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 1668 entries

Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Birthday Party
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Birthday Party
Length (in words)7051
Unique words1317
Unique words (used once)672
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji207
Unique kanji (used once)46
Unique kanji readings294
Average difficulty1/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)6/100
Average sentence length11.9
Characters17449
Volumes1
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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)6414
Unique words1321
Unique words (used once)673
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji239
Unique kanji (used once)56
Unique kanji readings319
Average difficulty1/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)2/100
Average sentence length11.6
Characters15787
Volumes1
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Haru to Natsu
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Haru to Natsu
Length (in words)7039
Unique words1390
Unique words (used once)680
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji195
Unique kanji (used once)48
Unique kanji readings250
Average difficulty2/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)4/100
Average sentence length12.3
Characters18674
Volumes1
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Fruits Matsuri
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Fruits Matsuri
Length (in words)7398
Unique words1359
Unique words (used once)669
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji185
Unique kanji (used once)44
Unique kanji readings252
Average difficulty2/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)5/100
Average sentence length13.1
Characters18782
Volumes1
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Aki to Fuyu
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Aki to Fuyu
Length (in words)6795
Unique words1424
Unique words (used once)701
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji186
Unique kanji (used once)34
Unique kanji readings252
Average difficulty2/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)5/100
Average sentence length12.0
Characters18031
Volumes1
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Cover of Beruna no Shippo
Novel
Beruna no Shippo
Length (in words)28793
Unique words3469
Unique words (used once)1553
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji928
Unique kanji (used once)189
Unique kanji readings1390
Average difficulty2/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)8/100
Average sentence length22.6
Characters71009
Volumes1
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Cover of Soshite Beruna wa Hoshi ni Natta
Novel
Soshite Beruna wa Hoshi ni Natta
Length (in words)20212
Unique words2901
Unique words (used once)1397
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji918
Unique kanji (used once)234
Unique kanji readings1366
Average difficulty2/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)7/100
Average sentence length23.2
Characters49433
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)7069
Unique words1408
Unique words (used once)712
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji261
Unique kanji (used once)79
Unique kanji readings371
Average difficulty3/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)11/100
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)18588
Unique words3106
Unique words (used once)1570
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji767
Unique kanji (used once)184
Unique kanji readings1144
Average difficulty3/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)13/100
Average sentence length16.2
Characters50425
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)6878
Unique words1370
Unique words (used once)682
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji259
Unique kanji (used once)66
Unique kanji readings356
Average difficulty4/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)17/100
Average sentence length12.4
Characters17454
Volumes1
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Cover of Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Kasou Party
Novel
Koguma no Kuuku Monogatari: Kasou Party
Length (in words)6196
Unique words1351
Unique words (used once)667
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji253
Unique kanji (used once)62
Unique kanji readings338
Average difficulty4/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)11/100
Average sentence length11.0
Characters15885
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)8173
Unique words1407
Unique words (used once)671
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji256
Unique kanji (used once)76
Unique kanji readings353
Average difficulty4/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)13/100
Average sentence length13.3
Characters21048
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)19347
Unique words3009
Unique words (used once)1497
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji756
Unique kanji (used once)201
Unique kanji readings1125
Average difficulty4/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)16/100
Average sentence length16.3
Characters50736
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)7843
Unique words1412
Unique words (used once)679
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji191
Unique kanji (used once)37
Unique kanji readings267
Average difficulty4/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)16/100
Average sentence length13.0
Characters19643
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)115418
Unique words6339
Unique words (used once)2432
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji1482
Unique kanji (used once)225
Unique kanji readings2429
Average difficulty5/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)16/100
Average sentence length18.8
Characters259686
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)46290
Unique words3572
Unique words (used once)1506
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1129
Unique kanji (used once)259
Unique kanji readings1722
Average difficulty5/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)15/100
Average sentence length20.3
Characters107524
Volumes1
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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)16670
Unique words2581
Unique words (used once)1284
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji842
Unique kanji (used once)234
Unique kanji readings1222
Average difficulty5/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)25/100
