Mika Yamamori’s ‘In the Clear Moonlit Dusk’ Vol. 10 Tops Japan Book Hot 100 as Naoki Prize Winner ‘Cafe no Kaerimichi’ Climbs

Mika Yamamori’s In the Clear Moonlit Dusk Claims Top Spot on Billboard Japan’s Book Hot 100

The tenth volume of Mika Yamamori’s celebrated series, Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki (known internationally as In the Clear Moonlit Dusk), has ascended to the pinnacle of Billboard Japan’s Book Hot 100 for the week of January 22.

The Japan Book Hot 100 serves as a comprehensive industry barometer, synthesizing data from physical retail sales, digital e-books, library circulation, subscription platforms, and social media engagement. Volume 10 secured its No. 1 debut by dominating the e-book sector, while maintaining a powerful presence in brick-and-mortar stores (No. 2) and online marketplaces (No. 15). The narrative, which centers on the burgeoning romance between two students both nicknamed “Prince,” has seen a surge in popularity following the premiere of its television anime adaptation this month.

This week’s rankings also reflect the recent announcements of Japan’s most prestigious literary accolades. The 174th Akutagawa Prize was awarded jointly to Makoto Toriyama’s Toki no Ie and Ushio Hatakeyama’s Sakebi, while Teru Shimazu’s Cafe no Kaerimichi took home the Naoki Prize. The latter has already seen a significant commercial boost, leaping to No. 18 from outside the top 20. Its climb was fueled by balanced performance across all five metrics, notably ranking second in social media buzz.

Below are the top 10 titles on the Japan Book Hot 100 for the tracking period of January 12–18. (Placements in parentheses indicate performance in physical stores, e-commerce, e-books, subscriptions, and social media, respectively.)

1. Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki (In the Clear Moonlit Dusk) Vol. 10, Mika Yamamori (2・15・1・-・-)
2. Blue Lock Vol. 37, Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Yusuke Nomura (3・17・3・-・-)
3. Shangri-La Frontier Vol. 25, Katarina, Ryosuke Fuji (4・-・4・-・-)
4. Koi seyo Mayakashi Tenshi-domo (Fall in Love, You False Angels) Vol. 6, Coco Uzuki (5・-・6・-・-)
5. Konjiki no Gash!! 2 (Zatch Bell! 2) Vol. 6, Makoto Raiku (1・-・-・-・-)
6. Jujutsu Kaisen ≡ (Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo) Vol. 1, Yuji Iwasaki, Gege Akutami (6・-・11・-・-)
7. Nanatsuya Shinobu no Housekibako (Nanatsu-ya: Shinobu and Her Jewelry Box) Vol. 26, Tomoko Ninomiya (10・16・2・-・-)
8. Hakumei to Mikochi (Hakumei and Mikochi) Vol. 14, Takuto Kashiki (7・12・-・-・-)
9. Naruse wa Tenka wo Toriniiku, Mina Miyajima (-・-・-・1・4)
10. In the Megachurch, Ryo Asai (-・-・-・-・1)

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