In a new report, the public has learned that the third Blu-ray/DVD of the anime “Solo Leveling” has failed to sell in Japan. The DVD version only sold 91 copies, while the Blu-ray version failed to reach the number needed to enter the Oricon weekly rankings.
- 'Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest' Previews Feature Characters from the Anime
- “Atri: My Dear Moments”: New trailer reveals release date
For fans to have an idea, last place is “The 100 Girlfriends Who Really…”, with 591 copies, indicating that “Solo Leveling” sold less. This result reinforces the negative trend in physical sales of “Solo Leveling” in Japan, where its releases have consistently ranked at the bottom.
However, several factors may be contributing to this performance. One of them is the proliferation of streaming services, which has significantly displaced Blu-ray/DVD consumption. Therefore, it is important to highlight that other franchises are still able to sell tens of thousands of units in this market, suggesting that “Solo Leveling” faces additional challenges.
One factor to consider is the origin of “Solo Leveling” as it is from South Korea , the franchise may be affected by the historical and cultural rivalry between Japanese and South Koreans, which may explain the lack of support in Japanese lands. In this context, Rahul Purini , CEO of Crunchyroll, had stated that the production of the “Solo Leveling” series was commissioned with the aim of reaching a global audience, and not necessarily the Japanese one.
Finally, the phenomenon highlights the importance of launch strategies adapted to the specificities of each region, especially in a market as competitive and diverse as Japan.
Furthermore, the animation premiered on January 7, 2024 by A-1 Pictures, a studio known for anime such as Sword Art Online, among many others.
Source: X (Twitter)