Average sentence length16.0
Characters41942
Volumes1
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Cover of Gaarando no Namida
Novel
Gaarando no Namida
Length (in words)27092
Unique words3239
Unique words (used once)1505
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji948
Unique kanji (used once)226
Unique kanji readings1406
Average difficulty5/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)15/100
Average sentence length23.6
Characters68778
Volumes1
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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)28872
Unique words3790
Unique words (used once)1787
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1169
Unique kanji (used once)260
Unique kanji readings1788
Average difficulty5/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)18/100
Average sentence length20.0
Characters70134
Volumes1
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Cover of Obake ga Shitsuji no Nanafushigi
Novel
Obake ga Shitsuji no Nanafushigi
Length (in words)20480
Unique words2829
Unique words (used once)1369
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji613
Unique kanji (used once)176
Unique kanji readings916
Average difficulty6/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)19/100
Average sentence length15.1
Characters51369
Volumes1
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Cover of Toiki ga Ai wo Oshiete Kuremashita
Novel
Toiki ga Ai wo Oshiete Kuremashita
Length (in words)22134
Unique words3127
Unique words (used once)1582
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1043
Unique kanji (used once)273
Unique kanji readings1564
Average difficulty6/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)19/100
Average sentence length28.8
Characters51073
Volumes1
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Cover of Rika no Okashi na Jikkenshitsu
Novel
Rika no Okashi na Jikkenshitsu
Length (in words)48111
Unique words4307
Unique words (used once)1836
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1072
Unique kanji (used once)221
Unique kanji readings1612
Average difficulty6/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)17/100
Average sentence length18.0
Characters118054
Volumes2
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Cover of Koi ni Naru made, Ato 1 Senchi
Novel
Koi ni Naru made, Ato 1 Senchi
Length (in words)44020
Unique words5021
Unique words (used once)2388
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1337
Unique kanji (used once)253
Unique kanji readings2120
Average difficulty6/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)14/100
Average sentence length18.7
Characters102290
Volumes1
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Cover of LAST KISS
Novel
LAST KISS
Length (in words)41736
Unique words4129
Unique words (used once)1912
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1223
Unique kanji (used once)276
Unique kanji readings1902
Average difficulty6/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)27/100
Average sentence length16.0
Characters99090
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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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)16543
Unique words2606
Unique words (used once)1287
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji671
Unique kanji (used once)178
Unique kanji readings951
Average difficulty6/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)26/100
Average sentence length15.7
Characters44202
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)43519
Unique words3842
Unique words (used once)1694
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji1154
Unique kanji (used once)238
Unique kanji readings1740
Average difficulty7/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)15/100
Average sentence length27.2
Characters104790
Volumes1
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Cover of Osananajimi Kara no Renai Soudan
Novel
Osananajimi Kara no Renai Soudan
Length (in words)97896
Unique words8054
Unique words (used once)3459
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1595
Unique kanji (used once)241
Unique kanji readings2709
Average difficulty7/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)24/100
Average sentence length17.7
Characters230188
Volumes3
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Cover of Moshimo, Kono Machi de
Novel
Moshimo, Kono Machi de
Length (in words)22705
Unique words3307
Unique words (used once)1637
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji818
Unique kanji (used once)187
Unique kanji readings1227
Average difficulty7/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)20/100
Average sentence length19.3
Characters56000
Volumes1
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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)15071
Unique words2720
Unique words (used once)1459
Unique words (used once %)53%
Unique kanji1033
Unique kanji (used once)315
Unique kanji readings1469
Average difficulty7/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)16/100
Average sentence length27.6
Characters33278
Volumes1
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Cover of Obake ga Shitsuji no Natsuyasumi
Novel
Obake ga Shitsuji no Natsuyasumi
Length (in words)24078
Unique words3129
Unique words (used once)1488
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji610
Unique kanji (used once)154
Unique kanji readings890
Average difficulty7/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)21/100
Average sentence length17.5
Characters60625
Volumes1
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Cover of Sakka ni Naritai
Novel
Sakka ni Naritai
Length (in words)14468
Unique words2648
Unique words (used once)1459
Unique words (used once %)55%
Unique kanji721
Unique kanji (used once)196
Unique kanji readings1038
Average difficulty7/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)21/100
Average sentence length16.2
Characters36483
Volumes1
Amazon
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Blurred cover of Imouto wa Naze Oshaburi ga Suki nano ka?
NSFW cover
Novel
Imouto wa Naze Oshaburi ga Suki nano ka?
Length (in words)28953
Unique words3451
Unique words (used once)1616
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1060
Unique kanji (used once)248
Unique kanji readings1602
Average difficulty8/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)29/100
Average sentence length15.1
Characters70240
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Takanashi-san wa Rabukome Benkyouchuu!
Novel
Takanashi-san wa Rabukome Benkyouchuu!
