The Apothecary Diaries absolutely crushed it in 2024, taking the top spot for light novel sales with 1,350,491 copies sold. That’s not just “winning”; it’s lapping the competition multiple times over.
For context, the second-place title, Haikyuu!, sold 800,574 copies, which is impressive on its own but pales in comparison to the juggernaut that The Apothecary Diaries has become.
If you’ve been paying attention to the anime/manga/LN space lately, this shouldn’t be surprising. The franchise has been riding a wave of momentum across all three mediums. The anime adaptation, which dropped in 2023, received critical acclaim and helped bring a lot of attention to both the manga and light novels.
Oricon’s 2024 rankings for best-selling manga also list The Apothecary Diaries at #4.
Let’s talk numbers and rankings real quick for some additional context. Here’s the full top 10 for best-selling light novels of 2024:
BEST SELLING LIGHT NOVELS OF 2024:
- The Apothecary Diaries – 1,350,491
- Haikyuu! – 800,574
- Classroom of the Elite 2nd Year – 373,167
- Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian – 312,160
- The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten – 234,363
- Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Freedom – 193,558
- That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime – 146,347
- Too Many Losing Heroines! – 127,142
- Blue Lock – 110,199
- Detective Conan: The Million Dollar Pentagram – 103,412
Why The Apothecary Diaries is Leading the Charge
First off, the LN market is driven by strong adaptations, and the anime for The Apothecary Diaries nailed it. Stellar production quality, a plot that’s fresh compared to your run-of-the-mill isekai tropes, and a fascinating lead character in Maomao all played a part.
This isn’t another overpowered protagonist in a medieval RPG setting—The Apothecary Diaries thrives on its unique storytelling, historical undertones, and the sheer charm of its characters.
Secondly, the franchise has a strong crossover appeal. Fans who start with one medium (anime, manga, or light novel) are often drawn to the others. This kind of multi-platform success is rare, and The Apothecary Diaries exemplifies how to do it right.
The Rest of the List: What Stands Out?
- Haikyuu!: Its return to the light novel Top 10 rankings (compared to 2023) might raise some eyebrows because it’s primarily known as a sports manga. But with its theatrical movies continuing to generate buzz, this makes sense.
- Classroom of the Elite 2nd Year: Not much of a surprise here. It’s consistently popular, and its mix of psychological warfare and high-stakes academia keeps pulling in fans.
- Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian: This one’s been steadily climbing (Was ranked 6th in 2023) thanks to its romance-heavy yet refreshingly unique concept.
- Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Freedom: A sleeper hit in the LN category. Clearly, mecha fans are still out here showing up for anything Gundam.
Observations and Trends
It’s worth pointing out that there’s a noticeable gap between the top two and the rest of the field. After Haikyuu!, no other title comes close to breaking the 400k mark. This shows just how dominant The Apothecary Diaries has become, setting it apart as a true phenomenon in 2024.
If this trend continues, we might be witnessing the rise of one of those rare franchises that cements itself as a cultural touchstone. Not to get too hyperbolic, but The Apothecary Diaries is shaping up to be this generation’s benchmark for what a light novel franchise can achieve.
So, yeah, 2024 was basically The Apothecary Diaries‘ year, and unless something groundbreaking comes along, it looks like this franchise is going to keep riding the wave well into 2025.
Source: Oricon via X
