m. 5% rating in the Kanto region. 1%.
Ratings are from Video Research Kanto and do not count recordings.
5%. 1%. Both numbers come from broadcasts during Apr 27 to May 3 and show which programs drew real-time audiences in the region.
This weekly snapshot, the Japanese animation TV ranking April 27 May 3, focuses on anime and related titles on terrestrial TV. It gives a quick read on attention around a Ghibli classic and a JoJo spinoff during Golden Week scheduling.
Japanese animation TV ranking April 27-May 3: what aired and the top numbers
Two broadcasts anchored the week across Kanto. Studio Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart on NTV and the live-action Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan: At a Confessional on NHK delivered the clearest reads for the Japanese animation TV ranking April 27 May 3 across broadcast TV. Here are the top numbers confirmed by the ratings firm.
- May 1 (Fri), 9:00 p.m. on NTV: Whisper of the Heart scored a 7.5% household rating in Kanto, an estimate of viewers at broadcast time, per Video Research.
- May 3 (Sun), 4:10 p.m. on NHK: Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan: At a Confessional posted a 2.1% household rating estimate in the same market.
Both figures reflect anime-related programming, one animated and one live-action tie-in. m. airing.
Times and channels differ, so treat week-to-week or year-on-year comparisons carefully.
Numbers above come from Video Research Kanto ratings for household viewing in the region and do not include recordings watched later. For broader industry context around creators and publishers, see our Katsuhiro Harada Vs Studio Snk conversation, which looks at how production decisions ripple into TV windows.
Whisper of the Heart earned 7.5% on NTV, what that means
NTV aired Whisper of the Heart on Friday, May 1 at 9:00 p.m., credited to director Yoshifumi Kondo and Studio Ghibli. The Whisper of the Heart NTV broadcast drew a 7.5% household rating in Kanto, according to Video Research. The film’s repeat run anchored anime-related programming in that prime slot.
That figure was the highest in this report, placing the film atop this week’s anime-related list. Within Japan anime TV ratings, a mid to high single-digit share indicates a solid real-time audience for a library title. The number shows continued interest in a well-known film during a holiday week.
- Prime-time airing at 9:00 p.m. on NTV
- Household rating in the Kanto region
- Estimate excludes later recordings
For film watchers tracking schedules beyond TV, see our Zelda Movie April 30 2027 update. In discussions of Studio Ghibli TV ratings, context matters, including channel and time slot. Here, 7.5% simply means more people chose NTV at that hour than competing options.
How Video Research Kanto measured the Apr 27-May 3 rankings
Video Research Kanto ratings define each figure as an estimate of the percentage of the population watching a program. Results come from a survey of households in Japan’s Kanto region. The ratings exclude recordings that viewers watch later.
- Estimates describe the share of the population that watched live at broadcast time
- Data is drawn from surveyed households in Kanto
- Recordings and time-shifted viewing are not counted
- Each rating applies to the specific dated broadcast
Practically, a 7.5% means an estimated 7.5% of Kanto’s population tuned in at that moment. A 2.1% means the same, for a different title and slot. Because these are survey-based estimates, small gaps can blur, so focus on clear differences within the week’s slate.
These Japanese TV ratings Kanto region snapshots capture scheduled TV viewing in Kanto. For coverage of audience interest beyond television, read our Crunchyroll Manga May 18 Kodansha Additions report on catalog expansion. Use Japanese anime television ratings as one lens, alongside scheduling context and program format.
Source: ANN