Current Anime Series Popularity -- Japan vs. Abroad

I'm taking the simplest possible method of judging how otaku in Japan and outside it grade the current shows: current number of threads on 2channel vs. number of posts on AnimeSuki. This is more an index of interest than approval, but it at least gives us some comparisons. Actual Japanese TV ratings are, as usual, considerably different, with shows for kids and girls rating far higher than on 2channel.

Among otaku in Japan and abroad, the top show of the spring season is Nanoha StrikerS, by far. On 2channel, the next two shows are Lucky Star and Gurren Laggan, whereas on AnimeSuki they are Claymore and Lucky Star. Dennou Coil and Idolmaster Xenoglossia (two very different shows) are much higher on the 2channel list than on AnimeSuki, whereas Kaze no Stigma, Darker than Black and Lovely Complex are much higher on AnimeSuki. My guess is that the percentage of female posters on AnimeSuki is higher than on 2channel, which tends to ignore shoujo shows, such as Lovely Complex.

For the summer, the top show on 2channel is School Days, by a large margin, followed by Higurashi2, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and Zero no Tsukaima2. On AS, the top show is School Days, ahead of Higurashi2 and the last two episodes of Code Geass, followed by Zero no Tsukaima and then Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. The linguistic complexity -- and maybe the style of humor -- of Zetsubou Sensei may explain why it is more a favorite in Japan. And School Days may have higher mind-share in Japan because people are more familiar with the original game.

Here are fullish listings, first for spring and then for summer, listed first by 2channel popularity, then by AnimeSuki popularity:

1. spring 2007 anime

2channel -- # of threads (1000 posts per full thread)

Nanoha StrikerS	289
Lucky Star	256
Tengen Toppa Guren Lagan	192
Hayate no Gotoku	69
Dennou Coil	67
Idolmaster Xenoglossia	66
Seto no Hanayome	58
Bokurano	48
Claymore	47
Ookiku Furikabutte	46
Darker than Black	45
Kaibutsu Oujo	27
Toward Terra	25
Nagasarete Airantou	25
Gegege no Kitarou	24
Gigantic Formula	22
KissDum Engage Planet	21
Heroic Age	20
RomeoxJuliet	18
Seirei no Moribito	17
El Cazador	16
Kaze no Stigma	11
Touka Gettan	11
Oh! Edo Rocket	10
Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica	9
Kamichama Karin	6
Kotetsu Sangokushi	5
OverDrive	5
Blue Dragon	5
Lovely Complex	4
Emily of New Moon	3

AnimeSuki forums -- # of posts

Nanoha StrikerS	40709
Claymore	12649
Lucky Star	11317
Tengen Toppa Guren Lagan	4021
Kaze no Stigma	2304
Hayate no Gotoku	2150
Darker than Black	1657
Lovely Complex	1512
Seto no Hanayome	1401
Nagasarete Airantou	1205
Heroic Age	1112
RomeoxJuliet	942
Seirei no Moribito	891
Bokurano	719
Touka Gettan	617
El Cazador	562
Idolmaster Xenoglossia	550
Dennou Coil	472
Kaibutsu Oujo	457
Toward Terra	391
KissDum Engage Planet	254
Kamichama Karin	217
OverDrive	170
Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica	149
Gigantic Formula	131
Ookiku Furikabutte	114
Oh! Edo Rocket	95
Gegege no Kitarou	73
Blue Dragon	57
Kotetsu Sangokushi	44
Emily of New Moon	37

2. summer 2007 anime

2channel -- # of threads (1000 posts per full thread)

School Days	45
Higurashi2	35
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei	31
Zero no Tsukaima 2	28
Code Geass 24-25	18
Skygirls	15
Moetan	13
Nanatsuiro Drops	9
Potemayo	9
Mononoke	8
Mushiuta	5
Umishou	5
Doujin Work	5
Shigurui	3
Baccano	3
Code-E	3
Buzzer Beater	3
Zombie-Loan	2
Tetsuko no Tabi	2
Tokyo Majin Gakuen2	1
Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan2	1

AnimeSuki forums -- # of posts

School Days	2200
Higurashi2	1100
Code Geass 24-25	832
Zero no Tsukaima 2	625
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei	549
Moetan	359
Zombie-Loan	281
Nanatsuiro Drops	280
Mushiuta	240
Skygirls	229
Mononoke	169
Potemayo	139
Doujin Work	125
Umishou	118
Code-E	98
Baccano	88
Tokyo Majin Gakuen2	51
Shigurui	47
Tetsuko no Tabi	44
Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan2	19
Buzzer Beater	5

If any show is missing, it's because it hasn't been posted about in the last 200 shows posted about on 2channel.