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 51..100 from 1518 entries

Cover of Kono Fune, Jigoku Yuki
Novel
Kono Fune, Jigoku Yuki
Length (in words)20953
Unique words3424
Unique words (used once)1743
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1017
Unique kanji (used once)258
Unique kanji readings1495
Average difficulty11/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)39/100
Average sentence length25.2
Characters51722
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 words3126
Unique words (used once)1581
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1043
Unique kanji (used once)274
Unique kanji readings1563
Average difficulty6/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)21/100
Average sentence length28.8
Characters51073
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Kara no Kyoukai Mirai Fukuin
Novel
Kara no Kyoukai Mirai Fukuin
Length (in words)21983
Unique words4434
Unique words (used once)2478
Unique words (used once %)55%
Unique kanji1396
Unique kanji (used once)344
Unique kanji readings2227
Average difficulty58/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)86/100
Average sentence length21.5
Characters49471
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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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 readings1228
Average difficulty7/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)18/100
Average sentence length19.4
Characters56033
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Chuumon no Ooi Ryouriten
Novel
Chuumon no Ooi Ryouriten
Length (in words)22728
Unique words3958
Unique words (used once)2113
Unique words (used once %)53%
Unique kanji1339
Unique kanji (used once)420
Unique kanji readings1999
Average difficulty45/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)65/100
Average sentence length22.5
Characters52060
Volumes1
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Cover of Hoshi Boshi no Koe
Novel
Hoshi Boshi no Koe
Length (in words)22863
Unique words4428
Unique words (used once)2349
Unique words (used once %)53%
Unique kanji1124
Unique kanji (used once)259
Unique kanji readings1748
Average difficulty43/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)66/100
Average sentence length23.7
Characters55879
Volumes1
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Cover of Kaze Tachinu
Novel
Kaze Tachinu
Length (in words)23071
Unique words3136
Unique words (used once)1523
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1115
Unique kanji (used once)336
Unique kanji readings1671
Average difficulty52/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)70/100
Average sentence length31.3
Characters50455
Volumes1
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Cover of Keritai Senaka
Novel
Keritai Senaka
Length (in words)23854
Unique words4406
Unique words (used once)2355
Unique words (used once %)53%
Unique kanji1294
Unique kanji (used once)293
Unique kanji readings2030
Average difficulty18/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)45/100
Average sentence length27.5
Characters55103
Volumes1
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Cover of Hoshizora no Shita, Kimi no Koe dake wo Dakishimeru
Novel
Hoshizora no Shita, Kimi no Koe dake wo Dakishimeru
Length (in words)23893
Unique words3575
Unique words (used once)1846
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1177
Unique kanji (used once)308
Unique kanji readings1734
Average difficulty16/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)35/100
Average sentence length17.9
Characters57501
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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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 Obake ga Shitsuji no Natsuyasumi
Novel
Obake ga Shitsuji no Natsuyasumi
Length (in words)24263
Unique words3106
Unique words (used once)1475
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji610
Unique kanji (used once)154
Unique kanji readings890
Average difficulty7/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)19/100
Average sentence length17.5
Characters60625
Volumes1
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Cover of Kyoufu no Mukashi Asobi
Novel
Kyoufu no Mukashi Asobi
Length (in words)24323
Unique words3728
Unique words (used once)1823
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji995
Unique kanji (used once)241
Unique kanji readings1514
Average difficulty22/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)44/100
Average sentence length19.9
Characters60176
Volumes1
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Cover of Sensei Kerai ni Nare
Novel
Sensei Kerai ni Nare
Length (in words)24543
Unique words3657
Unique words (used once)1875
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji527
Unique kanji (used once)170
Unique kanji readings832
Average difficulty15/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)30/100
Average sentence length18.6
Characters63038
Volumes1
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Cover of Totsugeki!? Jigoku Channel: Nerawareta Minarai Reporter!?
Novel
Totsugeki!? Jigoku Channel: Nerawareta Minarai Reporter!?
