2008: Top 100 and Midlist 100 Volumes of 2008

[sigh] Naruto, Death Note, Fruits Basket, Vampire Knight, and Bleach.

Well, at least you kids know what you like.

What's the midlist, you ask? Well, since a chart showing just the very top volumes is awfully repetitive, and not very illuminating, I'll exclude volumes from the top five series (listed above) and re-run and re-number the chart for a Midlist ranking. First up, though:

Top 100 Manga Volumes of 2008

1. Death Note 1 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Oct 2005 [21636.9] ::
2. Death Note 2 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Nov 2005 [21578.4] ::
3. Naruto 28 - Viz Shonen Jump, Mar 2008 [20971.2] ::
4. Death Note 3 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Jan 2006 [20778.5] ::
5. Vampire Knight 1 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2007 [20640.8] ::
6. Vampire Knight 2 - Viz Shojo Beat, May 2007 [20504.1] ::
7. Vampire Knight 3 - Viz Shojo Beat, Oct 2007 [20413.2] ::
8. Death Note 4 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Mar 2006 [19818.2] ::
9. Death Note 6 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Jul 2006 [19484.5] ::
10. Naruto 29 - Viz Shonen Jump, May 2008 [19440.4] ::

11. Death Note 7 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Sep 2006 [19160.9] ::
12. Death Note 5 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Apr 2006 [19102.8] ::
13. Death Note 8 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Nov 2006 [18940] ::
14. Death Note 10 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Mar 2007 [18313.2] ::
15. Death Note 12 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Jul 2007 [18151.4] ::
16. Death Note 13 How to Read Death Note - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Feb 2008 [18111.5] ::
17. Fruits Basket 19 - Tokyopop, Mar 2008 [18019.4] ::
18. Death Note 9 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Jan 2007 [17395.4] ::
19. Naruto 2 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2003 [16899.2] ::
20. Naruto 27 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2007 [16380.3] ::
21. Naruto 30 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2008 [16349.9] ::
22. Death Note 11 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, May 2007 [16158.1] ::
23. Naruto 3 - Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2004 [15630.5] ::
24. Naruto 1 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2003 [15392.9] ::
25. Naruto 5 - Viz Shonen Jump, Oct 2004 [15276.1] ::
26. Naruto 26 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2007 [15236.5] ::
27. Vampire Knight 4 - Viz Shojo Beat, Apr 2008 [15201.5] ::
28. Naruto 6 - Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2005 [14816.8] ::
29. Naruto 15 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2007 [14724.5] ::
30. Naruto 4 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2004 [14694] ::
31. Naruto 7 - Viz Shonen Jump, Aug 2005 [14642.9] ::
32. Naruto 8 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2005 [14142.6] ::
33. Bleach 2 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2004 [14024.9] ::
34. Bleach 1 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jun 2004 [13970.2] ::
35. Bleach 3 - Viz Shonen Jump, Sep 2004 [13920.6] ::
36. Fruits Basket 20 - Tokyopop, Jul 2008 [13867.3] ::
37. Dark Hunger – Feehan, Zid - Berkley, Oct 2007 [13822.9] ::
38. Naruto 14 - Viz Shonen Jump, May 2007 [13648.7] ::
39. Naruto 25 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2007 [13625.8] ::
40. Naruto 24 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2007 [13559.2] ::
41. Warriors 3 - HC/Tokyopop, Apr 2008 [13253.3] ::
42. Naruto 20 - Viz Shonen Jump, Oct 2007 [13064.1] ::
43. Warriors 2 - HC/Tokyopop, Dec 2007 [13010.5] ::
