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 1518 entries

Cover of "Hello Work Guild" e Youkoso!
Novel
"Hello Work Guild" e Youkoso!
Length (in words)46253
Unique words7108
Unique words (used once)3587
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1680
Unique kanji (used once)304
Unique kanji readings2866
Average difficulty38/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)57/100
Average sentence length18.7
Characters109526
Volumes1
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Cover of "Kanchigai Shinaide yo ne! Anta no Koto Nanka Daisuki Nandakara!" Noroi de Honne Shika Ienakunatta Tsundere Ojousama
Novel
"Kanchigai Shinaide yo ne! Anta no Koto Nanka Daisuki Nandakara!" Noroi de Honne Shika Ienakunatta Tsundere Ojousama
Length (in words)37329
Unique words3463
Unique words (used once)1515
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji1154
Unique kanji (used once)244
Unique kanji readings1721
Average difficulty18/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)44/100
Average sentence length14.0
Characters92423
Volumes1
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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 readings1397
Average difficulty16/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)39/100
Average sentence length25.4
Characters54269
Volumes1
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Cover of "Omae Gotoki ga Maou ni Kateru to Omou na" to Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou Sareta no de, Outo de Kimama ni Kurashitai
Novel
"Omae Gotoki ga Maou ni Kateru to Omou na" to Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou Sareta no de, Outo de Kimama ni Kurashitai
Length (in words)71483
Unique words7728
Unique words (used once)3472
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji1696
Unique kanji (used once)263
Unique kanji readings2910
Average difficulty35/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)53/100
Average sentence length21.9
Characters167970
Volumes1
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Cover of "Ou no Saien" no Kishi to, "Yasai" no Ojousama
Novel
"Ou no Saien" no Kishi to, "Yasai" no Ojousama
Length (in words)49190
Unique words6085
Unique words (used once)2815
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1677
Unique kanji (used once)312
Unique kanji readings2723
Average difficulty15/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)23/100
Average sentence length20.7
Characters121292
Volumes1
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Cover of "Suki"
Novel
"Suki"
Length (in words)36852
Unique words4467
Unique words (used once)2237
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1275
Unique kanji (used once)302
Unique kanji readings2006
Average difficulty28/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)43/100
Average sentence length21.5
Characters86550
Volumes1
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Cover of "Watashi to Issho ni Sumu tte Dou ka na?" 1 Mitame Gyaru na Bukiyou Bishoujo ga Ore to Futari de Kurashitagaru
Novel
"Watashi to Issho ni Sumu tte Dou ka na?" 1 Mitame Gyaru na Bukiyou Bishoujo ga Ore to Futari de Kurashitagaru
Length (in words)47855
Unique words6698
Unique words (used once)3337
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji1647
Unique kanji (used once)317
Unique kanji readings2706
Average difficulty17/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)34/100
Average sentence length21.5
Characters115195
Volumes1
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Cover of 1 Percent no Kyoushitsu
Novel
1 Percent no Kyoushitsu
Length (in words)40333
Unique words5382
Unique words (used once)2704
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1556
Unique kanji (used once)337
Unique kanji readings2481
Average difficulty42/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)51/100
Average sentence length20.7
Characters92968
Volumes1
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Cover of 1 Percent no Kyoushitsu 2
Novel
1 Percent no Kyoushitsu 2
Length (in words)45708
Unique words5601
Unique words (used once)2710
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1599
Unique kanji (used once)297
Unique kanji readings2588
Average difficulty41/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)54/100
Average sentence length19.6
Characters103305
Volumes1
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Cover of 10 Nengo, Yoake wo Matsu Boku-tachi e
Novel
10 Nengo, Yoake wo Matsu Boku-tachi e
Length (in words)52453
Unique words4559
Unique words (used once)1924
Unique words (used once %)42%
Unique kanji1319
Unique kanji (used once)267
Unique kanji readings2043
Average difficulty24/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)40/100
Average sentence length23.7
Characters122223
Volumes1
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Cover of 100-man Kai Ikita Kimi
Novel
100-man Kai Ikita Kimi
Length (in words)36802
Unique words5745
Unique words (used once)2900
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1660
Unique kanji (used once)385
Unique kanji readings2668
Average difficulty56/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)70/100
Average sentence length17.0
Characters83999
Volumes1
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Cover of 1101 Goushitsu no Shukuteki ~Ore-sama Designer wa, Tsuyoki na Rinjin wo Hitorijime Shite Aishitai~
Novel
