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 Guin Saga
Novel
Guin Saga
Length (in words)6741165
Unique words47653
Unique words (used once)9839
Unique words (used once %)20%
Unique kanji3158
Unique kanji (used once)186
Unique kanji readings6767
Average difficulty86/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)98/100
Average sentence length30.6
Characters16345778
Volumes130
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Monogatari Series
Novel
Monogatari Series
Length (in words)1905440
Unique words38811
Unique words (used once)10979
Unique words (used once %)28%
Unique kanji3102
Unique kanji (used once)287
Unique kanji readings6637
Average difficulty86/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)99/100
Average sentence length29.4
Characters4571464
Volumes28
MyAnimeList
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Cover of The Irregular at Magic High School
Novel
The Irregular at Magic High School
Length (in words)1629048
Unique words35898
Unique words (used once)9997
Unique words (used once %)27%
Unique kanji2933
Unique kanji (used once)230
Unique kanji readings6362
Average difficulty71/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)84/100
Average sentence length27.3
Characters3791903
Volumes32
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Sword Art Online
Novel
Sword Art Online
Length (in words)1503800
Unique words34670
Unique words (used once)10058
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2928
Unique kanji (used once)218
Unique kanji readings6176
Average difficulty73/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)90/100
Average sentence length28.0
Characters3462907
Volumes25
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
Novel
Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
Length (in words)2398362
Unique words33894
Unique words (used once)7590
Unique words (used once %)22%
Unique kanji2895
Unique kanji (used once)152
Unique kanji readings6157
Average difficulty83/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)91/100
Average sentence length23.7
Characters5479341
Volumes39
MyAnimeListAmazon
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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
MyAnimeListAmazon
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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
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Ore, Twintail ni Narimasu.
Novel
Ore, Twintail ni Narimasu.
Length (in words)1084675
Unique words30665
Unique words (used once)8848
Unique words (used once %)28%
Unique kanji2801
Unique kanji (used once)188
Unique kanji readings5883
Average difficulty79/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)90/100
Average sentence length22.8
Characters2705049
Volumes22
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?
Novel
Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?
Length (in words)2035330
Unique words29930
Unique words (used once)7562
Unique words (used once %)25%
Unique kanji2597
Unique kanji (used once)169
Unique kanji readings5362
Average difficulty38/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)61/100
Average sentence length24.9
Characters4860837
Volumes46
Amazon
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Cover of Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru
Novel
Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru
Length (in words)986770
Unique words30056
Unique words (used once)10226
Unique words (used once %)34%
Unique kanji2783
Unique kanji (used once)306
Unique kanji readings5680
Average difficulty62/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)75/100
Average sentence length22.1
Characters2303464
Volumes18
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Novel
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Length (in words)1321555
Unique words29461
Unique words (used once)8562
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2758
Unique kanji (used once)213
Unique kanji readings5712
Average difficulty22/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)39/100
Average sentence length21.9
Characters3097769
Volumes26
MyAnimeList
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Cover of Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken
Novel
Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken
Length (in words)1722731
Unique words29667
Unique words (used once)7571
Unique words (used once %)25%
Unique kanji2807
Unique kanji (used once)168
Unique kanji readings5943
Average difficulty58/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)74/100
Average sentence length22.6
Characters3974469
Volumes20
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of TRPG Player ga Isekai de Saikyou Build wo Mezasu
Novel
TRPG Player ga Isekai de Saikyou Build wo Mezasu
Length (in words)682345
Unique words29491
Unique words (used once)9301
Unique words (used once %)31%
Unique kanji3068
Unique kanji (used once)219
Unique kanji readings6418
Average difficulty56/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)82/100
