2016 was a good year for anime based on light novels, with such series as Re:Zero Kara Hajimaru Isekai no Seikatsu and Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!. This hasn’t died down in 2017, with the second season of Konosuba and Youjo Senki airing in the Winter 2017 season. Currently-airing anime based on light novels include Eromanga-sensei and Sagrada Reset.
Our friends at Anime!Anime! asked their readers, ‘What Novel Do You Wish Were Turned Into an Anime?’ The survey was split into two sections, with one covering light novels and one covering regular novels. Each category had 20 options, which were chosen based on the response over at their official Twitter account.
The survey took place from 11 – 16 April 2017 and received a total of 2584 respondents. The ratio between male and female respondents was fairly even, swinging ever so slightly in favor of males. About 30% of the respondents were under 20, 40% in their 20s, and 20% in their 30s.
Votes were split due to the number of options, and only the top 4 surpassed 100 votes. The work with the highest number of voted was Fuse’s Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken, which was serialized on the website Shousetsuka ni Narou (Let’s Become Novelists). It is still active, and so far has 10 volumes published under GC Novels.
In second place is Shirou Shiratori’s Ryuu-Ou no Oshigoto! (The Dragon King’s Job!) which placed first in ‘Kono Light Novel wa Sugoi! 2017’ (This Light Novel is Amazing! 2017). There are currently 5 volumes published under GA Bunko. The series has also spread into other media, with a manga adaptation and even a web radio program.
In third place is Kinoko Nasu’s DDD. There are currently 2 volumes published by Kodansha BOX. Despite being published back in 2007, its popularity has not slowed down, and it seems fans can’t wait to see more!
If we look at the ranking, it seems than the majority of works comes from authors who already have anime adaptations under their belt. For example, No-Rin’s Shirou Shiratori and Kara no Kyokai’s Kinoko Nasu. 4 of the works have already ended. These are Higaeri Quest, Bara no Maria, Fuusen Nyannyan Tsuihouroku, and Double Brid.
If we look at the publishing years of the top works, 3 were published after 2010, 5 were published in the 2000s, and 2 were published in the 1990s. It seems there was a trend towards older works that already had many volumes.
1st Place: Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (Regarding Reincarnation as Slime) by Fuse
2nd Place: Ryuuou no Oshigoto! by Shirou Shiratori
3rd Place: DDD by Kinoko Nasu
4th Place: Higaeri Quest by Hajime Kanzaka
5th Place: Bara no Maria by Ao Jyumonji
6th Place: Fuusen Nyanyan Tuihouroku by Rokugomaruni
7th Place: Seishun Buta-yarou by Hajime Kamoshita
8th Place: Bishoujo Tantei-Bu by NishiOishin
9th Place: Double Brid by Erika Nakamura
10th Place: Mismarca Koukou Monogatari by Tomoaki Hayashi
(Survey Response Period: Tuesday 11 – Sunday 16 April 2017)
The first season of the new year is just one month away from its finale. It was a great start with many amazing titles that made these past months worth the extra hours we put in front of our sets. Now, it is time for the cold wind to give way to the pink hues of the sakura tree and for the Winter 2018 season to give the anime baton to Spring 2018.
