Novel difficulty list

This is a list of novels, both light novels and traditional novels, ranked by their difficulty, on a scale from 0 to 100, where 0 is very easy and 100 is very hard. You can use it to find the most appropriate novel to read based on how good your Japanese is.

If you already have a novel in mind which is around your level you can also search for it, and then click on "Show details..." to see other novels of similar difficulty.

The difficulty ratings were generated automatically by a machine learning model. If you're interested in how we calculated them take a look here. We do not distribute any copyrighted materials from any of these works; we only provide aggregate statistics.

We also have other difficulty lists if you're interested:

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Showing 1..50 from 1475 entries

Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Haru to Natsu
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Haru to Natsu
Length (in words)7055
Unique words1380
Unique words (used once)669
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji195
Unique kanji (used once)48
Unique kanji readings251
Average difficulty1%
90th percentile difficulty3%
Average sentence length12.3
Characters18674
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Birthday Party
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Birthday Party
Length (in words)7072
Unique words1318
Unique words (used once)671
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji207
Unique kanji (used once)46
Unique kanji readings292
Average difficulty1%
90th percentile difficulty5%
Average sentence length11.9
Characters17449
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Hajimete no Umi to Camp
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Hajimete no Umi to Camp
Length (in words)6400
Unique words1313
Unique words (used once)666
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji239
Unique kanji (used once)56
Unique kanji readings316
Average difficulty2%
90th percentile difficulty5%
Average sentence length11.6
Characters15787
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Aki to Fuyu
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Aki to Fuyu
Length (in words)6799
Unique words1417
Unique words (used once)695
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji186
Unique kanji (used once)34
Unique kanji readings252
Average difficulty2%
90th percentile difficulty8%
Average sentence length12.0
Characters18031
Volumes1
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Cover of Beruna no Shippo
Novel
Beruna no Shippo
Length (in words)28809
Unique words3476
Unique words (used once)1552
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji928
Unique kanji (used once)190
Unique kanji readings1388
Average difficulty2%
90th percentile difficulty7%
Average sentence length22.6
Characters71040
Volumes1
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Fruits Matsuri
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Fruits Matsuri
Length (in words)7399
Unique words1351
Unique words (used once)665
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji185
Unique kanji (used once)44
Unique kanji readings253
Average difficulty2%
90th percentile difficulty5%
Average sentence length13.1
Characters18755
Volumes1
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Cover of Soshite Beruna wa Hoshi ni Natta
Novel
Soshite Beruna wa Hoshi ni Natta
Length (in words)20106
Unique words2897
Unique words (used once)1397
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji916
Unique kanji (used once)236
Unique kanji readings1362
Average difficulty2%
90th percentile difficulty10%
Average sentence length23.4
Characters49186
Volumes1
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Sora no Picnic
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Sora no Picnic
Length (in words)7102
Unique words1402
Unique words (used once)708
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji261
Unique kanji (used once)79
Unique kanji readings371
Average difficulty3%
90th percentile difficulty7%
Average sentence length11.9
Characters17793
Volumes1
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Cover of Hoshi no Kirby: Abunai Gourmet Yashiki!?
Novel
Hoshi no Kirby: Abunai Gourmet Yashiki!?
Length (in words)18730
Unique words3127
Unique words (used once)1578
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji784
Unique kanji (used once)193
Unique kanji readings1160
Average difficulty3%
90th percentile difficulty12%
Average sentence length16.2
Characters50599
Volumes1
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Cover of Kuuku no Mori no Gakkou: Tomodachi tte, Naani?
Novel
Kuuku no Mori no Gakkou: Tomodachi tte, Naani?
