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 1251..1300 from 1518 entries

Cover of Joudzuka Hisui Series
Novel
Joudzuka Hisui Series
Length (in words)179821
Unique words11434
Unique words (used once)4415
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji2049
Unique kanji (used once)253
Unique kanji readings3634
Average difficulty66/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length22.6
Characters433487
Volumes2
Amazon
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Cover of Kimi to Itai, Kuchihateru Made
Novel
Kimi to Itai, Kuchihateru Made
Length (in words)60941
Unique words9806
Unique words (used once)5380
Unique words (used once %)54%
Unique kanji2235
Unique kanji (used once)463
Unique kanji readings3971
Average difficulty66/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length25.6
Characters137969
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Shokei Shoujo no Ikiru Michi
Novel
Shokei Shoujo no Ikiru Michi
Length (in words)209580
Unique words14428
Unique words (used once)5634
Unique words (used once %)39%
Unique kanji2163
Unique kanji (used once)250
Unique kanji readings4026
Average difficulty66/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)77/100
Average sentence length22.3
Characters477459
Volumes4
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Machi to Sono Futashika na Kabe
Novel
Machi to Sono Futashika na Kabe
Length (in words)160015
Unique words10665
Unique words (used once)4436
Unique words (used once %)41%
Unique kanji1947
Unique kanji (used once)275
Unique kanji readings3452
Average difficulty66/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length29.0
Characters369130
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Fukuin no Shounen Series
Novel
Fukuin no Shounen Series
Length (in words)346352
Unique words19071
Unique words (used once)7416
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji2365
Unique kanji (used once)308
Unique kanji readings4447
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length20.7
Characters814077
Volumes7
Amazon
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Cover of Kishidanchou Goroshi
Novel
Kishidanchou Goroshi
Length (in words)261857
Unique words13403
Unique words (used once)5172
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji2032
Unique kanji (used once)228
Unique kanji readings3677
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length25.7
Characters611311
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Ouji Kourin
Novel
Ouji Kourin
Length (in words)52744
Unique words7065
Unique words (used once)3421
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1907
Unique kanji (used once)368
Unique kanji readings3257
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)81/100
Average sentence length19.3
Characters115121
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Wizard & Warrior With Money
Novel
Wizard & Warrior With Money
Length (in words)150057
Unique words12584
Unique words (used once)5137
Unique words (used once %)40%
Unique kanji2086
Unique kanji (used once)266
Unique kanji readings3850
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)77/100
Average sentence length21.5
Characters353565
Volumes3
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Murasaki Iro no Qualia
Novel
Murasaki Iro no Qualia
Length (in words)49566
Unique words5195
Unique words (used once)2468
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1344
Unique kanji (used once)334
Unique kanji readings2069
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)75/100
Average sentence length19.1
Characters118187
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of The Chinese Bell Murders
Novel
The Chinese Bell Murders
Length (in words)75534
Unique words9350
Unique words (used once)4455
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1949
Unique kanji (used once)314
Unique kanji readings3456
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length33.0
Characters163357
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Chinmoku
Novel
Chinmoku
Length (in words)63900
Unique words6922
Unique words (used once)3187
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1983
Unique kanji (used once)403
Unique kanji readings3346
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)81/100
Average sentence length31.9
Characters137382
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Shikisai wo Motanai Tazaki Tsukuru to, Kare no Junrei no Toshi
Novel
Shikisai wo Motanai Tazaki Tsukuru to, Kare no Junrei no Toshi
Length (in words)86425
Unique words8107
Unique words (used once)3694
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji1813
Unique kanji (used once)328
Unique kanji readings3033
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length25.1
Characters200227
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of The Decagon House Murders
Novel
The Decagon House Murders
Length (in words)65275
Unique words7862
Unique words (used once)3750
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1809
Unique kanji (used once)315