44. Fruits Basket 18 - Tokyopop, Nov 2007 [12935] ::
45. Naruto 12 - Viz Shonen Jump, Dec 2006 [12832.4] ::
46. Warriors 1 - HC/Tokyopop, Apr 2007 [12817] ::
47. Naruto 10 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jun 2006 [12792.6] ::
48. Death Note Another Note (novel) - Viz, Feb 2008 [12710.4] ::
49. Naruto 18 - Viz Shonen Jump, Sep 2007 [12708.2] ::
50. Naruto 21 - Viz Shonen Jump, Oct 2007 [12692.2] ::
51. Naruto 17 - Viz Shonen Jump, Sep 2007 [12601.4] ::
52. Naruto 9 - Viz Shonen Jump, Mar 2006 [12478.4] ::
53. Naruto 16 - Viz Shonen Jump, Sep 2007 [12271.7] ::
54. Naruto 31 - Viz Shonen Jump, Sep 2008 [12145.7] ::
55. Kingdom Hearts II 2 - Tokyopop, May 2008 [12137.7] ::
56. Fruits Basket 17 - Tokyopop, Aug 2007 [12103.1] ::
57. Naruto 23 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2007 [11926.6] ::
58. Naruto 22 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2007 [11858.8] ::
59. Naruto 19 - Viz Shonen Jump, Oct 2007 [11792.1] ::
60. Bleach 4 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2004 [11784] ::
61. Naruto 13 - Viz Shonen Jump, Mar 2007 [11745.4] ::
62. Bleach 23 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jun 2008 [11448.8] ::
63. Ouran High School Host Club 1 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jul 2005 [11172.6] ::
64. Bleach 6 - Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2005 [10687.8] ::
65. Bleach 5 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jan 2005 [10624.5] ::
66. Bleach 16 - Viz Shonen Jump, Dec 2006 [10611.8] ::
67. Bleach 7 - Viz Shonen Jump, May 2005 [10492.8] ::
68. Naruto 11 - Viz Shonen Jump, Sep 2006 [10378.3] ::
69. Fruits Basket 8 - Tokyopop, Apr 2005 [10190.3] ::
70. Fruits Basket 9 - Tokyopop, Jun 2005 [10126.3] ::
71. Bleach 13 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jun 2006 [10073.9] ::
72. Rosario+Vampire 1 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Jun 2008 [9974.4] ::
73. Bleach 18 - Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2007 [9781.7] ::
74. Bleach 17 - Viz Shonen Jump, Feb 2007 [9758.6] ::
75. Fruits Basket 6 - Tokyopop, Dec 2004 [9730.9] ::
76. Fruits Basket 1 - Tokyopop, Feb 2004 [9654] ::
77. Naruto The Official Fanbook - Viz Shonen Jump, Feb 2008 [9641.2] ::
78. Bleach 19 - Viz Shonen Jump, Jun 2007 [9638] ::
79. Vampire Knight 5 - Viz Shojo Beat, Sep 2008 [9604.3] ::
80. Fruits Basket 5 - Tokyopop, Sep 2004 [9570.4] ::
81. Fruits Basket 13 - Tokyopop, Apr 2006 [9570.1] ::
82. Bleach 9 - Viz Shonen Jump, Oct 2005 [9497.8] ::
83. Bleach 20 - Viz Shonen Jump, Aug 2007 [9431.8] ::
84. Fruits Basket 10 - Tokyopop, Jul 2005 [9287.8] ::
85. Ouran High School Host Club 3 - Viz Shojo Beat, Nov 2005 [9059.3] ::
86. Fruits Basket 14 - Tokyopop, Aug 2006 [9003.4] ::
87. Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories vols 1-2 box set - Tokyopop, Oct 2007 [8979.2] ::
88. Fruits Basket 2 - Tokyopop, Apr 2004 [8922.5] ::
89. Fruits Basket 7 - Tokyopop, Feb 2005 [8878.7] ::
90. Pokemon Let's Find Pokemon! - Vizkids, Oct 2006 [8787] ::
91. Bleach 8 - Viz Shonen Jump, Aug 2005 [8749.7] ::
92. Battle Royale (novel) - Viz, Mar 2003 [8731.3] ::
93. Ouran High School Host Club 6 - Viz Shojo Beat, Apr 2006 [8685.9] ::
94. Ouran High School Host Club 2 - Viz Shojo Beat, Sep 2005 [8669.3] ::
95. Bleach 22 - Viz Shonen Jump, Feb 2008 [8596.9] ::
96. Bleach 24 - Viz Shonen Jump, Sep 2008 [8588.8] ::
97. Making Comics – McCloud - HarperCollins, Sep 2006 [8479.6] ::
98. Bleach 10 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2005 [8398.3] ::
99. Bleach 12 - Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2006 [8230.4] ::
100. Fruits Basket 15 - Tokyopop, Dec 2006 [8225.6] ::

##

Top 100 Manga Midlist of 2008

key:
midlist ranking. (actual rank) : title - pulishing info [score] ::

