Doesn't look notably down from the previous entry to me (will likely reach a similar LTD with digital included).  

I understand the point you're trying to make but I don't think this is the game to make it with.  The series has never been big; and I don't think it would've done any better elsewhere (see below):

23./13. [3DS] Stella Glow <SLG> (Sega) {2015.06.04} (¥6.469) - 1.820 / 22.294 <80-100%> (-49%)

OT: Slightly low for Super Robot Wars, but not a disaster. Good legs from all the Nintendo stuff and Minecraft, and that otome game seems to have opened okay.

Hardware isn't hot though. WiiU and Vita had quite a steep decline.

ON the hardware front Kresnik this is actually the best the Wii U has done after the holiday: http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=203794&page=1#

Its not at all that bad for Wii U, its actually a pretty good sign in its case.

It also seems better in terms of software. 35k (2015, 4 titles) vs 27k (2014, 2 titles) vs 11k (2013, 2 titles).

Bloodborne is still free. Digital rates are pretty good. But it is true. Hardware is fine, Japan just has a ton less software then in previous gens. (including 3DS).

This. Every PS4 is bundled with a digital copy of Bloodborne. So, they get a untrackable game with the console.

That's lovely and all, but I don't quite see what it has to do with my post.  Both the VIta and WiiU did see steep declines WoW :P

I suppose if you want me to be thorough, 3DS also had a steep decline this week, but I kinda give that a free pass because it's the only hardware that sells anything like decent numbers every week.

If what you're saying is "look at the bigger picture" then yes, absolutely, WiiU is in a much better position in 2015 than it was in 2014 thanks to Splatoon (and such a much gentler drop, last year it went from 17k (Obon) -> 7k (post-Obon).  No denying that.

What's the bigger picture beyond it doing a bit better this year over last, though?

Sadly, I find this situation very similar to Vita in 2013 except I'm on the other side of the fence this time.  Back when it got the price cut and the baseline was > 10k for an extended period of time, I was one of the people defending the situation pointing out that it was a lot better than the sub 4k weeks it was having in October 2012.  And things did get better for Vita, generally.  But ultimately, the fate of the console had been clear for a while - it's a failure on the market that's been able to sustain a niche market, but ultimately won't achieve anything spectacular.  I hoped otherwise at the time, but it never really got the software to help it take off.

Things seem similar here.  Splatoon is helping loads.  WiiU is healthier.  But where does it go from here?  I can't really see a software lineup in the coming months that are really going to get new consumers flocking in.  And third parties aren't coming at this point, I don't think.  Maybe Nintendo have a few more Splatoons up their sleeves (and if anyone can pull that off, it's Nintendo!)

I'm going to be interested to see how far Splatoon manages to take WiiU and what Mario Maker can do for it, but at this point I feel it's just coffin dodging rather than anything else.  Sorry to be a pessimist on WiiU.  If anything, the fact that it's struggling makes me want to see it do really well (which was exactly the same way I felt about Vita in 2012).

Good to see WiiU still above 10k, it made it! :D
Great to see Splatoon over 20k too, Comg oversells it though. It's a mostly unremarkable week, but that was anticipated post-holydays.

The PS4 holding strong despite no important release in the past few weeks.

ninty holding up OK