Length (in words)8183
Unique words1397
Unique words (used once)666
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji257
Unique kanji (used once)77
Unique kanji readings354
Average difficulty4%
90th percentile difficulty12%
Average sentence length13.3
Characters21071
Volumes1
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Kasou Party
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Kasou Party
Length (in words)6205
Unique words1350
Unique words (used once)661
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji253
Unique kanji (used once)62
Unique kanji readings337
Average difficulty4%
90th percentile difficulty11%
Average sentence length11.0
Characters15885
Volumes1
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Mori no Restaurant
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Mori no Restaurant
Length (in words)7848
Unique words1412
Unique words (used once)682
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji191
Unique kanji (used once)37
Unique kanji readings266
Average difficulty4%
90th percentile difficulty14%
Average sentence length13.0
Characters19616
Volumes1
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Cover of Hoshi no Kirby: Kurayami Mori de Dai Sawagi!
Novel
Hoshi no Kirby: Kurayami Mori de Dai Sawagi!
Length (in words)19430
Unique words2998
Unique words (used once)1488
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji756
Unique kanji (used once)201
Unique kanji readings1120
Average difficulty4%
90th percentile difficulty15%
Average sentence length16.3
Characters50736
Volumes1
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Christmas no Otomarikai
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Christmas no Otomarikai
Length (in words)6890
Unique words1365
Unique words (used once)681
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji259
Unique kanji (used once)66
Unique kanji readings358
Average difficulty4%
90th percentile difficulty18%
Average sentence length12.4
Characters17454
Volumes1
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Cover of Rabukome no Kamisama Nanoni Ore no Rabukome wo Jama Suru no? Datte Suki Nanda Mon
Novel
Rabukome no Kamisama Nanoni Ore no Rabukome wo Jama Suru no? Datte Suki Nanda Mon
Length (in words)113812
Unique words6290
Unique words (used once)2424
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji1479
Unique kanji (used once)227
Unique kanji readings2422
Average difficulty5%
90th percentile difficulty17%
Average sentence length22.3
Characters257258
Volumes3
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Cover of Rabukome Manga ni Haitte Shitamatta no de, Oshi no Make Heroine wo Zenryoku de Shiawase ni Suru
Novel
Rabukome Manga ni Haitte Shitamatta no de, Oshi no Make Heroine wo Zenryoku de Shiawase ni Suru
Length (in words)46247
Unique words3566
Unique words (used once)1507
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1129
Unique kanji (used once)259
Unique kanji readings1718
Average difficulty5%
90th percentile difficulty16%
Average sentence length20.3
Characters107527
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Monster Hunter Rise Hyaku Ryuu Yakou wo Kuitomero!
Novel
Monster Hunter Rise Hyaku Ryuu Yakou wo Kuitomero!
Length (in words)16629
Unique words2568
Unique words (used once)1271
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji842
Unique kanji (used once)235
Unique kanji readings1219
Average difficulty5%
90th percentile difficulty23%
Average sentence length16.0
Characters41945
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Gaarando no Namida
Novel
Gaarando no Namida
Length (in words)26980
Unique words3232
Unique words (used once)1500
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji948
Unique kanji (used once)226
Unique kanji readings1401
Average difficulty5%
90th percentile difficulty15%
Average sentence length23.9
Characters68475
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Aru Hi Totsuzen, Gyaru no Iinazuke ga Dekita
Novel
Aru Hi Totsuzen, Gyaru no Iinazuke ga Dekita
Length (in words)28900
Unique words3783
Unique words (used once)1782
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1169
Unique kanji (used once)261
Unique kanji readings1786
Average difficulty5%
90th percentile difficulty18%
Average sentence length20.0
Characters70134
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Toiki ga Ai wo Oshiete Kuremashita
Novel
Toiki ga Ai wo Oshiete Kuremashita
Length (in words)21483
Unique words3126
Unique words (used once)1581
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1043
Unique kanji (used once)274
Unique kanji readings1563
Average difficulty6%
90th percentile difficulty21%
Average sentence length28.8
Characters51073
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of LAST KISS
Novel
LAST KISS
Length (in words)41712
Unique words4117
Unique words (used once)1897
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1223
Unique kanji (used once)276
Unique kanji readings1899
Average difficulty6%
90th percentile difficulty26%
Average sentence length16.0
Characters99090
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Rika no Okashi na Jikkenshitsu
Novel
Rika no Okashi na Jikkenshitsu
Length (in words)48114
Unique words4282
Unique words (used once)1827
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1072
Unique kanji (used once)221
Unique kanji readings1612
Average difficulty6%
90th percentile difficulty17%
Average sentence length18.0
Characters118074
Volumes2
Amazon
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Cover of Hoshi no Kirby: Nazo to Jiken no Pupupu Train!?