1101 Goushitsu no Shukuteki ~Ore-sama Designer wa, Tsuyoki na Rinjin wo Hitorijime Shite Aishitai~
Length (in words)55429
Unique words6650
Unique words (used once)2982
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji1594
Unique kanji (used once)251
Unique kanji readings2687
Average difficulty29/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)40/100
Average sentence length20.5
Characters132068
Volumes1
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Cover of 13-banme no Alice
Novel
13-banme no Alice
Length (in words)198553
Unique words14941
Unique words (used once)5707
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji2372
Unique kanji (used once)246
Unique kanji readings4485
Average difficulty59/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)76/100
Average sentence length19.7
Characters472102
Volumes4
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Cover of 14sai Gentei Shoukougun
Novel
14sai Gentei Shoukougun
Length (in words)57456
Unique words8094
Unique words (used once)3905
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1807
Unique kanji (used once)311
Unique kanji readings3043
Average difficulty46/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)65/100
Average sentence length27.5
Characters133189
Volumes1
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Cover of 1984
Novel
1984
Length (in words)104415
Unique words10707
Unique words (used once)4685
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji2034
Unique kanji (used once)289
Unique kanji readings3557
Average difficulty77/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)93/100
Average sentence length32.8
Characters244465
Volumes1
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Cover of 1984 Nen
Novel
1984 Nen
Length (in words)113084
Unique words11858
Unique words (used once)5173
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji2126
Unique kanji (used once)336
Unique kanji readings3740
Average difficulty78/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)93/100
Average sentence length34.7
Characters265729
Volumes1
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Cover of 1Q84
Novel
1Q84
Length (in words)404799
Unique words18513
Unique words (used once)7105
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji2373
Unique kanji (used once)258
Unique kanji readings4464
Average difficulty72/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)79/100
Average sentence length25.7
Characters959493
Volumes3
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Cover of 24 Jikan no Dokusen Yoku ~Jiki Shachou ga Hanashitekuremasen~
Novel
24 Jikan no Dokusen Yoku ~Jiki Shachou ga Hanashitekuremasen~
Length (in words)24879
Unique words3969
Unique words (used once)2054
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1292
Unique kanji (used once)337
Unique kanji readings1978
Average difficulty11/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)34/100
Average sentence length24.4
Characters57360
Volumes1
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Cover of 5 Fun Go ni Igai na Ketsumatsu
Novel
5 Fun Go ni Igai na Ketsumatsu
Length (in words)84632
Unique words9024
Unique words (used once)4133
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji1640
Unique kanji (used once)243
Unique kanji readings2819
Average difficulty38/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)57/100
Average sentence length23.1
Characters196444
Volumes3
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Cover of 52 Hertz no Kujiratachi
Novel
52 Hertz no Kujiratachi
Length (in words)54662
Unique words6130
Unique words (used once)2957
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1678
Unique kanji (used once)345
Unique kanji readings2677
Average difficulty32/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)47/100
Average sentence length22.5
Characters128759
Volumes1
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Cover of 8 Banme no Maria
Novel
8 Banme no Maria
Length (in words)50746
Unique words5365
Unique words (used once)2589
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1465
Unique kanji (used once)317
Unique kanji readings2319
Average difficulty34/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)53/100
Average sentence length22.8
Characters118821
Volumes1
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Cover of 800
Novel
800
Length (in words)44980
Unique words5365
Unique words (used once)2572
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1301
Unique kanji (used once)270
Unique kanji readings2055
Average difficulty25/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)48/100
Average sentence length21.8
Characters104887
Volumes1
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Cover of 86
Novel
86
Length (in words)751601
Unique words25050
Unique words (used once)7472
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2826
Unique kanji (used once)205
Unique kanji readings5664
Average difficulty87/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)98/100
Average sentence length24.7
Characters1710255
Volumes13
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Cover of 9S (Nine S)
Novel
9S (Nine S)
Length (in words)715114
Unique words24360
Unique words (used once)7662
Unique words (used once %)31%
Unique kanji2482
Unique kanji (used once)199
Unique kanji readings4936
Average difficulty82/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)95/100
Average sentence length19.9
Characters1666136
Volumes13