Average sentence length31.4
Characters1496625
Volumes8
Amazon
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Cover of Youjo Senki
Novel
Youjo Senki
Length (in words)986413
Unique words28953
Unique words (used once)8714
Unique words (used once %)30%
Unique kanji2841
Unique kanji (used once)231
Unique kanji readings5718
Average difficulty88/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)98/100
Average sentence length24.1
Characters2287641
Volumes12
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Shakugan no Shana
Novel
Shakugan no Shana
Length (in words)941367
Unique words28911
Unique words (used once)8677
Unique words (used once %)30%
Unique kanji2954
Unique kanji (used once)239
Unique kanji readings6225
Average difficulty87/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)97/100
Average sentence length24.8
Characters2128265
Volumes22
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Circlet Girl
Novel
Circlet Girl
Length (in words)895478
Unique words27976
Unique words (used once)9023
Unique words (used once %)32%
Unique kanji2673
Unique kanji (used once)226
Unique kanji readings5429
Average difficulty84/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)94/100
Average sentence length26.4
Characters2020442
Volumes13
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Ryouma ga Yuku
Novel
Ryouma ga Yuku
Length (in words)577862
Unique words28338
Unique words (used once)10291
Unique words (used once %)36%
Unique kanji3157
Unique kanji (used once)399
Unique kanji readings6711
Average difficulty90/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)99/100
Average sentence length24.1
Characters1249940
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Teito Monogatari
Novel
Teito Monogatari
Length (in words)537823
Unique words28182
Unique words (used once)9970
Unique words (used once %)35%
Unique kanji2995
Unique kanji (used once)303
Unique kanji readings6456
Average difficulty84/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)99/100
Average sentence length23.4
Characters1206333
Volumes6
Amazon
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Cover of Sanzensekai no Karasu wo Koroshi
Novel
Sanzensekai no Karasu wo Koroshi
Length (in words)838061
Unique words28667
Unique words (used once)8772
Unique words (used once %)30%
Unique kanji2553
Unique kanji (used once)224
Unique kanji readings5053
Average difficulty73/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)88/100
Average sentence length29.1
Characters1956820
Volumes20
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Kyo Kara Maoh!
Novel
Kyo Kara Maoh!
Length (in words)553802
Unique words28186
Unique words (used once)10222
Unique words (used once %)36%
Unique kanji2886
Unique kanji (used once)301
Unique kanji readings6011
Average difficulty63/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)80/100
Average sentence length21.7
Characters1282345
Volumes16
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Densetsu Series
Novel
Densetsu Series
Length (in words)1151726
Unique words27462
Unique words (used once)8320
Unique words (used once %)30%
Unique kanji2648
Unique kanji (used once)249
Unique kanji readings5350
Average difficulty83/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)93/100
Average sentence length36.5
Characters2772509
Volumes10
Amazon
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Cover of Nejimaki Seirei Senki: Tenkyou no Alderamin
Novel
Nejimaki Seirei Senki: Tenkyou no Alderamin
Length (in words)878896
Unique words28054
Unique words (used once)8029
Unique words (used once %)28%
Unique kanji2786
Unique kanji (used once)205
Unique kanji readings5756
Average difficulty84/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)97/100
Average sentence length24.5
Characters1992300
Volumes14
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Maria-sama ga Miteru
Novel
Maria-sama ga Miteru
Length (in words)1084721
Unique words27765
Unique words (used once)8499
Unique words (used once %)30%
Unique kanji2524
Unique kanji (used once)192
Unique kanji readings5262
Average difficulty52/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)64/100
Average sentence length22.2
Characters2630604
Volumes36
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Kokou no Mesu
Novel
Kokou no Mesu
Length (in words)766253
Unique words28093
Unique words (used once)8865
Unique words (used once %)31%
Unique kanji2819
Unique kanji (used once)227
Unique kanji readings5947
Average difficulty74/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)87/100
Average sentence length27.2
Characters1768719
Volumes13
Amazon
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Cover of Strike the Blood
Novel
Strike the Blood
Length (in words)1182989
Unique words28389
Unique words (used once)8372
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2794
Unique kanji (used once)204
Unique kanji readings5715
Average difficulty72/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)81/100
Average sentence length22.5
