The New York Public Library has released a list of its top 2010 checkouts in three categories, and manga were four of the top five titles in the Young Adult category. In order, the top four Young Adult titles checked out of the New York Public Library system are:
- Naruto
- Bleach
- One Piece
- Dragon Ball Z
All are relatively long series, which undoubtedly contributed to their position on the charts.
Graphic novels also show up on the kids’ list; Babymouse is #1 in the Childrens category. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which some also consider a graphic novel, is #2.
The domination of the list by manga titles demonstrates that despite the decline in the popularity of manga for the trade (see “A Second Bad Year in a Row for Manga”), it’s still a very popular category that’s being found by new fans every day. And with a generation of library patrons reading manga and graphic novels at a young age, how long will it be before graphic novels make their appearance on the adult list as well?
