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:
Sort by Advanced search... Showing 1..50 from 1518 entries
Novel
"Hello Work Guild" e Youkoso! Length (in words) 46253 Unique words 7108 Unique words (used once) 3587 Unique words (used once %) 50% Unique kanji 1680 Unique kanji (used once) 304 Unique kanji readings 2866 Average difficulty 38/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 57/100 Average sentence length 18.7 Characters 109526 Volumes 1
Novel
"Kanchigai Shinaide yo ne! Anta no Koto Nanka Daisuki Nandakara!" Noroi de Honne Shika Ienakunatta Tsundere Ojousama Length (in words) 37329 Unique words 3463 Unique words (used once) 1515 Unique words (used once %) 43% Unique kanji 1154 Unique kanji (used once) 244 Unique kanji readings 1721 Average difficulty 18/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 44/100 Average sentence length 14.0 Characters 92423 Volumes 1
Novel
"Mizube no Gakkou" no Tokoro-kun Length (in words) 23973 Unique words 3682 Unique words (used once) 1705 Unique words (used once %) 46% Unique kanji 902 Unique kanji (used once) 199 Unique kanji readings 1397 Average difficulty 16/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 39/100 Average sentence length 25.4 Characters 54269 Volumes 1
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 words 7728 Unique words (used once) 3472 Unique words (used once %) 44% Unique kanji 1696 Unique kanji (used once) 263 Unique kanji readings 2910 Average difficulty 35/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 53/100 Average sentence length 21.9 Characters 167970 Volumes 1
Novel
"Ou no Saien" no Kishi to, "Yasai" no Ojousama Length (in words) 49190 Unique words 6085 Unique words (used once) 2815 Unique words (used once %) 46% Unique kanji 1677 Unique kanji (used once) 312 Unique kanji readings 2723 Average difficulty 15/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 23/100 Average sentence length 20.7 Characters 121292 Volumes 1
Novel
"Suki" Length (in words) 36852 Unique words 4467 Unique words (used once) 2237 Unique words (used once %) 50% Unique kanji 1275 Unique kanji (used once) 302 Unique kanji readings 2006 Average difficulty 28/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 43/100 Average sentence length 21.5 Characters 86550 Volumes 1
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 words 6698 Unique words (used once) 3337 Unique words (used once %) 49% Unique kanji 1647 Unique kanji (used once) 317 Unique kanji readings 2706 Average difficulty 17/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 34/100 Average sentence length 21.5 Characters 115195 Volumes 1
Novel
1 Percent no Kyoushitsu Length (in words) 40333 Unique words 5382 Unique words (used once) 2704 Unique words (used once %) 50% Unique kanji 1556 Unique kanji (used once) 337 Unique kanji readings 2481 Average difficulty 42/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 51/100 Average sentence length 20.7 Characters 92968 Volumes 1
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1 Percent no Kyoushitsu 2 Length (in words) 45708 Unique words 5601 Unique words (used once) 2710 Unique words (used once %) 48% Unique kanji 1599 Unique kanji (used once) 297 Unique kanji readings 2588 Average difficulty 41/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 54/100 Average sentence length 19.6 Characters 103305 Volumes 1
Novel
10 Nengo, Yoake wo Matsu Boku-tachi e Length (in words) 52453 Unique words 4559 Unique words (used once) 1924 Unique words (used once %) 42% Unique kanji 1319 Unique kanji (used once) 267 Unique kanji readings 2043 Average difficulty 24/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 40/100 Average sentence length 23.7 Characters 122223 Volumes 1
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100-man Kai Ikita Kimi Length (in words) 36802 Unique words 5745 Unique words (used once) 2900 Unique words (used once %) 50% Unique kanji 1660 Unique kanji (used once) 385 Unique kanji readings 2668 Average difficulty 56/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 70/100 Average sentence length 17.0 Characters 83999 Volumes 1
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1101 Goushitsu no Shukuteki ~Ore-sama Designer wa, Tsuyoki na Rinjin wo Hitorijime Shite Aishitai~ Length (in words) 55429 Unique words 6650 Unique words (used once) 2982 Unique words (used once %) 44% Unique kanji 1594 Unique kanji (used once) 251 Unique kanji readings 2687 Average difficulty 29/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 40/100 Average sentence length 20.5 Characters 132068 Volumes 1
