Studio Ghibli still has that magic, bro.
In Japan’s latest animation TV ranking for April 27 to May 3, Yoshifumi Kondō and Studio Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart pulled in a 7.5% rating after airing on NTV on Friday, May 1 at 9:00 p.m. That is a pretty solid showing for a classic film that has been around for decades, especially in a TV landscape where streaming has changed how people watch anime.
The week’s ranking also noted that My Hero Academia: More special ranked at #4, showing that the MHA brand still has strong pull even outside its mainline season drops. For SEA fans, that is not exactly shocking. My Hero Academia remains one of those gateway shonen series that can still start arguments in group chats — Deku fans on one side, Bakugo defenders on the other, and everyone else waiting for the next big fight scene to go viral.
There was also a live-action anime-adjacent entry in the mix. Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan: At a Confessional, the live-action film based on the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure spin-off, aired on NHK on Sunday, May 3 at 4:10 p.m. and recorded a 2.1% rating.
For Malaysian and SEA anime fans, the important thing to understand is that Japanese TV ratings are not the same as the way we usually judge popularity here. In Malaysia, a lot of anime discussion happens through streaming platforms, social media clips, cinema releases, fan screenings, and convention buzz. A title can be massive on TikTok or in local cosplay circles without necessarily looking huge on Japanese broadcast TV.
These ratings are based on a household survey in Japan’s Kanto region, and they estimate the percentage of the population watching a programme live. They also do not include viewers who recorded the programme and watched it later. So yes, the numbers are useful, but they are not a complete “who is winning anime” scoreboard.
Still, Whisper of the Heart landing a 7.5% rating is worth paying attention to. Ghibli films continue to work because they are not just nostalgia bait. They are comfort watches, family watches, and for a lot of fans, entry points into anime beyond battle shonen and seasonal hype. In Malaysia, Ghibli still has that evergreen appeal — the kind of title people recommend when someone says they want anime that feels emotional but not too intense.
The My Hero Academia note is also interesting because it shows how franchise strength matters. Even specials and side content can place high when the brand is big enough. That matters for SEA fans because it usually signals continued merchandising, cinema interest, streaming visibility, and convention presence. If a franchise keeps performing in Japan, chances are it stays alive here too — in figure booths, artist alleys, watch parties, and anime merch shops.
So the takeaway is simple: Ghibli classics are still powerful on Japanese TV, My Hero Academia still has muscle, and JoJo spin-off material continues to have a niche-but-loyal audience. Not every ranking tells the full story, but this one is a nice snapshot of how legacy anime, modern shonen, and live-action adaptations are all sharing space in Japan’s weekly viewing habits.
Source: Anime News Network