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Cover of <Kono Rabukome ga Sugoi!!> Doudou no Sanni
Novel
<Kono Rabukome ga Sugoi!!> Doudou no Sanni
Length (in words)54390
Unique words5739
Unique words (used once)2735
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1472
Unique kanji (used once)297
Unique kanji readings2309
Average difficulty26/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)44/100
Average sentence length24.2
Characters127926
Volumes1
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Cover of A Certain Magical Index
Novel
A Certain Magical Index
Length (in words)1262230
Unique words30934
Unique words (used once)9009
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2713
Unique kanji (used once)259
Unique kanji readings5673
Average difficulty73/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)83/100
Average sentence length25.7
Characters2907379
Volumes23
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Cover of A Certain Scientific Railgun SS
Novel
A Certain Scientific Railgun SS
Length (in words)55553
Unique words7097
Unique words (used once)3330
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1620
Unique kanji (used once)271
Unique kanji readings2698
Average difficulty63/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)76/100
Average sentence length25.7
Characters131311
Volumes8
MyAnimeList
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Cover of A Christmas Carol
Novel
A Christmas Carol
Length (in words)29644
Unique words6672
Unique words (used once)4019
Unique words (used once %)60%
Unique kanji1777
Unique kanji (used once)462
Unique kanji readings2958
Average difficulty53/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)74/100
Average sentence length27.1
Characters69155
Volumes1
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Cover of ABC Murders: A Hercule Poirot Mystery
Novel
ABC Murders: A Hercule Poirot Mystery
Length (in words)69612
Unique words6645
Unique words (used once)3230
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1560
Unique kanji (used once)331
Unique kanji readings2461
Average difficulty58/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)79/100
Average sentence length23.7
Characters169894
Volumes1
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Cover of AGI - Agi - Virtual Shoujo wa Koi Shitai
Novel
AGI - Agi - Virtual Shoujo wa Koi Shitai
Length (in words)55270
Unique words7046
Unique words (used once)3495
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji1658
Unique kanji (used once)323
Unique kanji readings2693
Average difficulty52/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)67/100
Average sentence length20.2
Characters126852
Volumes1
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Cover of AI ni Maketa Natsu
Novel
AI ni Maketa Natsu
Length (in words)39010
Unique words4692
Unique words (used once)2246
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1352
Unique kanji (used once)296
Unique kanji readings2139
Average difficulty38/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)49/100
Average sentence length19.3
Characters94060
Volumes1
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Cover of AURA ~Maryuuin Kouga Saigo no Tatakai~
Novel
AURA ~Maryuuin Kouga Saigo no Tatakai~
Length (in words)58845
Unique words8540
Unique words (used once)4229
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji1650
Unique kanji (used once)290
Unique kanji readings2734
Average difficulty47/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)65/100
Average sentence length14.7
Characters133676
Volumes1
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Cover of Abyss Gate
Novel
Abyss Gate
Length (in words)106038
Unique words9179
Unique words (used once)3992
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji1852
Unique kanji (used once)321
Unique kanji readings3204
Average difficulty65/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)81/100
Average sentence length21.2
Characters239590
Volumes3
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Cover of Accel World
Novel
Accel World
Length (in words)1330288
Unique words30555
Unique words (used once)9207
Unique words (used once %)30%
Unique kanji2796
Unique kanji (used once)241
Unique kanji readings5806
Average difficulty81/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)90/100
Average sentence length27.9
Characters3183822
Volumes25
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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 words2713
Unique words (used once)1451
Unique words (used once %)53%
Unique kanji1033
Unique kanji (used once)315
Unique kanji readings1469
Average difficulty7/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)12/100
Average sentence length27.6
Characters33278
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Adachi and Shimamura
Novel
Adachi and Shimamura
Length (in words)329168
Unique words15051
Unique words (used once)5676
Unique words (used once %)37%
Unique kanji2153
Unique kanji (used once)241
Unique kanji readings4087
Average difficulty41/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)49/100
Average sentence length20.0
Characters772598
Volumes10
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Cover of After Dark
Novel
After Dark
Length (in words)44678
Unique words5942
Unique words (used once)3029
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1460
Unique kanji (used once)301
Unique kanji readings2309