Length (in words)24736
Unique words3962
Unique words (used once)2000
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1013
Unique kanji (used once)218
Unique kanji readings1526
Average difficulty19/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)39/100
Average sentence length19.1
Characters60819
Volumes1
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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 Hen na Ie
Novel
Hen na Ie
Length (in words)25234
Unique words3578
Unique words (used once)1827
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1229
Unique kanji (used once)276
Unique kanji readings1906
Average difficulty25/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)41/100
Average sentence length21.9
Characters59685
Volumes1
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Cover of Tsun 100% Joshi no Sunao ni Narenai Renai Jijou
Novel
Tsun 100% Joshi no Sunao ni Narenai Renai Jijou
Length (in words)25749
Unique words3188
Unique words (used once)1449
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji1104
Unique kanji (used once)268
Unique kanji readings1628
Average difficulty11/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)21/100
Average sentence length21.8
Characters60686
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Umi no Monogatari
Novel
Umi no Monogatari
Length (in words)25745
Unique words3602
Unique words (used once)1832
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji944
Unique kanji (used once)251
Unique kanji readings1409
Average difficulty10/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)23/100
Average sentence length18.5
Characters62333
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Konbini Ningen
Novel
Konbini Ningen
Length (in words)26382
Unique words3751
Unique words (used once)1864
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji1260
Unique kanji (used once)290
Unique kanji readings1905
Average difficulty35/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)47/100
Average sentence length25.8
Characters60749
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Tsundere Joushi no Dekiai Sengen
Novel
Tsundere Joushi no Dekiai Sengen
Length (in words)26472
Unique words3344
Unique words (used once)1526
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji1094
Unique kanji (used once)267
Unique kanji readings1626
Average difficulty18/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)30/100
Average sentence length22.7
Characters62302
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo
Novel
Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo
Length (in words)26510
Unique words3795
Unique words (used once)1837
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1272
Unique kanji (used once)286
Unique kanji readings1950
Average difficulty49/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)75/100
Average sentence length19.0
Characters63285
Volumes1
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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
Average difficulty5/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)15/100
Average sentence length23.9
Characters68475
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Fushidara na Yatsura
Novel
Fushidara na Yatsura
Length (in words)27033
Unique words4553
Unique words (used once)2362
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1321
Unique kanji (used once)314
Unique kanji readings2040
Average difficulty24/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)39/100
Average sentence length19.2
Characters68972
Volumes4
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
Average difficulty16/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)31/100
Average sentence length20.0
Characters67816
Volumes1
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Cover of Natsu no Shoujo wa Kaeru
Novel
Natsu no Shoujo wa Kaeru
Length (in words)27788
Unique words3720
Unique words (used once)1893
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1228
Unique kanji (used once)289
Unique kanji readings1824
Average difficulty30/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)40/100
Average sentence length18.4
Characters64619
Volumes1
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Cover of Rokkashou
Novel
Rokkashou
Length (in words)27804
Unique words3301
Unique words (used once)1574
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1196
Unique kanji (used once)314
Unique kanji readings1781
Average difficulty25/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)51/100
Average sentence length18.1
Characters62863
Volumes1
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Cover of Hoshi no Koe
Novel
Hoshi no Koe
Length (in words)27889
Unique words5345
Unique words (used once)2917
Unique words (used once %)54%
Unique kanji1456
Unique kanji (used once)345
Unique kanji readings2252
Average difficulty35/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)62/100
Average sentence length25.9
Characters68241
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Ningen Shikkaku
Novel
Ningen Shikkaku
Length (in words)28004
Unique words4887
Unique words (used once)2607
Unique words (used once %)53%
Unique kanji1544
Unique kanji (used once)366
Unique kanji readings2472
Average difficulty57/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)70/100
Average sentence length40.4
Characters63448
Volumes1
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Cover of M Aisbeki Hito ga Ite
Novel
M Aisbeki Hito ga Ite
Length (in words)28225
Unique words4126
Unique words (used once)2132
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1287
Unique kanji (used once)320
Unique kanji readings1987
Average difficulty26/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)41/100
Average sentence length26.1
Characters64488
Volumes1
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Cover of Haru no Juukou
Novel
Haru no Juukou
Length (in words)28224
Unique words4083
Unique words (used once)2105
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1308
Unique kanji (used once)324
Unique kanji readings2016
Average difficulty15/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)31/100
Average sentence length27.3
Characters64759
Volumes1
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Cover of Zettai Reido no Kokuou Heika ni Hanayome Shigan ~Soutei Ijou no Dekiai ni Midareru Mitsugetsu~
Novel
Zettai Reido no Kokuou Heika ni Hanayome Shigan ~Soutei Ijou no Dekiai ni Midareru Mitsugetsu~
Length (in words)28260
Unique words4034
Unique words (used once)1908
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1379
Unique kanji (used once)317
Unique kanji readings2106
Average difficulty16/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)27/100
Average sentence length20.6
Characters72130
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Nansou Satomi Hakkenden
Novel
Nansou Satomi Hakkenden
Length (in words)28499
Unique words3735
Unique words (used once)1696
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji799
Unique kanji (used once)154
Unique kanji readings1280
Average difficulty24/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)53/100
Average sentence length19.1
Characters64627
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Futago Ouji no Miwakekata
Novel
Futago Ouji no Miwakekata
Length (in words)28577
Unique words3429
Unique words (used once)1663
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji1167
Unique kanji (used once)270
Unique kanji readings1753
Average difficulty11/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)22/100
Average sentence length20.3
Characters66118
Volumes4
Amazon
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NO COVER
Novel
Imouto wa Naze Oshaburi ga Suki nano ka?
