The venerable Sailor Moon took the top two slots in the Nielsen BookScan chart of the Top 20 adult graphic novels sold in bookstores in September.  Kodansha released a new edition of the first volume of the classic magical girl manga, which took the #1 slot, and the first volume of the two volume prequel series Codename: Sailor V, which took the #2 position (see "Sailor Moon Manga Returns").  The first volume has been out of print in the U.S. for six years.

The Sailor Moon volumes were two of the twelve manga volumes in the top 20 graphic novels in September.  The latest volume of perennial bestseller Naruto was the #3 title, but surprisingly was the only volume of that title in the Top 20.  Three volumes of Seven Seas’ Dance in the Vampire Bund appeared, despite the fact that there was no new release in September.

Craig Thompson’s Habibi was the top American work in the Top 20, premiering at #4.  Marvel's Castle graphic novel, based on the ABC series (see "Marvel, ABC Announce Castle Graphic Novel"), and with mass merchant tie-ins to the DVD release, had a strong showing at #5. 

BookScan Top 20 Graphic Novels in September 2011

Rank

Title

Author

Publisher

1

SAILOR MOON VOL. 1

NAOKE TAKEUCHI

KODANSHA COMICS

2

CODENAME: SAILOR V VOL. 1

NAOKE TAKEUCHI

KODANSHA COMICS

3

NARUTO VOL. 52

MASASHI KISHIMOTO

VIZ MEDIA

4

HABIBI

CRAIG THOMPSON

PANTHEON BOOKS

5

CASTLE: RICAHRD CASTLE'S DEADLY STORM HC

BENDIS & DECONNICK

MARVEL COMICS

6

BLACK BIRD VOL. 10

KANOKO SAKURAKOJI

VIZ MEDIA

7

LUCKY IN LOVE: A POOR MAN'S HISTORY VOL. 1

GEORGE CHIEFFET

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

8

BLEACH VOL. 36

TITE KUBO

VIZ MEDIA

9

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST VOL. 26

HIROMU ARAKAWA

VIZ MEDIA

10

HARK! A VAGRANT

KATE BEATON

DRAWN & QUARTERLY

11

BRIGHTEST DAY VOL. 3 HC

GEOFF JOHNS

DC COMICS

12

DANCE IN THE VAMPIRE BUND VOL. 7

NOZOMU TAMAKI

SEVEN SEAS

13

DANCE IN THE VAMPIRE BUND VOL. 6

NOZOMU TAMAKI

SEVEN SEAS

14

G.I. JOE: HEARTS & MINDS HC

MAX BROOKS

IDW PUBLISHING

15

GRAND GUIGNOL ORCHESTRA VOL. 1

KAORI YUKI

VIZ MEDIA

16

THE EXILE: AN OUTLANDER GN HC

DIANA GABALDON

DEL REY BOOKS

17

DANCE IN THE VAMPIRE BUND VOL. 9

NOZOMU TAMAKI

SEVEN SEAS

18

OMAMORI HIMARI VOL. 1

MILAN MATRA

YEN PRESS

19

THE WAKLING DEAD BOOK 6 HC

ROBERT KIRKMAN

IMAGE COMICS

20

ULTIMO VOL. 2

HIROYUKI TAKEI

VIZ MEDIA


For past BookScan Top 20 Graphic Novel lists, see the "BookScan Top 20 GNs Index."