Unique kanji readings3113
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)81/100
Average sentence length20.8
Characters149042
Volumes1
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Cover of Ryuutou Yatai no Ridia to Lu
Novel
Ryuutou Yatai no Ridia to Lu
Length (in words)81679
Unique words7322
Unique words (used once)3206
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji1712
Unique kanji (used once)263
Unique kanji readings2946
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)77/100
Average sentence length27.3
Characters196356
Volumes3
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Cover of Kamisama no Memochou
Novel
Kamisama no Memochou
Length (in words)532690
Unique words22165
Unique words (used once)8175
Unique words (used once %)36%
Unique kanji2522
Unique kanji (used once)299
Unique kanji readings4994
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)81/100
Average sentence length20.9
Characters1238858
Volumes9
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Shinsekai Yori
Novel
Shinsekai Yori
Length (in words)235927
Unique words17085
Unique words (used once)6892
Unique words (used once %)40%
Unique kanji2734
Unique kanji (used once)365
Unique kanji readings5109
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)80/100
Average sentence length24.3
Characters548985
Volumes3
Amazon
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Cover of Starship Operators
Novel
Starship Operators
Length (in words)191980
Unique words12245
Unique words (used once)4988
Unique words (used once %)40%
Unique kanji1915
Unique kanji (used once)252
Unique kanji readings3348
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)79/100
Average sentence length25.4
Characters454547
Volumes6
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Hagoku
Novel
Hagoku
Length (in words)91813
Unique words8545
Unique words (used once)3569
Unique words (used once %)41%
Unique kanji1980
Unique kanji (used once)301
Unique kanji readings3326
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length40.9
Characters195173
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of The Chinese Nail Murders
Novel
The Chinese Nail Murders
Length (in words)59230
Unique words7640
Unique words (used once)3779
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji1739
Unique kanji (used once)292
Unique kanji readings2996
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)84/100
Average sentence length30.0
Characters128816
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Leo Attiel Den: Kubinashi-kou no Shouzou
Novel
Leo Attiel Den: Kubinashi-kou no Shouzou
Length (in words)232046
Unique words14323
Unique words (used once)5158
Unique words (used once %)36%
Unique kanji2276
Unique kanji (used once)262
Unique kanji readings4230
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)79/100
Average sentence length33.7
Characters534494
Volumes4
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Boogiepop Overdrive: The King of Distortion
Novel
Boogiepop Overdrive: The King of Distortion
Length (in words)38690
Unique words5012
Unique words (used once)2594
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1356
Unique kanji (used once)315
Unique kanji readings2125
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)83/100
Average sentence length19.7
Characters92500
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Bannen
Novel
Bannen
Length (in words)82616
Unique words9952
Unique words (used once)4671
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji2194
Unique kanji (used once)392
Unique kanji readings3886
Average difficulty67/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)80/100
Average sentence length26.7
Characters181826
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Kirin wa Ichizu ni Koi wo Suru
Novel
Kirin wa Ichizu ni Koi wo Suru
Length (in words)292605
Unique words13939
Unique words (used once)4703
Unique words (used once %)33%
Unique kanji2233
Unique kanji (used once)211
Unique kanji readings4230
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)77/100
Average sentence length20.5
Characters665638
Volumes7
Amazon
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Cover of Antimagic Academy "The 35th Test Platoon"
Novel
Antimagic Academy "The 35th Test Platoon"
Length (in words)511145
Unique words19429
Unique words (used once)6133
Unique words (used once %)31%
Unique kanji2441
Unique kanji (used once)225
Unique kanji readings4769
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length20.8
Characters1157379
Volumes11
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Itsuka Kamen wo Nugu Tame ni
Novel
Itsuka Kamen wo Nugu Tame ni
Length (in words)104213
Unique words9759
Unique words (used once)4218
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji2139
Unique kanji (used once)311
Unique kanji readings3829
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)83/100
Average sentence length24.3
Characters232654
Volumes2
Amazon
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Cover of Antiliteral no Suuhijutsushi
