In a new report, it has been confirmed that the
third Blu-ray/DVD package of the anime “ Solo Leveling ” has
once again recorded low sales in Japan. The DVD version barely managed
to sell 91 copies , while there is no information available about the
Blu-ray version. The latter is due to the fact that it did not reach the sales
necessary to be classified in the weekly Oricon ranking. To put it in
perspective, the last place in the weekly ranking was taken by “The 100
Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You” with 591
copies sold of its Blu-ray, indicating that “Solo Leveling”
sold less than that.
This result reinforces the negative
trend of “Solo Leveling” physical sales in Japan ,
where its releases have consistently been at the bottom or not even ranking in
Oricon's weekly rankings. Various factors could be influencing this
performance. One of them is the proliferation of streaming services, which has
significantly displaced Blu-ray/DVD consumption. However, it is
important to note that other franchises still manage to sell tens of thousands
of units in this market, suggesting that “Solo Leveling” faces additional
challenges.
One element to consider is the origin of “Solo
Leveling”. Coming from South Korea, the franchise could be affected by
the historical and cultural rivalry between Japanese and South Koreans, which
could explain the lack of support in Japanese lands. In this context,
the words of Rahul Purini, CEO of Crunchyroll, become relevant. Purini had
previously stated that they commissioned the production of the “Solo Leveling”
anime with the aim of reaching a global audience and not necessarily the
Japanese one.
Despite being one of the most popular
IPs worldwide, the case of “Solo Leveling” in Japan highlights the
particularities of the Japanese market and how cultural and consumer factors
can influence the success of a franchise. The
phenomenon highlights the importance of launch strategies adapted to the
specificities of each region, especially in a market as competitive and diverse
as the Japanese one.
Source: @Nakayasee on Twitter