Length (in words)28675
Unique words3431
Unique words (used once)1608
Unique words (used once %)46%
Unique kanji1060
Unique kanji (used once)248
Unique kanji readings1599
Average difficulty9/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)30/100
Average sentence length15.1
Characters70240
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Doctor Alpha no Tea Time
Novel
Doctor Alpha no Tea Time
Length (in words)28741
Unique words4560
Unique words (used once)2402
Unique words (used once %)52%
Unique kanji1383
Unique kanji (used once)335
Unique kanji readings2166
Average difficulty39/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)56/100
Average sentence length20.9
Characters68468
Volumes6
Amazon
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Cover of Avenir
Novel
Avenir
Length (in words)28791
Unique words4387
Unique words (used once)2241
Unique words (used once %)51%
Unique kanji1340
Unique kanji (used once)285
Unique kanji readings2071
Average difficulty46/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)64/100
Average sentence length21.0
Characters65767
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Beruna no Shippo
Novel
Beruna no Shippo
Length (in words)28809
Unique words3474
Unique words (used once)1549
Unique words (used once %)44%
Unique kanji928
Unique kanji (used once)190
Unique kanji readings1388
Average difficulty2/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)7/100
Average sentence length22.6
Characters71040
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Aoitori Bunko ga Dekiru Made
Novel
Aoitori Bunko ga Dekiru Made
Length (in words)28873
Unique words3768
Unique words (used once)1827
Unique words (used once %)48%
Unique kanji962
Unique kanji (used once)251
Unique kanji readings1441
Average difficulty26/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)34/100
Average sentence length23.0
Characters68720
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)28900
Unique words3783
Unique words (used once)1782
Unique words (used once %)47%
Unique kanji1169
Unique kanji (used once)261
Unique kanji readings1786
Average difficulty5/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)18/100
Average sentence length20.0
Characters70134
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Hebi wo Fumu
Novel
Hebi wo Fumu
Length (in words)29305
Unique words4259
Unique words (used once)2168
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1473
Unique kanji (used once)389
Unique kanji readings2220
Average difficulty48/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)65/100
Average sentence length28.4
Characters64793
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Nishi no Majo ga Shinda
Novel
Nishi no Majo ga Shinda
Length (in words)29369
Unique words4433
Unique words (used once)2314
Unique words (used once %)52%
Unique kanji1382
Unique kanji (used once)343
Unique kanji readings2129
Average difficulty14/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)38/100
Average sentence length23.2
Characters69796
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Ore to Kanojo no Rabukome ga Zenryoku de Kurorekishi
Novel
Ore to Kanojo no Rabukome ga Zenryoku de Kurorekishi
Length (in words)29384
Unique words5250
Unique words (used once)2841
Unique words (used once %)54%
Unique kanji1460
Unique kanji (used once)331
Unique kanji readings2352
Average difficulty24/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)40/100
Average sentence length19.0
Characters69710
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Oshare Kaitou Crystal: Miwaku no Muffler
Novel
Oshare Kaitou Crystal: Miwaku no Muffler
Length (in words)29592
Unique words4135
Unique words (used once)2027
Unique words (used once %)49%
Unique kanji904
Unique kanji (used once)225
Unique kanji readings1383
Average difficulty13/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)21/100
Average sentence length22.8
Characters76823
Volumes1
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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
Amazon
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Cover of Mishiranu Joshikousei ni Kankin Sareta Mangake no Hanashi
Novel
Mishiranu Joshikousei ni Kankin Sareta Mangake no Hanashi
Length (in words)29729
Unique words5259
Unique words (used once)2897
Unique words (used once %)55%
Unique kanji1510
Unique kanji (used once)352
Unique kanji readings2394
Average difficulty34/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)48/100
Average sentence length19.1
Characters69437
Volumes1
MyAnimeListAmazon
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Cover of Kitan Room
Novel
Kitan Room
Length (in words)29746
Unique words3281
Unique words (used once)1489
Unique words (used once %)45%
Unique kanji956
Unique kanji (used once)216
Unique kanji readings1418
Average difficulty29/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)49/100
Average sentence length19.6
Characters71485
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Koneko wa Negau, Koneko no Tame ni
Novel
Koneko wa Negau, Koneko no Tame ni
Length (in words)29934
Unique words3904
Unique words (used once)1985
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1315
Unique kanji (used once)340
Unique kanji readings2017
Average difficulty36/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)50/100
Average sentence length29.2
Characters68544
Volumes1
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Cover of Otogizoushi
Novel
Otogizoushi
Length (in words)30090
Unique words4639
Unique words (used once)2444
Unique words (used once %)52%
Unique kanji1575
Unique kanji (used once)399
Unique kanji readings2513
Average difficulty58/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)69/100
Average sentence length25.9
Characters63462
Volumes1
Amazon
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Cover of Boku wa Ashita, Kinou no Kimi to Date Suru
Novel
Boku wa Ashita, Kinou no Kimi to Date Suru
Length (in words)30180
Unique words4430
Unique words (used once)2238
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1301
Unique kanji (used once)301
Unique kanji readings2025
Average difficulty38/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)50/100
Average sentence length16.5
Characters70515
Volumes1
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Cover of Satsujin Shussan
Novel
Satsujin Shussan
Length (in words)30293
Unique words4418
Unique words (used once)2246
Unique words (used once %)50%
Unique kanji1413
Unique kanji (used once)298
Unique kanji readings2150
Average difficulty36/100
Peak difficulty (90th percentile)54/100
Average sentence length23.2
Characters68141
Volumes1
Amazon
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