Novel
Antiliteral no Suuhijutsushi
Length (in words)267281
Unique words14499
Unique words (used once)5215
Unique words (used once %)35%
Unique kanji2204
Unique kanji (used once)208
Unique kanji readings4190
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)79/100
Average sentence length21.6
Characters610711
Volumes5
Amazon
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Cover of Akaki Tsuki no Meguru Koro
Novel
Akaki Tsuki no Meguru Koro
Length (in words)427523
Unique words14767
Unique words (used once)4696
Unique words (used once %)31%
Unique kanji2287
Unique kanji (used once)211
Unique kanji readings4371
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length25.7
Characters997051
Volumes10
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of PSYCOME
Novel
PSYCOME
Length (in words)274639
Unique words16798
Unique words (used once)6052
Unique words (used once %)36%
Unique kanji2296
Unique kanji (used once)244
Unique kanji readings4430
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)77/100
Average sentence length17.0
Characters687075
Volumes6
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Kubinashi no Gotoki Tataru Mono
Novel
Kubinashi no Gotoki Tataru Mono
Length (in words)111846
Unique words8955
Unique words (used once)3824
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji2056
Unique kanji (used once)317
Unique kanji readings3710
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)77/100
Average sentence length24.5
Characters250207
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Tsurugi no Kanata
Novel
Tsurugi no Kanata
Length (in words)169611
Unique words11437
Unique words (used once)4678
Unique words (used once %)40%
Unique kanji2097
Unique kanji (used once)286
Unique kanji readings3828
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)84/100
Average sentence length16.7
Characters383158
Volumes3
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Seireitsukai no Blade Dance
Novel
Seireitsukai no Blade Dance
Length (in words)695333
Unique words19684
Unique words (used once)5835
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2612
Unique kanji (used once)208
Unique kanji readings5081
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)75/100
Average sentence length21.6
Characters1612576
Volumes20
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica
Novel
Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica
Length (in words)535416
Unique words17888
Unique words (used once)6078
Unique words (used once %)33%
Unique kanji2388
Unique kanji (used once)225
Unique kanji readings4614
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)76/100
Average sentence length20.6
Characters1229545
Volumes11
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Kaijin no Calchel
Novel
Kaijin no Calchel
Length (in words)42585
Unique words5419
Unique words (used once)2422
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji1642
Unique kanji (used once)280
Unique kanji readings2609
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length17.3
Characters95051
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Tonosama Kibun de Happy!
Novel
Tonosama Kibun de Happy!
Length (in words)216113
Unique words14433
Unique words (used once)5595
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji2130
Unique kanji (used once)256
Unique kanji readings4011
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length23.7
Characters509185
Volumes4
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Seiken Gakuin no Makentsukai
Novel
Seiken Gakuin no Makentsukai
Length (in words)386167
Unique words16477
Unique words (used once)5546
Unique words (used once %)33%
Unique kanji2468
Unique kanji (used once)222
Unique kanji readings4668
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length18.5
Characters902911
Volumes12
Amazon
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Cover of Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet
Novel
Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet
Length (in words)57088
Unique words9000
Unique words (used once)4669
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1879
Unique kanji (used once)384
Unique kanji readings3096
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)83/100
Average sentence length38.5
Characters137356
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of The Chinese Lake Murders
Novel
The Chinese Lake Murders
Length (in words)79758
Unique words8784
Unique words (used once)4117
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji2024
Unique kanji (used once)343
Unique kanji readings3464
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length29.0
Characters175307
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Shiroki Haou no Servant
Novel
Shiroki Haou no Servant
Length (in words)130912
Unique words11620
Unique words (used once)4740
Unique words (used once %)40%
Unique kanji2200
Unique kanji (used once)297
Unique kanji readings4025
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)81/100
Average sentence length22.3
