Solo Leveling's Failure Continues in Japan

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 no information is available on the Blu-ray version. The latter is because it did not reach the necessary sales to be ranked in the weekly Oricon ranking. To put that in perspective, the last spot in the weekly ranking was occupied by "The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You" with 591 copies sold of their Blu-ray, indicating that "Solo Leveling" sold less than that.

This result reinforces the negative trend of physical sales of "Solo Leveling" in Japan, where its releases have consistently been at the bottom or haven't even ranked in Oricon's weekly rankings. A number of factors could be influencing this performance. One of them is the proliferation of streaming services, which has significantly displaced Blu-ray/DVD consumption. Importantly, however, 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". Hailing from South Korea, the franchise could be affected by the historical and cultural rivalry between the Japanese and South Koreans, which could explain the lack of support on Japanese soil. 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 goal of reaching global audiences and not necessarily Japanese.

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 tailored to the specificities of each region, especially in a market as competitive and diverse as Japan.

Source: @Nakayasee en Twitter