale
Second column - total sale
Third column - release date
Fourth column - days on sale

[CorbanSaezer]

Somewhere in there is my purchase!

I'm quite surprised how they can list such precise figures. If they're true, then Japan has an amazingly vertically-integrated supply chain, without any of the telephone shenanigans that blight other setups.

[larethian]

I can't wait to see the 2013 volume of このライトノベルがすごい (this light novel is great), want to see if Kirito could still maintain the top male lead spot or not.

Who knows? But Shiba Tatsuya may be his strongest competitor.

[Darklor]

Latest sale number of SAO volume 1 is already exceed 300,000 volumes.

I can't wait to see the 2013 volume of このライトノベルがすごい (this light novel is great), want to see if Kirito could still maintain the top male lead spot or not.

Edit: Latest sale numbers:
*63,774部　*63,774部　12/08/10　***3日　Accel World 12
*21,405部　331,566部　09/04/08　1223日　Sword Art Online 1
*18,578部　278,718部　09/08/06　1103日　Sword Art Online 2
*16,730部　252,880部　09/12/08　*979日　Sword Art Online 3
*16,156部　243,951部　10/04/08　*858日　Sword Art Online 4
*12,294部　221,872部　10/08/08　*736日　Sword Art Online 5
*11,892部　213,580部　10/12/08　*614日　Sword Art Online 6
*11,752部　177,597部　12/07/10　**34日　Sword Art Online 10
*11,200部　203,763部　11/04/08　*493日　Sword Art Online 7
*11,034部　203,446部　11/08/10　*369日　Sword Art Online 8
*10,025部　199,099部　12/02/10　*185日　Sword Art Online 9

First column - this week sale
Second column - total sale
Third column - release date
Fourth column - days on sale

Which ranks do they have with sales like that?

[Tap]

No idea about the overall situation countrywide, but I did point out their weekly sales rankings on Rakuten on the anime thread a month back, with the lowest sales in the entire series, volume 7, at 16th place.

At the moment, 1, 2, 3 and 4 are still in top 10.
...And this is pretty crazy, but a set of volume 1 - 10 (with free delivery) is in 3rd place. (with SAO 3 in 2nd, while AW 12 is in 4th)