‘Frieren’ Vol. 15 Tops Japan Book Hot 100, ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ & ‘The JOJOLands’ Follow

Trending on Billboard Soso no Frieren ( Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End ) Vol. 15 rules this week’s Billboard Japan Book Hot 100, a comprehensive list integrating physical books , e-books, library loans, and subscription-based metrics such as social media. On the chart released Dec. 25, the latest volume of the popular high fantasy manga series (released Dec. 18) leads both physical-store sales and e-books, while also coming in at No. 3 for EC and landing within the top 50 on social media. The series is set to return with a second anime season beginning in January next year. At No. 2 is Vol. 21 of the comic adaptation of Kusuriya no Hitorigoto ( The Apothecary Diaries ), currently serialized in Monthly Sunday GX. Following at No. 3 is Hirohiko Araki’s The JOJOLands Vol. 7, making its chart debut in the top 3. The volume enters the top 20 across three metrics, placing No. 2 in physical stores, No. 14 in EC, and No. 7 in e-books. The comic adaptation of Uketsu’s popular novel Henna Ie ( The Strange House ) Vol. 6 opens at No. 7, coming in at No. 5 for physical stores and No. 11 for e-books. Close behind, Kanae Minato’s Ningen Hyouhon ( Human Specimens ) jumps from outside the top 20 last week to No. 8, following the launch of its live-action drama adaptation on Prime Video beginning on the 19th. The book places No. 11 in physical stores and No. 7 in social media, while also earning points from EC, e-books, and subscriptions, charting across all five metrics of the Japan Book Hot 100 methodology. Check out the top 10 titles for this week: Japan Book Hot 100 Top 10 (Numbers in parentheses indicate the title’s metric placements for physical stores, EC, e-books, subscriptions, and social media, top 20 only. English title given if translations or adaptations exist.) 1. Soso no Frieren ( Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End ) Vol. 15, Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe (1・3・1・-・-) 2. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto ~ Maomao no Kokyu Nazotoki Techo ~ ( The Apothecary Diaries ) Vol. 21, Hyuuganatsu, Minoji Kurata, Touko Shino (3・-・2・-・-) 3. The JOJOLands Vol. 7, Hirohiko Araki (2・14・7・-・-) 4. Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray Vol. 22, Taiyo Kuzumi, Masafumi Sugiura & Pita, Junnosuke Ito (4・-・4・-・-) 5. Jun Shison Anniversary Photo Book “final” , Jun Shison (-・1・-・-・-) 6. Naruse wa Miyako wo Kakenukeru , Mina Miyajima (10・-・-・-・3) 7. Henna Ie ( The Strange House ) Vol. 6, Uketsu, Kyo Ayano (5・-・11・-・-) 8. Ningen Hyouhon ( Human Specimens ), Kanae Minato (11・-・-・-・7) 9. Naruse wa Tenka wo Toriniiku , Mina Miyajima (-・-・-・1・4) 10. World Trigger Vol. 29, Daisuke Ashihara (6・-・16・-・-) Note: There will be no chart release on Jan. 1, 2026. The chart covering Dec. 22-28 will be published on Jan. 8, followed by the chart covering Dec. 29-Jan. 4, on Jan. 9.

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