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13-banme no Alice Length (in words) 198553 Unique words 14941 Unique words (used once) 5707 Unique words (used once %) 38% Unique kanji 2372 Unique kanji (used once) 246 Unique kanji readings 4485 Average difficulty 59/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 76/100 Average sentence length 19.7 Characters 472102 Volumes 4
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14sai Gentei Shoukougun Length (in words) 57456 Unique words 8094 Unique words (used once) 3905 Unique words (used once %) 48% Unique kanji 1807 Unique kanji (used once) 311 Unique kanji readings 3043 Average difficulty 46/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 65/100 Average sentence length 27.5 Characters 133189 Volumes 1
Novel
1984 Length (in words) 104415 Unique words 10707 Unique words (used once) 4685 Unique words (used once %) 43% Unique kanji 2034 Unique kanji (used once) 289 Unique kanji readings 3557 Average difficulty 77/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 93/100 Average sentence length 32.8 Characters 244465 Volumes 1
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1984 Nen Length (in words) 113084 Unique words 11858 Unique words (used once) 5173 Unique words (used once %) 43% Unique kanji 2126 Unique kanji (used once) 336 Unique kanji readings 3740 Average difficulty 78/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 93/100 Average sentence length 34.7 Characters 265729 Volumes 1
Novel
1Q84 Length (in words) 404799 Unique words 18513 Unique words (used once) 7105 Unique words (used once %) 38% Unique kanji 2373 Unique kanji (used once) 258 Unique kanji readings 4464 Average difficulty 72/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 79/100 Average sentence length 25.7 Characters 959493 Volumes 3
Novel
24 Jikan no Dokusen Yoku ~Jiki Shachou ga Hanashitekuremasen~ Length (in words) 24879 Unique words 3969 Unique words (used once) 2054 Unique words (used once %) 51% Unique kanji 1292 Unique kanji (used once) 337 Unique kanji readings 1978 Average difficulty 11/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 34/100 Average sentence length 24.4 Characters 57360 Volumes 1
Novel
5 Fun Go ni Igai na Ketsumatsu Length (in words) 84632 Unique words 9024 Unique words (used once) 4133 Unique words (used once %) 45% Unique kanji 1640 Unique kanji (used once) 243 Unique kanji readings 2819 Average difficulty 38/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 57/100 Average sentence length 23.1 Characters 196444 Volumes 3
Novel
52 Hertz no Kujiratachi Length (in words) 54662 Unique words 6130 Unique words (used once) 2957 Unique words (used once %) 48% Unique kanji 1678 Unique kanji (used once) 345 Unique kanji readings 2677 Average difficulty 32/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 47/100 Average sentence length 22.5 Characters 128759 Volumes 1
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8 Banme no Maria Length (in words) 50746 Unique words 5365 Unique words (used once) 2589 Unique words (used once %) 48% Unique kanji 1465 Unique kanji (used once) 317 Unique kanji readings 2319 Average difficulty 34/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 53/100 Average sentence length 22.8 Characters 118821 Volumes 1
Novel
800 Length (in words) 44980 Unique words 5365 Unique words (used once) 2572 Unique words (used once %) 47% Unique kanji 1301 Unique kanji (used once) 270 Unique kanji readings 2055 Average difficulty 25/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 48/100 Average sentence length 21.8 Characters 104887 Volumes 1
Novel
86 Length (in words) 751601 Unique words 25050 Unique words (used once) 7472 Unique words (used once %) 29% Unique kanji 2826 Unique kanji (used once) 205 Unique kanji readings 5664 Average difficulty 87/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 98/100 Average sentence length 24.7 Characters 1710255 Volumes 13
Novel
9S (Nine S) Length (in words) 715114 Unique words 24360 Unique words (used once) 7662 Unique words (used once %) 31% Unique kanji 2482 Unique kanji (used once) 199 Unique kanji readings 4936 Average difficulty 82/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 95/100 Average sentence length 19.9 Characters 1666136 Volumes 13
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<Kono Rabukome ga Sugoi!!> Doudou no Sanni Length (in words) 54390 Unique words 5739 Unique words (used once) 2735 Unique words (used once %) 47% Unique kanji 1472 Unique kanji (used once) 297 Unique kanji readings 2309 Average difficulty 26/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 44/100 Average sentence length 24.2 Characters 127926 Volumes 1
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A Certain Magical Index Length (in words) 1262230 Unique words 30934 Unique words (used once) 9009 Unique words (used once %) 29% Unique kanji 2713 Unique kanji (used once) 259 Unique kanji readings 5673 Average difficulty 73/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 83/100 Average sentence length 25.7 Characters 2907379 Volumes 23
