In a new report, it has been confirmed that the third Blu-ray/DVD package for the anime “Solo Leveling” again recorded low sales in Japan. The DVD version managed to sell only 91 copies.and there is no information available about the Blu-ray version. The latter is due to the fact that it did not reach the sales required to be ranked in the Oricon weekly rankings. To put this in perspective, the last place in the weekly rankings was occupied by “The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You.” with 591 copies sold from your Blu-ray, which indicates that “Solo Leveling” sold less than that.

This result reinforces the negative trend in physical sales of “Solo Leveling” in Japan.where their releases have consistently fallen to the bottom or not even ranked in the Oricon weekly rankings. Several factors may be influencing this performance. One of them is the proliferation of streaming services, which has significantly replaced Blu-ray/DVD consumption. However, it's important to note that other franchises still manage to sell tens of thousands of units in this market, which suggests 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 Japan. In this context, the words of Rahul Purini, CEO of Crunchyroll, become relevant. Purini had previously stated that they commissioned the production of the anime “Solo Leveling” with the aim of reaching a global audience and not necessarily a 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 Japan.

Source: @Nakayasee on Twitter