1. (37) : Dark Hunger – Feehan, Zid - Berkley, Oct 2007 [13822.9] ::
2. (41) : Warriors 3 - HC/Tokyopop, Apr 2008 [13253.3] ::
3. (43) : Warriors 2 - HC/Tokyopop, Dec 2007 [13010.5] ::
4. (46) : Warriors 1 - HC/Tokyopop, Apr 2007 [12817] ::
5. (55) : Kingdom Hearts II 2 - Tokyopop, May 2008 [12137.7] ::
6. (63) : Ouran High School Host Club 1 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jul 2005 [11172.6] ::
7. (72) : Rosario+Vampire 1 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Jun 2008 [9974.4] ::
8. (85) : Ouran High School Host Club 3 - Viz Shojo Beat, Nov 2005 [9059.3] ::
9. (87) : Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories vols 1-2 box set - Tokyopop, Oct 2007 [8979.2] ::
10. (90) : Pokemon Let's Find Pokemon! - Vizkids, Oct 2006 [8787] ::
11. (92) : Battle Royale (novel) - Viz, Mar 2003 [8731.3] ::
12. (93) : Ouran High School Host Club 6 - Viz Shojo Beat, Apr 2006 [8685.9] ::
13. (94) : Ouran High School Host Club 2 - Viz Shojo Beat, Sep 2005 [8669.3] ::
14. (97) : Making Comics – McCloud - HarperCollins, Sep 2006 [8479.6] ::
15. (102) : Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle 16 - Del Rey, Feb 2008 [8157.3] ::
16. (104) : Fullmetal Alchemist 1 - Viz, Apr 2005 [7999.7] ::
17. (105) : Ouran High School Host Club 5 - Viz Shojo Beat, Mar 2006 [7927] ::
18. (109) : Ouran High School Host Club 4 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2006 [7775.7] ::
19. (111) : Fullmetal Alchemist 16 - Viz, Mar 2008 [7724.4] ::
20. (113) : Berserk 22 - Dark Horse, Apr 2008 [7487.7] ::
21. (114) : Pokemon Best of Pokemon Adventures Red - Vizkids, Oct 2006 [7349.7] ::
22. (115) : Rosario+Vampire 2 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2008 [7304.8] ::
23. (116) : Warriors 4 - HC/Tokyopop, Jul 2008 [7263.7] ::
24. (117) : Kingdom Hearts vols 1-4 box set - Tokyopop, Oct 2006 [7225.5] ::
25. (118) : Fullmetal Alchemist 15 - Viz, Dec 2007 [7123.8] ::
26. (119) : Fullmetal Alchemist 2 - Viz, Jun 2005 [7120.1] ::
27. (121) : Negima! 18 - Del Rey, Jun 2008 [6945.9] ::
28. (122) : Manga Bible -- Siku - Random House Doubleday Galilee, Jan 2008 [6926] ::
29. (123) : Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle 17 - Del Rey, May 2008 [6690.3] ::
30. (124) : Chibi Vampire 2 - Tokyopop, Aug 2006 [6631.9] ::
31. (125) : Ouran High School Host Club 7 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2007 [6614.9] ::
32. (126) : Pokemon Best of Pokemon Adventures Yellow - Vizkids, Dec 2006 [6567.2] ::
33. (127) : Absolute Boyfriend 4 - Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2007 [6534.2] ::
34. (128) : Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle 18 - Del Rey, Jul 2008 [6501.5] ::
35. (129) : Yotsuba&! 5 - ADV, Oct 2007 [6424] ::
36. (130) : Chibi Vampire 5 - Tokyopop, Aug 2007 [6299.4] ::
37. (131) : Ouran High School Host Club 8 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2007 [6226] ::
38. (132) : Warriors Tigerstar & Sasha 1 - HC/Tokyopop, Sep 2008 [6173.4] ::
39. (133) : Necratoholic - DMP June, Apr 2008 [6118.4] ::
40. (134) : In Odd We Trust -- Koontz, Chan - Del Rey, Jun 2008 [6038.8] ::
41. (135) : Absolute Boyfriend 6 - Viz Shojo Beat, May 2008 [5978] ::
42. (136) : Fullmetal Alchemist 3 - Viz, Sep 2005 [5929.8] ::
43. (137) : Chibi Vampire 1 - Tokyopop, Apr 2006 [5890.8] ::
44. (139) : Chibi Vampire 3 - Tokyopop, Dec 2006 [5777] ::
45. (140) : Absolute Boyfriend 3 - Viz Shojo Beat, Feb 2007 [5737.7] ::
46. (141) : Gentlemen's Alliance† 2 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jun 2007 [5680.4] ::
47. (142) : Return to Labyrinth 2 - Tokyopop, Oct 2007 [5642.3] ::
48. (143) : Kingdom Hearts 1 - Tokyopop, Oct 2005 [5624.1] ::
49. (144) : Ouran High School Host Club 10 - Viz Shojo Beat, Feb 2008 [5614.3] ::
50. (145) : Kingdom Hearts 4 - Tokyopop, Jul 2006 [5604.4] ::
51. (146) : Chibi Vampire 6 - Tokyopop, Nov 2007 [5530.9] ::
52. (147) : xxxHolic 12 - Del Rey, Jun 2008 [5527.1] ::
53. (148) : MeruPuri 3 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2006 [5519.1] ::
54. (149) : Japanese in Mangaland 1 - Japan Publications Trading Co., Dec 2003 [5515.6] ::
55. (150) : Ouran High School Host Club 9 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jul 2007 [5499.3] ::
56. (151) : Negima! 17 - Del Rey, Mar 2008 [5493.6] ::
57. (153) : Loveless 8 - Tokyopop, Sep 2008 [5450.9] ::
58. (154) : Berserk 21 - Dark Horse, Feb 2008 [5392.7] ::
59. (155) : Chibi Vampire 4 - Tokyopop, Apr 2007 [5367.1] ::
60. (156) : D. Gray-Man 9 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, May 2008 [5334.8] ::
61. (157) : Kingdom Hearts II 1 - Tokyopop, Jul 2007 [5300.2] ::
62. (158) : The Twelve Kingdoms (novel) 2 - Tokyopop, Mar 2008 [5289.3] ::
63. (159) : Wanted - Viz Shojo Beat, Sep 2008 [5145.5] ::
64. (160) : Gentlemen's Alliance† 5 - Viz Shojo Beat, Mar 2008 [5128.6] ::
65. (161) : Fullmetal Alchemist 14 - Viz, Aug 2007 [5110.5] ::
66. (162) : Manga Cookbook - Japanime's Manga University, Aug 2007 [5067] ::

