Top Best-Selling Light Novels in Japan by Volume: First Half of 2023 - Suzume and Blue Lock Dominate Rankings

The official guidebook for Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, titled “Pocket Monster Scarlet/Violet Official Guidebook: Complete Story Walkthrough,” sold 272,153 copies and secured the second position in the general book category. Another official guidebook for Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, titled “Pocket Monster Scarlet/Violet Official Guidebook: Complete Illustrated Guide to Paldea,” sold 165,741 copies and ranked at number eleven in the general book category. The third guidebook, “Pocket Monster Scarlet/Violet: Treasure-Hunting Adventure Guide,” sold 127,249 copies and claimed the twenty-third spot in the general book category.

The regular paperback edition of the novel “Suzume” achieved the twenty-fourth rank in the general book category.

In the bunko category (trade paperback), the “Suzume” novel’s edition secured the fourth position.

The two volumes of the novel “Lonely Castle in the Mirror” sold 148,570 and 134,427 copies, respectively, and ranked at number eight and number ten in the bunko category.

“My Happy Marriage” sold 100,518 copies and claimed the eighteenth position in the bunko category.

The ninth volume of “Classroom of the Elite: Year 2” also ranked twentieth in the bunko category.

Additionally, both volumes of the “Blue Lock” novels achieved the fourth and eighth positions in the general literary novel category.

This list covers sales of physical copies surveyed from November 21, 2022 to May 21, 2023.

Rank	Title	Author	Estimated Sales
1	Novel Suzume [Bunko Trade Paperback Edition]	Makoto Shinkai	247,093
2	Suzume [Regular Paperback Edition]	Creator: Makoto Shinkai/Interior Art: Chiiko	122,832
3	Novel Blue Lock Tatakai no Mae, Bokura wa Isagi/Nagi/Bachira	Original Story: Muneyuki Kaneshiro/Novel: Momo Moegi	114,408
4	Novel Blue Lock Tatakai no Mae, Bokura wa Chigiri/Reo/Rin	Original Story: Muneyuki Kaneshiro/Novel: Momo Moegi	99,371
5	Classroom of the Elite: Year 2 9	Writer: Syougo Kinugasa/Illustration: Shunsaku Tomose	96,943
6	The Apothecary Diaries 13	Writer: Natsu Hyūga /Illustration: Touko Shino	95,085
7	Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? 18	Writer: Fujino Ōmori/Illustration: Suzuhito Yasuda	91,652
8	Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian 5	Writer: Sunsunsun/Illustration: Momoco	73,240
9	Kishibe Rohan wa Taorenai Short Story Collection	Original Story: Hirohiko Araki/Novel: Ballad Kitaguni	69,697
10	Detective Conan: Kurogane no Submarine	Writer: Shima Mizuki/Original Story: Gosho Aoyama/Script: Takeharu Sakurai	68,700