Novel
Hoshi no Kirby: Nazo to Jiken no Pupupu Train!?
Length (in words)16566
Unique words2598
Unique words (used once)1278
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji671
Unique kanji (used once)178
Unique kanji readings947
Average difficulty6%
90th percentile difficulty25%
Average sentence length15.7
Characters44202
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Koi ni Naru made, Ato 1 Senchi
Novel
Koi ni Naru made, Ato 1 Senchi
Length (in words)44035
Unique words4998
Unique words (used once)2368
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1340
Unique kanji (used once)255
Unique kanji readings2123
Average difficulty6%
90th percentile difficulty16%
Average sentence length18.7
Characters102369
Volumes1
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Cover of Obake ga Shitsuji no Nanafushigi
Novel
Obake ga Shitsuji no Nanafushigi
Length (in words)20535
Unique words2808
Unique words (used once)1346
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji612
Unique kanji (used once)175
Unique kanji readings911
Average difficulty6%
90th percentile difficulty20%
Average sentence length15.1
Characters51369
Volumes1
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Cover of Maigo ni Natteita Youjo wo Tasuketara, Otonari no Sumu Bishoujo Ryuugakusei ga Ie ni Asobi ni Kuru You ni Natta Ken ni Tsuite
Novel
Maigo ni Natteita Youjo wo Tasuketara, Otonari no Sumu Bishoujo Ryuugakusei ga Ie ni Asobi ni Kuru You ni Natta Ken ni Tsuite
Length (in words)43532
Unique words3830
Unique words (used once)1681
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji1154
Unique kanji (used once)238
Unique kanji readings1739
Average difficulty6%
90th percentile difficulty14%
Average sentence length27.2
Characters104790
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Active Rest: Te wo Nobashite Me wo Tojinaide Gojitsudan
Novel
Active Rest: Te wo Nobashite Me wo Tojinaide Gojitsudan
Length (in words)15089
Unique words2714
Unique words (used once)1452
Unique words (used once %)53%
Unique kanji1033
Unique kanji (used once)315
Unique kanji readings1469
Average difficulty7%
90th percentile difficulty12%
Average sentence length27.6
Characters33278
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Osananajimi Kara no Renai Soudan
Novel
Osananajimi Kara no Renai Soudan
Length (in words)97448
Unique words7993
Unique words (used once)3419
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1593
Unique kanji (used once)241
Unique kanji readings2702
Average difficulty7%
90th percentile difficulty24%
Average sentence length17.7
Characters230188
Volumes3
Amazon
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Cover of Moshimo, Kono Machi de
Novel
Moshimo, Kono Machi de
Length (in words)22709
Unique words3296
Unique words (used once)1625
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji818
Unique kanji (used once)187
Unique kanji readings1225
Average difficulty7%
90th percentile difficulty18%
Average sentence length19.4
Characters56033
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Obake ga Shitsuji no Natsuyasumi
Novel
Obake ga Shitsuji no Natsuyasumi
Length (in words)24263
Unique words3107
Unique words (used once)1475
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji610
Unique kanji (used once)154
Unique kanji readings890
Average difficulty7%
90th percentile difficulty19%
Average sentence length17.5
Characters60625
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Tobioriyou to Shiteiru Joshikousei wo Tasuketara Dounaru no ka?