67. (163) : Fullmetal Alchemist 4 - Viz, Nov 2005 [5063.6] ::
68. (164) : Junjo Romantica 1 - Tokyopop Blu, Oct 2006 [5041] ::
69. (165) : High School Debut 4 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jul 2008 [5021.7] ::
70. (166) : Avalon High: Coronation 2 - HC/Tokyopop, Jun 2008 [4980.3] ::
71. (167) : Crimson Spell 1 - Media Blasters, Jul 2007 [4979.5] ::
72. (168) : Scott Pilgrim 3 - Oni Press, May 2006 [4972.2] ::
73. (169) : Hellsing 9 - Dark Horse, Oct 2008 [4965.3] ::
74. (170) : Draw Manga -- Lewis - Collins & Brown, Jun 2005 [4947.2] ::
75. (172) : Avalon High: Coronation 1 - HC/Tokyopop, Jul 2007 [4888.4] ::
76. (173) : Warcraft Sunwell Trilogy Ultimate Edition - Tokyopop, Oct 2007 [4858.5] ::
77. (174) : Drawing Words and Writing Pictures -- Abel, Madden - First Second, Jun 2008 [4831.1] ::
78. (175) : Gentlemen's Alliance† 6 - Viz Shojo Beat, Jun 2008 [4824.8] ::
79. (176) : Junjo Romantica 6 - Tokyopop Blu, Jun 2008 [4822.8] ::
80. (177) : Return to Labyrinth 1 - Tokyopop, Oct 2007 [4782.3] ::
81. (178) : Berserk 24 - Dark Horse, Jul 2008 [4773.4] ::
82. (179) : A Foreign Love Affair - 801 Media, Mar 2008 [4749.2] ::
83. (180) : Yotsuba&! 4 - ADV, Jun 2007 [4744] ::
84. (181) : Gentlemen's Alliance† 7 - Viz Shojo Beat, Sep 2008 [4727.9] ::
85. (182) : Chibi Vampire 8 - Tokyopop, May 2008 [4715.8] ::
86. (183) : Berserk 23 - Dark Horse, Jun 2008 [4715.2] ::
87. (184) : MeruPuri 2 - Viz Shojo Beat, Oct 2005 [4677.1] ::
88. (185) : Absolute Boyfriend 2 - Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2006 [4619.8] ::
89. (186) : Warcraft Sunwell Trilogy 1 - Tokyopop, Mar 2007 [4602.7] ::
90. (187) : Absolute Boyfriend 5 - Viz Shojo Beat, Feb 2008 [4572.3] ::
91. (188) : Fullmetal Alchemist 5 - Viz, Jan 2006 [4562] ::
92. (189) : Chibi Vampire 9 - Tokyopop, Jul 2008 [4539.6] ::
93. (190) : Hellsing 8 - Dark Horse, Jun 2007 [4470.7] ::
94. (191) : Warcraft Sunwell Trilogy 3 - Tokyopop, Mar 2005 [4458.3] ::
95. (192) : Blade of the Immortal 19 - Dark Horse, Jun 2008 [4454.2] ::
96. (193) : Gothic & Lolita Bible 2 - Tokyopop, Jun 2008 [4452.9] ::
97. (194) : Loveless 6 - Tokyopop, Aug 2007 [4440.5] ::
98. (195) : Buddha 1 - Vertical, May 2006 [4413.9] ::
99. (196) : Negima! 19 - Del Rey, Sep 2008 [4405.2] ::
100. (197) : Blood+ 2 - Dark Horse, May 2008 [4377.1] ::

Matt Blind is a bookseller: that's his day job, working as an asst. manager at a far-flung outpost of one of the big box chains. He is also a big fan of manga, has been a blogger of one stripe or another since aught-four, drinks too much, and remembers enough discrete math from his classes at Georgia Tech to construct the truly frightening spreadsheet that spits out these charts.

Readers with questions, comments or corrections should email Matt at, not surprisingly, matt[at]rocketbomber[dot]com.