Characters289347
Volumes3
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Anmaku no Guernica
Novel
Anmaku no Guernica
Length (in words)81703
Unique words9511
Unique words (used once)4352
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji1901
Unique kanji (used once)326
Unique kanji readings3287
Average difficulty68/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)80/100
Average sentence length26.2
Characters198407
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Koroshiya no Hajimete no Satsui
Novel
Koroshiya no Hajimete no Satsui
Length (in words)100466
Unique words8994
Unique words (used once)3814
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1898
Unique kanji (used once)271
Unique kanji readings3322
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)77/100
Average sentence length27.1
Characters239327
Volumes5
Amazon
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Cover of Hakubou no Dendoushi
Novel
Hakubou no Dendoushi
Length (in words)42704
Unique words7392
Unique words (used once)3731
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji2095
Unique kanji (used once)400
Unique kanji readings3653
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)84/100
Average sentence length29.9
Characters95379
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Boku to Majoshiki Apocalypse
Novel
Boku to Majoshiki Apocalypse
Length (in words)228595
Unique words14697
Unique words (used once)6057
Unique words (used once %)41%
Unique kanji2380
Unique kanji (used once)303
Unique kanji readings4409
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length19.5
Characters516488
Volumes4
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Kimi to Boku no Saigo no Senjou, Aruiwa Sekai ga Hajimaru Seisen
Novel
Kimi to Boku no Saigo no Senjou, Aruiwa Sekai ga Hajimaru Seisen
Length (in words)518987
Unique words19488
Unique words (used once)5978
Unique words (used once %)30%
Unique kanji2475
Unique kanji (used once)198
Unique kanji readings4942
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)80/100
Average sentence length17.4
Characters1144199
Volumes14
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Baccano! 1932 Drug & The Dominos
Novel
Baccano! 1932 Drug & The Dominos
Length (in words)49124
Unique words6260
Unique words (used once)3027
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1678
Unique kanji (used once)333
Unique kanji readings2721
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)88/100
Average sentence length23.3
Characters110722
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Shuumatsu Nani ni Shitemasu ka? Mou Ichido Dake, Aemasu ka?
Novel
Shuumatsu Nani ni Shitemasu ka? Mou Ichido Dake, Aemasu ka?
Length (in words)469486
Unique words19566
Unique words (used once)6814
Unique words (used once %)34%
Unique kanji2520
Unique kanji (used once)267
Unique kanji readings4855
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length22.9
Characters1092806
Volumes11
Amazon
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Cover of Uchinukareta Senjou wa, Soko de Kieteiro
Novel
Uchinukareta Senjou wa, Soko de Kieteiro
Length (in words)113283
Unique words8982
Unique words (used once)3703
Unique words (used once %)41%
Unique kanji1935
Unique kanji (used once)291
Unique kanji readings3348
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length18.8
Characters255965
Volumes3
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Nana Hime Monogatari
Novel
Nana Hime Monogatari
Length (in words)338742
Unique words16789
Unique words (used once)5877
Unique words (used once %)35%
Unique kanji2418
Unique kanji (used once)258
Unique kanji readings4740
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)81/100
Average sentence length25.7
Characters719776
Volumes6
Amazon
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Cover of Akuma no Monshou
Novel
Akuma no Monshou
Length (in words)61553
Unique words7151
Unique words (used once)3349
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1662
Unique kanji (used once)319
Unique kanji readings2739
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)79/100
Average sentence length30.8
Characters140738
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Akuma no Mikata 666
Novel
Akuma no Mikata 666
Length (in words)277164
Unique words14211
Unique words (used once)5801
Unique words (used once %)40%
Unique kanji2126
Unique kanji (used once)307
Unique kanji readings3917
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)80/100
Average sentence length22.3
Characters672059
Volumes6
Amazon
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Cover of Bishounen Tanteidan
Novel
Bishounen Tanteidan
Length (in words)369090
Unique words20424
Unique words (used once)7767
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji2430
Unique kanji (used once)263
Unique kanji readings4654
Average difficulty69/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)85/100
Average sentence length33.4
Characters904247
Volumes12
Amazon
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