Both Bandai and Tokyopop, producers of the Love Hina DVDs and manga trade paperbacks, respectively, have reported great sales on their Love Hina products.  Unlike some properties, Love Hina was severely underestimated by most retailers and took awhile to hit its stride.  Jerry Chu of Bandai told us that there has been 'huge demand for reorders since the first release of Volume 1.'  As retailers became more aware of the potential of the property, initial sell-in numbers have quadrupled and more on the later volumes (compared to the initial orders on the first DVD). 

 

The broad appeal of the anime is reflected in the broad distribution of the DVDs (Best Buy, Suncoast, Sam Goody, Tower, Virgin, etc.).  And the sell-throughs in returnable channels are provide strong indications that the fans that are buying the DVDs are enjoying them.  Chu also told us, 'Unlike most series, Love Hina sell-through does not dip gradually from release to release, but remains strong and constant.'  Bandai encouraged purchases of all the DVDs in the series by making Love Hina the first anime released with a Love Hina's Collector's Box (which was offered with the first SKU).

 

On the manga side, Love Hina is consistently in Tokyopop's top five best-selling graphic novels, and the first volume has gone through multiple reprints (see 'Tokyopop Manga in 4000-6000 Stores'). 

 

For more information on the Love Hina property, see 'Love Hina -- Love Story for the Otaku Generation' and 'Retailers--Love Hina's a Hit!'