Length (in words)38882
Unique words4908
Unique words (used once)2237
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji1316
Unique kanji (used once)284
Unique kanji readings2083
Average difficulty8/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)21/100
Average sentence length19.4
Characters93677
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Tanteiken Chris
Novel
Tanteiken Chris
Length (in words)82070
Unique words6900
Unique words (used once)2932
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1313
Unique kanji (used once)190
Unique kanji readings2197
Average difficulty8/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)31/100
Average sentence length18.4
Characters193658
Volumes3
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)38562
Unique words4906
Unique words (used once)2416
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji1389
Unique kanji (used once)296
Unique kanji readings2194
Average difficulty8/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)28/100
Average sentence length19.1
Characters93236
Volumes1
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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)41318
Unique words4093
Unique words (used once)1899
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1168
Unique kanji (used once)260
Unique kanji readings1800
Average difficulty8/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)20/100
Average sentence length17.8
Characters96832
Volumes1
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Cover of Yotsugo Gurashi
Novel
Yotsugo Gurashi
Length (in words)46455
Unique words4919
Unique words (used once)2232
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji1043
Unique kanji (used once)201
Unique kanji readings1664
Average difficulty8/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)24/100
Average sentence length18.4
Characters114131
Volumes2
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Shoukoujo Sera
Novel
Shoukoujo Sera
Length (in words)46742
Unique words4947
Unique words (used once)2197
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji991
Unique kanji (used once)222
Unique kanji readings1514
Average difficulty9/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)28/100
Average sentence length30.3
Characters126099
Volumes1
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Cover of Hakoniwa no Yakujutsushi
Novel
Hakoniwa no Yakujutsushi
Length (in words)167778
Unique words9062
Unique words (used once)3496
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji1765
Unique kanji (used once)221
Unique kanji readings3008
Average difficulty9/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)22/100
Average sentence length18.7
Characters388767
Volumes3
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Blurred cover of TS Kozukuri!! Nyotai-ka shitara Motemote ni Natte Minna ni Nakadashi Sarechatta!?
NSFW cover
Novel
TS Kozukuri!! Nyotai-ka shitara Motemote ni Natte Minna ni Nakadashi Sarechatta!?
Length (in words)31527
Unique words3510
Unique words (used once)1693
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1073
Unique kanji (used once)271
Unique kanji readings1610
Average difficulty9/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)30/100
Average sentence length13.4
Characters78980
Volumes1
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Cover of Uchira Tokken☆ Tenkou Travelers!!
Novel
Uchira Tokken☆ Tenkou Travelers!!
Length (in words)17830
Unique words2585
Unique words (used once)1262
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji718
Unique kanji (used once)175
Unique kanji readings1040
Average difficulty9/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)23/100
Average sentence length14.4
Characters44338
Volumes1
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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)47885
Unique words4750
Unique words (used once)2102
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji1280
Unique kanji (used once)273
Unique kanji readings1965
Average difficulty9/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)22/100
Average sentence length18.9
Characters116302
Volumes1
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Cover of Orange
Novel
Orange
Length (in words)79414
Unique words5910
Unique words (used once)2394
Unique words (used once %)40%
Unique kanji1041
Unique kanji (used once)183
Unique kanji readings1759
Average difficulty9/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)20/100
Average sentence length16.7
Characters191951
Volumes3
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Koi wo Hiku
Novel
Koi wo Hiku
Length (in words)15675
Unique words2821
Unique words (used once)1582
Unique words (used once %)56%
Unique kanji1059
Unique kanji (used once)318
Unique kanji readings1564
Average difficulty9/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)42/100
Average sentence length20.9
Characters36205
Volumes1
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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)35656
Unique words5169
Unique words (used once)2636
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1365
Unique kanji (used once)305
Unique kanji readings2157
Average difficulty10/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)23/100
Average sentence length22.4
Characters89883
Volumes1
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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)284408
Unique words11343
Unique words (used once)4039
Unique words (used once %)35%
Unique kanji2022
Unique kanji (used once)222
Unique kanji readings3688
Average difficulty10/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)22/100
Average sentence length22.1
Characters675017
Volumes5
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Cover of Shiawase Shokudou no Isekai Gohan
Novel
Shiawase Shokudou no Isekai Gohan
Length (in words)110249
Unique words7601
Unique words (used once)3176
Unique words (used once %)41%
Unique kanji1673
Unique kanji (used once)275
Unique kanji readings2768
Average difficulty10/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)18/100
Average sentence length22.8
Characters262509
Volumes3
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Cover of Himitsu no Kaen
Novel
Himitsu no Kaen
Length (in words)31213
Unique words3482
Unique words (used once)1558
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji802
Unique kanji (used once)192
Unique kanji readings1186
Average difficulty10/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)21/100
Average sentence length19.6
Characters74832
Volumes1
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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)68761
Unique words7168
Unique words (used once)3334
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1650
Unique kanji (used once)304
Unique kanji readings2754
Average difficulty10/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)30/100
Average sentence length18.0
Characters170702
Volumes2
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Cover of Umi no Monogatari
Novel
Umi no Monogatari
Length (in words)25790
Unique words3620
Unique words (used once)1843
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji944
Unique kanji (used once)250
Unique kanji readings1414
Average difficulty10/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)24/100
Average sentence length18.5
Characters62446
Volumes1
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