Novel difficulty list

This is a list of novels, both light novels and traditional novels, ranked by their difficulty, on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is very easy and 10 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
Difficulty1/10
Average sentence length12.3
Characters18674
Volumes1
Amazon
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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
Difficulty1/10
Average sentence length13.1
Characters18755
Volumes1
Amazon
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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
Difficulty1/10
Average sentence length12.4
Characters17454
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)6799
Unique words1417
Unique words (used once)695
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji186
Unique kanji (used once)34
Unique kanji readings252
Difficulty1/10
Average sentence length12.0
Characters18031
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
Difficulty1/10
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)8183
Unique words1397
Unique words (used once)666
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji257
Unique kanji (used once)77
Unique kanji readings354
Difficulty1/10
Average sentence length13.3
Characters21071
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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length13.0
Characters19616
Volumes1
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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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length11.9
Characters17449
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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length11.9
Characters17793
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)6400
Unique words1313
Unique words (used once)666
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji239
Unique kanji (used once)56
Unique kanji readings316
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length11.6
Characters15787
Volumes1
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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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length16.2
Characters36530
Volumes1
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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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length19.4
Characters56033
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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length23.4
Characters49186
Volumes1
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Cover of Koi wa Buryure, Kimi wa Doruche
Novel
Koi wa Buryure, Kimi wa Doruche
Length (in words)11795
Unique words2273
Unique words (used once)1263
Unique words (used once %)55%
Unique kanji898
Unique kanji (used once)290
Unique kanji readings1276
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length20.1
Characters28461
Volumes1
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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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length15.7
Characters44202
Volumes1
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Cover of Aoi Natsu, Watashi wa Tsutanai Koi wo Shita
Novel
Aoi Natsu, Watashi wa Tsutanai Koi wo Shita
Length (in words)9501
Unique words2163
Unique words (used once)1260
Unique words (used once %)58%
Unique kanji884
Unique kanji (used once)313
Unique kanji readings1193
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length18.2
Characters22471
Volumes2
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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length16.0
Characters41945
Volumes1
Amazon
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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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length22.6
Characters71040
Volumes1
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Cover of Obake ga Shitsuji no Nanafushigi
Novel
Obake ga Shitsuji no Nanafushigi
Length (in words)20535
Unique words2807
Unique words (used once)1345
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji612
Unique kanji (used once)175
Unique kanji readings910
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length15.1
Characters51369
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Totsugeki!? Jigoku Channel: Koi no Yokanwa Kikenna Kaori!
Novel
Totsugeki!? Jigoku Channel: Koi no Yokanwa Kikenna Kaori!
Length (in words)5499
Unique words1623
Unique words (used once)1001
Unique words (used once %)61%
Unique kanji594
Unique kanji (used once)205
Unique kanji readings825
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length17.6
Characters13479
Volumes1
Amazon
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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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length14.4
Characters44338
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
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length17.5
Characters60625
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Gift
Novel
Gift
Length (in words)9778
Unique words2360
Unique words (used once)1344
Unique words (used once %)56%
Unique kanji865
Unique kanji (used once)271
Unique kanji readings1212
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length18.8
Characters23307
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Haikyo ni Ikou!
Novel
Haikyo ni Ikou!
