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Manga Rule BookScan Graphic Novel List
posted on by Mikhail Koulikov
Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto Volume 28, published by Viz Media, was the best-selling graphic novel of March 2008 in the United States according to Nielsen BookScan figures, and 18 of the top 20 graphic novels sold in that month were originally created in Japan. Viz Manga, including Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist 16, Arina Tanemura's The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross 5, and Eiichiro Oda's One Piece 17, dominated the list by accounting for 15 of the 20 spots. In fact, the first volumes of both Naruto (published in July 2003) and Tsugumi Ohba's Death Note (October 2005) are still in the top 20.
Other manga publishers represented include Tokyopop (Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket 19) and Del Rey (Ken Akamatsu's Negima 17 and CLAMP's xxxHOLiC 11). The only two non-manga titles on the list are the trade paperback of Alan Moore's venerable Watchmen, and the hardcover Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: The First Death, created by "vampire porn" writer Laurell K. Hamilton.
The BookScan rankings represent sales at Borders and Barnes & Noble and other book chains, mass merchants like Wal-Mart, independent bookshops, and online purchases — but not comic book store sales. They are normally available only to service subscribers, but were released to the public by the pop culture news website ICv2.com.
