Me, vs. ICv2
ICv2, venerable (in web terms, 7 years and counting) source for information on all things fannish, recently released their latest Guide to Anime & Manga, and while I haven’t received my copy yet, there is a teaser already up on the ICv2 website, featuring their ‘top manga properties of Spring 2008’.
And you know, I’m reading that and I start thinking (arrogant, cocksure, and proud) “Hey wait, I’ve a Spring 2008 Manga Database and a brand-spankin-new series calculation, heck, I could do that“
[*chuckle*]
ICv2 not only has access to Nielsen Bookscan data [bastards] but also employs their own fancy maths in reconciling the Bookscan numbers with Diamond Distribution figures and they do a damn fine job tracking the comics and graphic novels. But. At least in so much as how (and where) they sell as arbitrary categories Manga ain’t Comics and when it comes to manga, I’ll put my leaky, hand-built goldbergian lumbering spreadsheet against the the best of ‘em.
##
SO, ICv2: You have (presumably) a staff doing market research, actual retail sales numbers, knowledge and methods beyond my ken, journalistic standards, expertise, experience and credence in the industry, and a fine reputation — plus that fancy web site of yours.
And I’ve got a web browser, search engines, a twelve-pack, a serious contender for the World’s Most Convoluted Spreadsheet Evar, and a burning desire to know — and, you know, this *thing* that seems to output text-to-the-web well enough but isn’t winning any design awards…
Did I mention the twelve-pack of beer? Hell, I’ll take ya.
FIGHT:
ICv2 Top 10 Manga Properties—Spring 2008
1. Naruto
2. Fruits Basket
3. Death Note
4. Bleach
5. Vampire Knight
6. Negima
7. Fullmetal Alchemist
8. Pokemon
9. Absolute Boyfriend
10. Tsubasa
I see your ten and raise you forty:
Matt’s Top 50 Series, Q2 ’08 (new math version)
key:
rank (for comp., the 13 Jul rank) : Title – Publ. & date of 1st volume & [weighted score]
1. (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2003 [28409.82] ::
2. (2) : Death Note – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Oct 2005 [23778.5] ::
3. (4) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump, Jun 2004 [19152.57] ::
4. (3) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop, Feb 2004 [17275.7] ::
5. (5) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2007 [15052.76] ::
6. (12) : Fullmetal Alchemist – Viz, Apr 2005 [11082.53] ::
7. (7) : Ouran High School Host Club – Viz Shojo Beat, Jul 2005 [10432.84] ::
8. (6) : Warriors – HC/Tokyopop, Apr 2007 [8606.54] ::
9. (8) : Kingdom Hearts – Tokyopop, Oct 2005 [7762.88] ::
10. (9) : Tsubasa – Del Rey, Apr 2004 [7540.26] ::
11. (21) : Pokemon – Vizkids, Nov 1999 [7239.1] ::
12. (11) : Berserk – Dark Horse, Oct 2003 [6670.79] ::
13. (73) : Loveless – Tokyopop, Feb 2006 [6318.9] ::
14. (15) : Negima! – Del Rey, Apr 2004 [6197.89] ::
15. (16) : Absolute Boyfriend – Viz Shojo Beat, Feb 2006 [6161.36] ::
16. (41) : One Piece – Viz Shonen Jump, Jun 2003 [6084.9] ::
17. (17) : Gentlemen’s Alliance† – Viz Shojo Beat, Mar 2007 [6066.9] ::
18. (89) : Hana-Kimi – Viz, Aug 2004 [5467.6] ::
19. (14) : Chibi Vampire – Tokyopop, Apr 2006 [5354.8] ::
20. (48) : Yotsuba&! – ADV, Jun 2005 [5348.74] ::
21. (58) : Return to Labyrinth – Tokyopop, Oct 2007 [5101.1] ::
22. (35) : D. Gray-Man – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, May 2006 [4640.69] ::
23. (37) : Black Cat – Viz Shonen Jump, Mar 2006 [4625.07] ::
24. (55) : Warcraft – Tokyopop, Mar 2005 [4558.01] ::
25. (33) : Dark Hunger — Feehan, Zid – Berkley, Oct 2007 [4497] ::
26. (45) : Yurara – Viz Shojo Beat, Jun 2007 [4492.94] ::
27. (18) : xxxHolic – Del Rey, Apr 2004 [4473.47] ::
28. (13) : Skip Beat! – Viz Shojo Beat, Jul 2006 [4446.86] ::
29. (34) : +Anima – Tokyopop, May 2006 [4398.99] ::
30. (103) : Millennium Snow – Viz Shojo Beat, Apr 2007 [4341.4] ::
31. (51) : MeruPuri – Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2006 [4026.21] ::
32. (28) : Nana – Viz Shojo Beat, Nov 2005 [3944.34] ::
33. (40) : Tail of the Moon – Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2008 [3936.12] ::
34. (30) : High School Debut – Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2008 [3908.1] ::
35. (52) : Avatar – Tokyopop et al., Feb 2006 [3901.07] ::
36. (29) : S.A (Special A) – Viz Shojo Beat, Nov 2007 [3849.84] ::
37. (81) : Pretty Face – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2007 [3693.4] ::
38. (193) : Godchild – Viz Shojo Beat, Mar 2006 [3639.87] ::
39. (79) : Beauty Pop – Viz Shojo Beat, Sep 2006 [3462.43] ::
40. (39) : Wild Ones – Viz Shojo Beat, Dec 2007 [3380.48] ::
41. (113) : Strawberry Panic – Seven Seas Strawberry, Dec 2007 [3365.06] ::
42. (38) : Red River – Viz, Jan 2008 [3342.78] ::
43. (32) : Fairy Tail – Del Rey, Mar 2008 [3197.9] ::
44. (63) : Shaman King – Viz Shonen Jump, Aug 2003 [3180.64] ::
45. (53) : Kitchen Princess – Del Rey, Jan 2007 [3170.19] ::
46. (42) : Shugo Chara! – Del Rey, Mar 2007 [3082.11] ::
47. (23) : Claymore – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Apr 2006 [3065.36] ::
48. (107) : Hellsing – Dark Horse, Dec 2003 [3061.11] ::
49. (60) : La Corda d’Oro – Viz Shojo Beat, Oct 2006 [2969.31] ::
50. (43) : Inuyasha – Viz, Mar 2003 [2936.33] ::