Novel
Tobioriyou to Shiteiru Joshikousei wo Tasuketara Dounaru no ka?
Length (in words)38580
Unique words4878
Unique words (used once)2393
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji1389
Unique kanji (used once)296
Unique kanji readings2191
Average difficulty7%
90th percentile difficulty26%
Average sentence length19.1
Characters93236
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Sakka ni Naritai
Novel
Sakka ni Naritai
Length (in words)14494
Unique words2646
Unique words (used once)1452
Unique words (used once %)54%
Unique kanji721
Unique kanji (used once)197
Unique kanji readings1040
Average difficulty7%
90th percentile difficulty21%
Average sentence length16.2
Characters36530
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Tanteiken Chris
Novel
Tanteiken Chris
Length (in words)82293
Unique words6877
Unique words (used once)2896
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1313
Unique kanji (used once)190
Unique kanji readings2193
Average difficulty8%
90th percentile difficulty32%
Average sentence length18.4
Characters193658
Volumes3
Amazon
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Cover of Takanashi-san wa Rabukome Benkyouchuu!
Novel
Takanashi-san wa Rabukome Benkyouchuu!
Length (in words)38859
Unique words4889
Unique words (used once)2228
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji1316
Unique kanji (used once)284
Unique kanji readings2081
Average difficulty8%
90th percentile difficulty23%
Average sentence length19.4
Characters93677
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Yotsugo Gurashi
Novel
Yotsugo Gurashi
Length (in words)46525
Unique words4883
Unique words (used once)2201
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji1043
Unique kanji (used once)201
Unique kanji readings1660
Average difficulty8%
90th percentile difficulty24%
Average sentence length18.5
Characters114131
Volumes2
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Futoukou no Osananajimi ga Gakkou ni Iku Jouken wa, Mainichi Ore to Kiss Suru Koto Datta
Novel
Futoukou no Osananajimi ga Gakkou ni Iku Jouken wa, Mainichi Ore to Kiss Suru Koto Datta
Length (in words)41327
Unique words4079
Unique words (used once)1896
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1167
Unique kanji (used once)259
Unique kanji readings1800
Average difficulty8%
90th percentile difficulty21%
Average sentence length17.8
Characters96832
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Koi wo Hiku
Novel
Koi wo Hiku
Length (in words)15686
Unique words2815
Unique words (used once)1573
Unique words (used once %)55%
Unique kanji1059
Unique kanji (used once)318
Unique kanji readings1559
Average difficulty8%
90th percentile difficulty36%
Average sentence length20.9
Characters36205
Volumes1
Amazon
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NO COVER
Novel
Imouto wa Naze Oshaburi ga Suki nano ka?
Length (in words)28675
Unique words3432
Unique words (used once)1609
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1060
Unique kanji (used once)248
Unique kanji readings1599
Average difficulty9%
90th percentile difficulty30%
Average sentence length15.1
Characters70240
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Shoukoujo Sera
Novel
Shoukoujo Sera
Length (in words)46858
Unique words4907
Unique words (used once)2162
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji991
Unique kanji (used once)222
Unique kanji readings1508
Average difficulty9%
90th percentile difficulty29%
Average sentence length30.5
Characters126099
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Hakoniwa no Yakujutsushi
Novel
Hakoniwa no Yakujutsushi
Length (in words)167769
Unique words9017
Unique words (used once)3465
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji1764
Unique kanji (used once)221
Unique kanji readings3010
Average difficulty9%
90th percentile difficulty22%
Average sentence length18.7
Characters388790
Volumes3
Amazon
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Cover of Jitsu wa Onaji Shokuba ni Anata wo Suki na Hito ga Imasu Tenkin Saki wa Bijo Dake no Eigyousho!?