Novel
A Certain Scientific Railgun SS Length (in words) 55553 Unique words 7097 Unique words (used once) 3330 Unique words (used once %) 46% Unique kanji 1620 Unique kanji (used once) 271 Unique kanji readings 2698 Average difficulty 63/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 76/100 Average sentence length 25.7 Characters 131311 Volumes 8
Novel
A Christmas Carol Length (in words) 29644 Unique words 6672 Unique words (used once) 4019 Unique words (used once %) 60% Unique kanji 1777 Unique kanji (used once) 462 Unique kanji readings 2958 Average difficulty 53/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 74/100 Average sentence length 27.1 Characters 69155 Volumes 1
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ABC Murders: A Hercule Poirot Mystery Length (in words) 69612 Unique words 6645 Unique words (used once) 3230 Unique words (used once %) 48% Unique kanji 1560 Unique kanji (used once) 331 Unique kanji readings 2461 Average difficulty 58/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 79/100 Average sentence length 23.7 Characters 169894 Volumes 1
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AGI - Agi - Virtual Shoujo wa Koi Shitai Length (in words) 55270 Unique words 7046 Unique words (used once) 3495 Unique words (used once %) 49% Unique kanji 1658 Unique kanji (used once) 323 Unique kanji readings 2693 Average difficulty 52/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 67/100 Average sentence length 20.2 Characters 126852 Volumes 1
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AI ni Maketa Natsu Length (in words) 39010 Unique words 4692 Unique words (used once) 2246 Unique words (used once %) 47% Unique kanji 1352 Unique kanji (used once) 296 Unique kanji readings 2139 Average difficulty 38/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 49/100 Average sentence length 19.3 Characters 94060 Volumes 1
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AURA ~Maryuuin Kouga Saigo no Tatakai~ Length (in words) 58845 Unique words 8540 Unique words (used once) 4229 Unique words (used once %) 49% Unique kanji 1650 Unique kanji (used once) 290 Unique kanji readings 2734 Average difficulty 47/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 65/100 Average sentence length 14.7 Characters 133676 Volumes 1
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Abyss Gate Length (in words) 106038 Unique words 9179 Unique words (used once) 3992 Unique words (used once %) 43% Unique kanji 1852 Unique kanji (used once) 321 Unique kanji readings 3204 Average difficulty 65/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 81/100 Average sentence length 21.2 Characters 239590 Volumes 3
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Accel World Length (in words) 1330288 Unique words 30555 Unique words (used once) 9207 Unique words (used once %) 30% Unique kanji 2796 Unique kanji (used once) 241 Unique kanji readings 5806 Average difficulty 81/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 90/100 Average sentence length 27.9 Characters 3183822 Volumes 25
Novel
Active Rest: Te wo Nobashite Me wo Tojinaide Gojitsudan Length (in words) 15089 Unique words 2713 Unique words (used once) 1451 Unique words (used once %) 53% Unique kanji 1033 Unique kanji (used once) 315 Unique kanji readings 1469 Average difficulty 7/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 12/100 Average sentence length 27.6 Characters 33278 Volumes 1
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Adachi and Shimamura Length (in words) 329168 Unique words 15051 Unique words (used once) 5676 Unique words (used once %) 37% Unique kanji 2153 Unique kanji (used once) 241 Unique kanji readings 4087 Average difficulty 41/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 49/100 Average sentence length 20.0 Characters 772598 Volumes 10
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After Dark Length (in words) 44678 Unique words 5942 Unique words (used once) 3029 Unique words (used once %) 50% Unique kanji 1460 Unique kanji (used once) 301 Unique kanji readings 2309 Average difficulty 59/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 78/100 Average sentence length 22.7 Characters 104845 Volumes 1
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Ai ga Nan da Length (in words) 38277 Unique words 5598 Unique words (used once) 2723 Unique words (used once %) 48% Unique kanji 1433 Unique kanji (used once) 302 Unique kanji readings 2283 Average difficulty 37/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 52/100 Average sentence length 27.6 Characters 91102 Volumes 1