Average difficulty59/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length22.7
Characters104845
Volumes1
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Cover of Ai ga Nan da
Novel
Ai ga Nan da
Length (in words)38277
Unique words5598
Unique words (used once)2723
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1433
Unique kanji (used once)302
Unique kanji readings2283
Average difficulty37/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)52/100
Average sentence length27.6
Characters91102
Volumes1
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Cover of Ai ni Chikau Oukoku
Novel
Ai ni Chikau Oukoku
Length (in words)20439
Unique words3153
Unique words (used once)1515
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1258
Unique kanji (used once)309
Unique kanji readings1883
Average difficulty13/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)23/100
Average sentence length18.5
Characters48518
Volumes1
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Cover of Ai suru Musume kara no Kyouiku-teki Shidou
Novel
Ai suru Musume kara no Kyouiku-teki Shidou
Length (in words)61053
Unique words8580
Unique words (used once)4645
Unique words (used once %)54%
Unique kanji1899
Unique kanji (used once)379
Unique kanji readings3323
Average difficulty39/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)58/100
Average sentence length25.5
Characters142602
Volumes1
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Cover of Aijin no Okite
Novel
Aijin no Okite
Length (in words)116822
Unique words7838
Unique words (used once)3378
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji1592
Unique kanji (used once)271
Unique kanji readings2689
Average difficulty31/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)44/100
Average sentence length35.4
Characters269766
Volumes3
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Cover of Aika
Novel
Aika
Length (in words)60842
Unique words7087
Unique words (used once)3332
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1892
Unique kanji (used once)351
Unique kanji readings3112
Average difficulty59/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)74/100
Average sentence length28.7
Characters130941
Volumes1
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Cover of Aisaka Suteki na Shoukougun
Novel
Aisaka Suteki na Shoukougun
Length (in words)163102
Unique words11136
Unique words (used once)4655
Unique words (used once %)41%
Unique kanji2017
Unique kanji (used once)300
Unique kanji readings3570
Average difficulty57/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)71/100
Average sentence length19.5
Characters378136
Volumes3
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Cover of Akai Hitomi no Shesuta
Novel
Akai Hitomi no Shesuta
Length (in words)129349
Unique words10874
Unique words (used once)4369
Unique words (used once %)40%
Unique kanji2027
Unique kanji (used once)268
Unique kanji readings3660
Average difficulty71/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length22.3
Characters295771
Volumes3
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Cover of Akai Mitachi no Love Song
Novel
Akai Mitachi no Love Song
Length (in words)40166
Unique words5789
Unique words (used once)3035
Unique words (used once %)52%
Unique kanji1515
Unique kanji (used once)327
Unique kanji readings2446
Average difficulty37/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)53/100
Average sentence length20.0
Characters96126
Volumes1
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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
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Cover of Aki no Rougoku
Novel
Aki no Rougoku
Length (in words)34696
Unique words5480
Unique words (used once)2847
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1654
Unique kanji (used once)378
Unique kanji readings2639
Average difficulty43/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)58/100
Average sentence length21.5
Characters77204
Volumes1
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Cover of Akkan no Grimoire
Novel
Akkan no Grimoire
Length (in words)110717
Unique words12157
Unique words (used once)5271
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji2107
Unique kanji (used once)313
Unique kanji readings3849
Average difficulty49/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)69/100
Average sentence length25.1
Characters256819
Volumes4
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Cover of Akugyaku Kishidan: Sono Elf, Kyoubou ni Tsuki
Novel
Akugyaku Kishidan: Sono Elf, Kyoubou ni Tsuki
Length (in words)113786
Unique words10374
Unique words (used once)4617
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji2053
Unique kanji (used once)299
Unique kanji readings3647
Average difficulty62/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)79/100
Average sentence length19.9
Characters258250
Volumes2
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Cover of Akuma ni Damasarete TS Tensei Shita Dakedo Megezu ni Harem Mezashimasu
Novel
Akuma ni Damasarete TS Tensei Shita Dakedo Megezu ni Harem Mezashimasu
Length (in words)104579
Unique words9966
Unique words (used once)4345
Unique words (used once %)43%
Unique kanji1993
Unique kanji (used once)298
Unique kanji readings3528
Average difficulty36/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)51/100
Average sentence length22.0
Characters239576
Volumes2
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