Characters2705471
Volumes21
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Novel
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Length (in words)555813
Unique words27699
Unique words (used once)10574
Unique words (used once %)38%
Unique kanji2638
Unique kanji (used once)298
Unique kanji readings5373
Average difficulty38/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)52/100
Average sentence length24.3
Characters1297857
Volumes11
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
Novel
Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
Length (in words)997989
Unique words27266
Unique words (used once)8038
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2749
Unique kanji (used once)238
Unique kanji readings5531
Average difficulty49/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)61/100
Average sentence length17.4
Characters2521582
Volumes21
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Ascendance of a Bookworm
Novel
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Length (in words)2567571
Unique words27106
Unique words (used once)6591
Unique words (used once %)24%
Unique kanji2650
Unique kanji (used once)204
Unique kanji readings5525
Average difficulty33/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)45/100
Average sentence length28.9
Characters6288162
Volumes32
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Tokyo Ravens
Novel
Tokyo Ravens
Length (in words)937694
Unique words27008
Unique words (used once)7875
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2861
Unique kanji (used once)218
Unique kanji readings5955
Average difficulty84/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)92/100
Average sentence length20.1
Characters2170993
Volumes16
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Outbreak Company
Novel
Outbreak Company
Length (in words)820718
Unique words26682
Unique words (used once)9143
Unique words (used once %)34%
Unique kanji2698
Unique kanji (used once)214
Unique kanji readings5513
Average difficulty55/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)77/100
Average sentence length25.0
Characters1947729
Volumes18
Amazon
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Cover of Overlord
Novel
Overlord
Length (in words)1145357
Unique words25886
Unique words (used once)8010
Unique words (used once %)30%
Unique kanji2763
Unique kanji (used once)216
Unique kanji readings5648
Average difficulty62/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)76/100
Average sentence length23.3
Characters2660953
Volumes14
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Saredo Tsumibito wa Ryuu to Odoru: Dances with the Dragons
Novel
Saredo Tsumibito wa Ryuu to Odoru: Dances with the Dragons
Length (in words)1169151
Unique words26619
Unique words (used once)8012
Unique words (used once %)30%
Unique kanji2697
Unique kanji (used once)215
Unique kanji readings5350
Average difficulty88/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)99/100
Average sentence length18.1
Characters2537966
Volumes10
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Cover of Usotsuki Mii-kun to Kowareta Maa-chan
Novel
Usotsuki Mii-kun to Kowareta Maa-chan
Length (in words)548670
Unique words26244
Unique words (used once)9081
Unique words (used once %)34%
Unique kanji2661
Unique kanji (used once)221
Unique kanji readings5525
Average difficulty72/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)96/100
Average sentence length22.3
Characters1241950
Volumes11
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Isekai Ryouridou
Novel
Isekai Ryouridou
Length (in words)1798236
Unique words26330
Unique words (used once)6499
Unique words (used once %)24%
Unique kanji2626
Unique kanji (used once)182
Unique kanji readings5318
Average difficulty52/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)74/100
Average sentence length27.7
Characters4242935
Volumes28
Amazon
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Cover of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Novel
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Length (in words)1079083
Unique words26402
Unique words (used once)6662
Unique words (used once %)25%
Unique kanji2839
Unique kanji (used once)166
Unique kanji readings5896
Average difficulty72/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)88/100
Average sentence length22.7
Characters2445326
Volumes17
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Slime Taoshite 300-nen, Shiranai Uchi ni Level Max ni Nattemashita
Novel
Slime Taoshite 300-nen, Shiranai Uchi ni Level Max ni Nattemashita
Length (in words)1057145
Unique words26563
Unique words (used once)8554
Unique words (used once %)32%
Unique kanji2468
Unique kanji (used once)225
Unique kanji readings4912
Average difficulty38/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)56/100
Average sentence length21.2
Characters2545826
Volumes22
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko.
Novel
Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko.