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Ai ni Chikau Oukoku Length (in words) 20439 Unique words 3153 Unique words (used once) 1515 Unique words (used once %) 48% Unique kanji 1258 Unique kanji (used once) 309 Unique kanji readings 1883 Average difficulty 13/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 23/100 Average sentence length 18.5 Characters 48518 Volumes 1
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Ai suru Musume kara no Kyouiku-teki Shidou Length (in words) 61053 Unique words 8580 Unique words (used once) 4645 Unique words (used once %) 54% Unique kanji 1899 Unique kanji (used once) 379 Unique kanji readings 3323 Average difficulty 39/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 58/100 Average sentence length 25.5 Characters 142602 Volumes 1
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Aijin no Okite Length (in words) 116822 Unique words 7838 Unique words (used once) 3378 Unique words (used once %) 43% Unique kanji 1592 Unique kanji (used once) 271 Unique kanji readings 2689 Average difficulty 31/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 44/100 Average sentence length 35.4 Characters 269766 Volumes 3
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Aika Length (in words) 60842 Unique words 7087 Unique words (used once) 3332 Unique words (used once %) 47% Unique kanji 1892 Unique kanji (used once) 351 Unique kanji readings 3112 Average difficulty 59/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 74/100 Average sentence length 28.7 Characters 130941 Volumes 1
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Aisaka Suteki na Shoukougun Length (in words) 163102 Unique words 11136 Unique words (used once) 4655 Unique words (used once %) 41% Unique kanji 2017 Unique kanji (used once) 300 Unique kanji readings 3570 Average difficulty 57/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 71/100 Average sentence length 19.5 Characters 378136 Volumes 3
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Akai Hitomi no Shesuta Length (in words) 129349 Unique words 10874 Unique words (used once) 4369 Unique words (used once %) 40% Unique kanji 2027 Unique kanji (used once) 268 Unique kanji readings 3660 Average difficulty 71/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 82/100 Average sentence length 22.3 Characters 295771 Volumes 3
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Akai Mitachi no Love Song Length (in words) 40166 Unique words 5789 Unique words (used once) 3035 Unique words (used once %) 52% Unique kanji 1515 Unique kanji (used once) 327 Unique kanji readings 2446 Average difficulty 37/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 53/100 Average sentence length 20.0 Characters 96126 Volumes 1
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Akaki Tsuki no Meguru Koro Length (in words) 427523 Unique words 14767 Unique words (used once) 4696 Unique words (used once %) 31% Unique kanji 2287 Unique kanji (used once) 211 Unique kanji readings 4371 Average difficulty 68/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 78/100 Average sentence length 25.7 Characters 997051 Volumes 10
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Aki no Rougoku Length (in words) 34696 Unique words 5480 Unique words (used once) 2847 Unique words (used once %) 51% Unique kanji 1654 Unique kanji (used once) 378 Unique kanji readings 2639 Average difficulty 43/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 58/100 Average sentence length 21.5 Characters 77204 Volumes 1
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Akkan no Grimoire Length (in words) 110717 Unique words 12157 Unique words (used once) 5271 Unique words (used once %) 43% Unique kanji 2107 Unique kanji (used once) 313 Unique kanji readings 3849 Average difficulty 49/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 69/100 Average sentence length 25.1 Characters 256819 Volumes 4
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Akugyaku Kishidan: Sono Elf, Kyoubou ni Tsuki Length (in words) 113786 Unique words 10374 Unique words (used once) 4617 Unique words (used once %) 44% Unique kanji 2053 Unique kanji (used once) 299 Unique kanji readings 3647 Average difficulty 62/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 79/100 Average sentence length 19.9 Characters 258250 Volumes 2
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Akuma ni Damasarete TS Tensei Shita Dakedo Megezu ni Harem Mezashimasu Length (in words) 104579 Unique words 9966 Unique words (used once) 4345 Unique words (used once %) 43% Unique kanji 1993 Unique kanji (used once) 298 Unique kanji readings 3528 Average difficulty 36/100 Peak difficulty (90th percentile) 51/100 Average sentence length 22.0 Characters 239576 Volumes 2