Novel
Jitsu wa Onaji Shokuba ni Anata wo Suki na Hito ga Imasu Tenkin Saki wa Bijo Dake no Eigyousho!?
Length (in words)47935
Unique words4724
Unique words (used once)2082
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji1280
Unique kanji (used once)273
Unique kanji readings1965
Average difficulty9%
90th percentile difficulty20%
Average sentence length18.9
Characters116302
Volumes1
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NO COVER
Novel
TS Kozukuri!! Nyotai-ka shitara Motemote ni Natte Minna ni Nakadashi Sarechatta!?
Length (in words)31176
Unique words3489
Unique words (used once)1682
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1072
Unique kanji (used once)270
Unique kanji readings1606
Average difficulty9%
90th percentile difficulty29%
Average sentence length13.4
Characters78980
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Uchira Tokken☆ Tenkou Travelers!!
Novel
Uchira Tokken☆ Tenkou Travelers!!
Length (in words)17831
Unique words2571
Unique words (used once)1253
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji718
Unique kanji (used once)175
Unique kanji readings1040
Average difficulty9%
90th percentile difficulty24%
Average sentence length14.4
Characters44338
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Sa Shi Su Se So no Onna-tachi
Novel
Sa Shi Su Se So no Onna-tachi
Length (in words)35689
Unique words5158
Unique words (used once)2616
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1365
Unique kanji (used once)305
Unique kanji readings2157
Average difficulty9%
90th percentile difficulty24%
Average sentence length22.4
Characters89883
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Orange
Novel
Orange
Length (in words)77637
Unique words5926
Unique words (used once)2344
Unique words (used once %)39%
Unique kanji1058
Unique kanji (used once)175
Unique kanji readings1780
Average difficulty9%
90th percentile difficulty20%
Average sentence length16.8
Characters193481
Volumes3
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Tensei Kizoku no Isekai Boukenroku: Jichou wo Shiranai Kamigami no Shito
Novel
Tensei Kizoku no Isekai Boukenroku: Jichou wo Shiranai Kamigami no Shito
Length (in words)284128
Unique words11264
Unique words (used once)3992
Unique words (used once %)35%
Unique kanji2022
Unique kanji (used once)222
Unique kanji readings3681
Average difficulty10%
90th percentile difficulty22%
Average sentence length22.1
Characters675017
Volumes5
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Kono Koi, Eiga Yorimo Amame Desu!
Novel
Kono Koi, Eiga Yorimo Amame Desu!
Length (in words)19209
Unique words3073
Unique words (used once)1536
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji1045
Unique kanji (used once)254
Unique kanji readings1550
Average difficulty10%
90th percentile difficulty25%
Average sentence length27.5
Characters46627
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Himitsu no Kaen
Novel
Himitsu no Kaen
Length (in words)31283
Unique words3450
Unique words (used once)1523
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji802
Unique kanji (used once)192
Unique kanji readings1183
Average difficulty10%
90th percentile difficulty22%
Average sentence length19.6
Characters74832
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Boku no Kurasu Niwa Kounai Ichi Yuumei na Bijin Dakedo Komyushou na Rinjin ga Imasu
Novel
Boku no Kurasu Niwa Kounai Ichi Yuumei na Bijin Dakedo Komyushou na Rinjin ga Imasu
Length (in words)68989
Unique words7200
Unique words (used once)3344
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1627
Unique kanji (used once)285
Unique kanji readings2734
Average difficulty10%
90th percentile difficulty31%
Average sentence length17.6
Characters171399
Volumes2
Amazon
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Cover of Shiawase Shokudou no Isekai Gohan
Novel
Shiawase Shokudou no Isekai Gohan
Length (in words)110180
Unique words7571
Unique words (used once)3147
Unique words (used once %)41%
Unique kanji1673
Unique kanji (used once)275
Unique kanji readings2770
Average difficulty10%
90th percentile difficulty19%
Average sentence length26.3
Characters262208
Volumes3
Amazon
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