Length (in words)508622
Unique words25624
Unique words (used once)9341
Unique words (used once %)36%
Unique kanji2430
Unique kanji (used once)255
Unique kanji readings4829
Average difficulty60/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)73/100
Average sentence length16.9
Characters1208298
Volumes13
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Nareru! SE
Novel
Nareru! SE
Length (in words)593353
Unique words26201
Unique words (used once)9199
Unique words (used once %)35%
Unique kanji2570
Unique kanji (used once)258
Unique kanji readings5193
Average difficulty66/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)78/100
Average sentence length18.3
Characters1451530
Volumes16
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Ben-to
Novel
Ben-to
Length (in words)937085
Unique words25806
Unique words (used once)8214
Unique words (used once %)31%
Unique kanji2635
Unique kanji (used once)201
Unique kanji readings5363
Average difficulty64/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)81/100
Average sentence length23.4
Characters2097392
Volumes12
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Kumo Desu ga, Nanika?
Novel
Kumo Desu ga, Nanika?
Length (in words)937664
Unique words25102
Unique words (used once)7326
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2626
Unique kanji (used once)225
Unique kanji readings5317
Average difficulty45/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)62/100
Average sentence length22.9
Characters2171324
Volumes16
Amazon
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Cover of Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu
Novel
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu
Length (in words)662994
Unique words24937
Unique words (used once)9255
Unique words (used once %)37%
Unique kanji2494
Unique kanji (used once)267
Unique kanji readings5103
Average difficulty37/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)50/100
Average sentence length23.5
Characters1628304
Volumes17
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni.
Novel
Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni.
Length (in words)746428
Unique words25069
Unique words (used once)8298
Unique words (used once %)33%
Unique kanji2696
Unique kanji (used once)235
Unique kanji readings5456
Average difficulty44/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)61/100
Average sentence length20.6
Characters1731870
Volumes15
Amazon
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Cover of Goblin Slayer
Novel
Goblin Slayer
Length (in words)840663
Unique words24380
Unique words (used once)7076
Unique words (used once %)29%
Unique kanji2892
Unique kanji (used once)212
Unique kanji readings6052
Average difficulty79/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)90/100
Average sentence length20.0
Characters1851561
Volumes16
MyAnimeListAmazon
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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
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Ro-Kyu-Bu!
Novel
Ro-Kyu-Bu!
Length (in words)638979
Unique words24237
Unique words (used once)7761
Unique words (used once %)32%
Unique kanji2531
Unique kanji (used once)225
Unique kanji readings5105
Average difficulty48/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)61/100
Average sentence length21.2
Characters1558207
Volumes15
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Zaregoto Series
Novel
Zaregoto Series
Length (in words)723229
Unique words24861
Unique words (used once)8811
Unique words (used once %)35%
Unique kanji2727
Unique kanji (used once)282
Unique kanji readings5479
Average difficulty82/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)96/100
Average sentence length20.6
Characters1695822
Volumes10
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Novel
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Length (in words)703664
Unique words25455
Unique words (used once)8083
Unique words (used once %)31%
Unique kanji2679
Unique kanji (used once)251
Unique kanji readings4999
Average difficulty92/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)99/100
Average sentence length33.8
Characters1674141
Volumes10
Amazon
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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
Amazon
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Cover of Ryuuou no Oshigoto!
Novel
Ryuuou no Oshigoto!
Length (in words)800132
Unique words24342
Unique words (used once)8183
Unique words (used once %)33%
Unique kanji2644
Unique kanji (used once)271
Unique kanji readings5391
Average difficulty63/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)76/100
Average sentence length19.0
Characters1832678
Volumes17
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Full Metal Panic!
Novel
Full Metal Panic!
Length (in words)529427
Unique words24648
Unique words (used once)8607
Unique words (used once %)34%
Unique kanji2491
Unique kanji (used once)240
Unique kanji readings4887
Average difficulty75/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)87/100
Average sentence length18.8
Characters1243538
Volumes12
MyAnimeListAmazon
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