Oricon Inc. has published its official Monthly Comic Ranking for September 2026, capturing retail print sales across Japanese bookstores from late August through late September. The latest metrics highlight a fascinating mix of established blockbusters and contemporary critical darlings dominating the Japanese publishing landscape.
Chart Leaders and Publishing Milestones
Claiming the #1 position for September is Yama Wayama's critically acclaimed Hoshi in the Girls' Garden (Onna no Sono no Hoshi) Volume 5, which moved an impressive 182,399 copies following its September 8 release under Shodensha. Wayama's distinct brand of deadpan humor and finely observed slice-of-life storytelling continues to resonate heavily with domestic audiences, adding another commercial triumph to a series previously nominated for both the prestigious Manga Taisho and Kodansha Manga Awards.
Hot on its heels is Takeru Hokazono's dark action phenomenon Kagurabachi. Volume 12 secured the #2 spot with 124,297 copies sold after hitting shelves on September 4. As Shueisha serializes the dark fantasy hit and Viz Media prepares audiences for its highly anticipated television anime adaptation slated for April 2027, the title continues to solidify its commercial footprint both in print and digital spaces through MANGA Plus.
Rounding out the podium at #3 is Yukinobu Tatsu's Dandadan Volume 25, which accumulated 114,716 sales. Published via Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ platform, Tatsu's supernatural action-comedy maintains relentless momentum as fans eagerly anticipate the premiere of the anime adaptation's third season in 2027.
The Broader September Landscape
Further down the top 20 rankings, familiar giants and enduring favorites continue to perform strongly. Saka Mikami's emotional romance The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Volume 24 captured #4 with 94,463 copies, closely followed by Osamu Nishi's long-running hit Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Volume 50 at #5 with 93,238 copies. Meanwhile, Hirohiko Araki's ongoing epic The JOJOLands Volume 9 secured the #7 position with 87,786 copies sold.
Veteran franchises also made notable appearances on the monthly ledger, including Yasuhisa Hara's historical war epic Kingdom Volume 80 pulling in 80,661 units for a cumulative 446,040 copies, and Osamu Akimoto's legendary Kochikame celebrating its 202nd volume with 60,290 copies sold, proving the enduring appeal of long-running serialized manga in Japan.