Length (in words)8453
Unique words2066
Unique words (used once)1201
Unique words (used once %)58%
Unique kanji918
Unique kanji (used once)330
Unique kanji readings1277
Difficulty2/10
Average sentence length15.0
Characters19620
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)28898
Unique words3783
Unique words (used once)1781
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1169
Unique kanji (used once)261
Unique kanji readings1786
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length20.0
Characters70134
Volumes1
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Cover of Kindaichi-kun no Bouken
Novel
Kindaichi-kun no Bouken
Length (in words)20469
Unique words3014
Unique words (used once)1427
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji731
Unique kanji (used once)195
Unique kanji readings1067
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length22.2
Characters49527
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
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length16.0
Characters99090
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Hoshi no Ko
Novel
Hoshi no Ko
Length (in words)31682
Unique words4483
Unique words (used once)2182
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1168
Unique kanji (used once)244
Unique kanji readings1800
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length22.2
Characters74413
Volumes1
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Cover of Yukisaki Hikari wa Ore ni Rabukome wo Oshietai
Novel
Yukisaki Hikari wa Ore ni Rabukome wo Oshietai
Length (in words)34089
Unique words4263
Unique words (used once)2133
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1263
Unique kanji (used once)310
Unique kanji readings1957
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length15.4
Characters78624
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
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length23.9
Characters68475
Volumes1
Amazon
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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
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length17.8
Characters96832
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
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length13.4
Characters78980
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Umi ni Namida wa Iranai
Novel
Umi ni Namida wa Iranai
Length (in words)35919
Unique words4452
Unique words (used once)2245
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji883
Unique kanji (used once)230
Unique kanji readings1368
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length21.5
Characters88676
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
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length22.3
Characters257258
Volumes3
Amazon
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Cover of Mugendai Girl
Novel
Mugendai Girl
Length (in words)7639
Unique words2317
Unique words (used once)1543
Unique words (used once %)66%
Unique kanji905
Unique kanji (used once)347
Unique kanji readings1267
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length24.6
Characters18195
Volumes1
Amazon
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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
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length30.5
Characters126099
Volumes1
Amazon
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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
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length20.3
Characters107527
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of "Mizube no Gakkou" no Tokoro-kun
Novel
"Mizube no Gakkou" no Tokoro-kun
Length (in words)23973
Unique words3682
Unique words (used once)1705
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji902
Unique kanji (used once)199
Unique kanji readings1396
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length25.4
Characters54269
Volumes1
Amazon
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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
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length18.0
Characters118074
Volumes2
Amazon
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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
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length16.3
Characters50736
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 words3125
Unique words (used once)1581
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1043
Unique kanji (used once)274
Unique kanji readings1562
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length28.8
Characters51073
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Imouto no Shinyuu? Mou Ore no Onna Tomodachi? Nara, Sono Tsuji wa?
Novel
Imouto no Shinyuu? Mou Ore no Onna Tomodachi? Nara, Sono Tsuji wa?
Length (in words)37415
Unique words4240
Unique words (used once)1907
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji1199
Unique kanji (used once)264
Unique kanji readings1844
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length22.3
Characters87924
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Futago Ouji no Miwakekata
Novel
Futago Ouji no Miwakekata
Length (in words)28577
Unique words3431
Unique words (used once)1664
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1167
Unique kanji (used once)270
Unique kanji readings1754
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length20.3
Characters66118
Volumes4
Amazon
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Cover of Saigo wa Usu ga Warau
Novel
Saigo wa Usu ga Warau
Length (in words)4172
Unique words1540
Unique words (used once)1112
Unique words (used once %)72%
Unique kanji778
Unique kanji (used once)357
Unique kanji readings1056
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length25.8
Characters9426
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Imouto Biyori
Novel
Imouto Biyori
Length (in words)10155
Unique words2715
Unique words (used once)1582
Unique words (used once %)58%
Unique kanji1005
Unique kanji (used once)292
Unique kanji readings1470
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length21.4
Characters24198
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Mata, Onaji Yume wo Miteita
Novel
Mata, Onaji Yume wo Miteita
Length (in words)53882
Unique words3766
Unique words (used once)1663
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji1124
Unique kanji (used once)220
Unique kanji readings1678
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length25.1
Characters124119
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Totsugeki!? Jigoku Channel: Scoop Itadaichaimasu!
Novel
Totsugeki!? Jigoku Channel: Scoop Itadaichaimasu!
Length (in words)27721
Unique words4305
Unique words (used once)2148
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji1043
Unique kanji (used once)222
Unique kanji readings1589
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length20.0
Characters67816
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Yume Juuya
Novel
Yume Juuya
Length (in words)7203
Unique words1779
Unique words (used once)1040
Unique words (used once %)58%
Unique kanji948
Unique kanji (used once)339
Unique kanji readings1303
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length21.6
Characters14642
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Uso ga Mieru Ore wa, Sunao na Kimi ni Koi wo Shita
Novel
Uso ga Mieru Ore wa, Sunao na Kimi ni Koi wo Shita
Length (in words)38840
Unique words4769
Unique words (used once)2403
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1304
Unique kanji (used once)280
Unique kanji readings2059
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length19.0
Characters89226
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Tsunagari no Kura
Novel
Tsunagari no Kura
Length (in words)34564
Unique words4282
Unique words (used once)2089
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1233
Unique kanji (used once)290
Unique kanji readings1945
Difficulty3/10
Average sentence length20.2
Characters85647
Volumes1
Amazon
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