They're household names in their home country! Join Ashley as we look over the anime that are massive hits over in Japan
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the biggest anime among
00:10Japanese fans.
00:22In the time it takes to do a transformation sequence, Sailor Moon became one of the most
00:27iconic anime brands ever made, and to think it was only supposed to air for six months.
00:41However, the show's balance of cool fights, heartwarming characters, and optimistic themes
00:49extended it into a legendary five-year run, plus some spin-offs and sequels just for good
00:56measure.
01:06With overwhelming praise and record-breaking merchandise sales, it's no wonder that Sailor
01:11Moon is still ubiquitous to this day.
01:14At this point, it's basically the face of the whole magical girl genre, both in and
01:19out of Japan.
01:24Yuuji Itadori's cursed clashes are entertaining in every language, but something about the
01:37high-octane fights and devilish storylines have kept Japanese audiences in particular
01:43coming back for more.
01:53Maybe it's because the show takes place in Japan, or maybe seeing Yuuji clock someone
01:57with a black flash is just that cool.
02:10Either way, it's obvious Jujutsu Kaisen is a household name even among casual anime
02:16watchers.
02:17The manga is a best-seller, the movie made bank, and the show is ranked as one of the
02:22most in-demand in the entire world.
02:24Given that, it'd be strange if Japan didn't love Jujutsu Kaisen.
02:38In stark contrast to high-stakes battle anime, this is a simple story about a simple Japanese
02:47kid going about his simple, everyday life.
02:51Oh, and it's aired for over a thousand episodes and counting.
03:00While the set-up sounds mundane, Shin-chan's mischievous life is just zany enough to keep
03:05Japanese viewers glued to their screen.
03:17It's just a shame more people can't get on board.
03:20Since most of the series' humour relies on linguistic puns and cultural references,
03:25Prey on Shin-chan has never really caught on outside of its native country.
03:30Then again, considering it's aired almost non-stop for over 30 years, we'd say Shin-chan
03:36is doing just fine.
03:50If you thought Tanjiro and the others were prominent overseas, you may want to sit down.
03:55In Japan, Demon Slayer isn't just a hit show, it's a full-on cultural phenomenon.
04:14Each new episode is like a country-wide holiday, and it has the ratings to prove it.
04:20Demon Slayer is so impactful, it's even making it into Japanese textbooks.
04:31Although that makes sense when you remember how many records it's broken, including
04:35the title of highest-grossing Japanese film.
04:39Like ever.
04:40Live-action included.
04:42Given that Demon Slayer is still in its prime, odds are good it'll stay on top for years
04:47to come.
05:01When you look into the eyes of this time-travelling robotic cat, you're looking at a complete
05:06cultural celebrity.
05:08We aren't joking.
05:16While starring in three self-titled anime series definitely helped his brand recognition,
05:22Doraemon's success goes way beyond television screens.
05:26Its influence on Japanese media is unshakable, to the point we may not have had series like
05:32One Piece or Naruto without Doraemon.
05:45Then in 2008, Japan's foreign ministry appointed the earless cat as the country's first-ever
05:52anime ambassador.
05:53That's right, Doraemon is so absurdly well-known, it's capable of representing Japan as a
06:00whole.
06:01You can't get any bigger than that.
06:09Even a wish on Shenron himself wouldn't be enough to do Dragon Ball's legacy justice.
06:15Japan's tried, though.
06:23On top of several anime series, movies, video games and a truly staggering amount of merchandise,
06:30they officially anointed May 9th as Goku Day.
06:34So yeah, you could say Dragon Ball's pretty big over there.
06:48Its creative footprint is simply unmatched, especially in the anime industry.
06:53You'd be hard-pressed to find any modern shounen that doesn't owe something to Akira
06:58Toriyama's groundbreaking work.
07:01Even if Goku eventually retires from world-shaking fights, and that's a big if, Dragon Ball's
07:07impact on Japan isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
07:11Toriyama's legacy lives on.
07:27He may not be King of the Pirates just yet, but Monkey D. Luffy still stumbled on a massive
07:33treasure trove of success in Japan.
07:40Yes, the anime is an explosive trailblazer and yes, the series has off-the-charts name
07:49recognition.
07:50But the real kicker is that One Piece is the best-selling manga series of all time, and
07:56it's not even close.
08:10Luffy's swashbuckling adventures fly off the shelves faster than they can be printed.
08:14That demand has created a typhoon of a franchise, one where keeping up isn't just a recommendation
08:20anymore, it's a societal necessity.
08:24There may be other hit shows, but there will never be another One Piece.
08:34There's nothing to investigate here.
08:43The only mystery is why this show isn't bigger.
08:47Japan has the right idea.
08:49Detective Conan, also known as Case Closed in other territories, is the quintessential
08:54detective program.
08:58It's frequently dark, exceptionally smart, and always a good time from start to finish.
09:07Despite being transformed into an elementary kid's body, Conan has been solving cases
09:13on a weekly basis since 1996.
09:24The shtick hasn't even gotten old yet.
09:27If anything, Detective Conan's long-standing history just proves why it's one of Japan's
09:32best and brightest.
09:34There's always a new twist, a new culprit, and a new case to keep you hooked.
09:48This show lives and breathes on the idea that less is more, which is incredibly ironic when
09:54you look at how long it's been on the air.
09:56But there's a good reason Maruko's antics have stood the test of time.
10:13Chibi Maruko-chan isn't frivolous or shocking or anything like that, it's just honest.
10:29Sure there's a few laughs and usually a good moral at the end of the episode, but
10:33it's all tied into an earnest story about Japanese life.
10:37As a result, Chibi Maruko-chan has a uniquely broad appeal for all ages.
10:43And it's used that to stay at the top of the charts for decades now.
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11:10Number 1.
11:11Suzae-san Here it is, the undisputed champion of Japanese
11:16anime.
11:17Suzae-san is more than a show to its country, it's practically an everyday part of life.
11:23For one, it's stayed on the air for over 60 years, becoming the longest-running animated
11:28program of all time.
11:33Secondly, it's aired in the Sunday time slot for so long, it's created a phenomenon
11:44called Suzae-san Syndrome, where people associate new episodes with the end of the weekend.
11:58Something about the way it characterises traditional Japanese values through humour has clearly
12:02resonated with people, so it makes a lot of sense why Suzae-san is often cited as the
12:09national anime.
12:21Which of these series deserve more global recognition?
12:24Let us know in those comments below.