Personal Recommendations

Dividing the recommendations in two parts: Finished and ongoing series. Well, there are some that may be already “finished” but until I find a proper annoucement I’ll just leave as ongoing (letters/vanishing and Gifted for example). I’m also considering as ongoing series only if they already have 2 or more volumes published… Well, most of the times that is. Some rare exceptions will be added if they are really good (Monument).

Tried to be the most objective as possible but heh, I just couldn’t. The number of stars below are mostly how much I would recommend them, not exactly as I would rate them. Heck, I would never recommend something I’d give 1 star with ten stars being the maximum. Tried to limit to 10 LNs (or authors) per “rating”.

Planning to change this page a lot as I finish reading more series or catch up with recent LNs. I should also change positions between these as my taste changes with time. And I do have to say I’m surprised myself by the number of the titles mentioned here. A lot more than I expected initially.

Last update: 04/04/16

Will start adding genres little by little.

LN (japanese name) [Genre]

Main genres: boy-meets-girl, sekai-kei, romance, comedy, drama, school life, SF, fantasy, mistery, juvenile, 青春破壊小説, psychological, SoL. (I sux at doing those so take it with a grain of salt)

★★★★★★★★★★: Top-tier/Masterpiece level imo

★★★★★★★★★☆: Almost there.

★★★★★★★★☆☆: Give a chance, seriously.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆: Worth it.

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆: Mostly personal taste aka stema [1]

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆: Mostly personal taste aka stema [2]

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆: Above average.

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆: Good but could have been better.

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆: Fun stuff is fun.

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆: Not bad.

Finished

★★★★★★★★★★

• Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu (イリヤの空、UFOの夏) [boy-meets-girl, sekai-kei, SF]

Favorite LN.

• Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora (半分の月がのぼる空) [romance, drama]

Favorite LN number 2.

• Strange Voice (ストレンジボイス) [青春破壊小説, school life]

Enami Mitsunori.

★★★★★★★★★☆

• D Crackers (Dクラッカーズ) [mistery, fantasy?, school life, romance]

I love you Azano. Simple is the best.

• Kamisu Reina (神栖麗奈) [psychological]

Read for Kamisu Reina.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

• Ahead Series: Owari no Chronicle (終わりのクロニクル) [SF, comedy, mistery, romance]

Kawakami.

• Amaryllis in the Ice Country/Iris on Rainy Days (氷の国のアマリリス/雨の日のアイリス) [fantasy, romance]

Matsuyama Takeshi. Love stories involving humans and robots.

• Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (人類は衰退しました) [SF]

Tanaka Romeo.

• Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou (ミミズクと夜の王) [fantasy]

Powerful.

• Zaregoto/Ningen Series (戯言シリーズ/人間シリーズ) [juvenile, mistery]

Awesome Nisio.

• Hana Sakeru Aerial Force (花咲けるエリアルフォース) [fantasy, romance, comedy]
  

My favorite Sugii Hikaru’s LN.

• Tabi ni Deyou, Horobiyuku Sekai no Hate Made. (旅に出よう、滅びゆく世界の果てまで。) [fantasy]

Really good.

• 2/know [SF, fantasy, drama (2), romance, juvenile (2)]

Nozaki Mado.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

• Spice and Wolf (狼と香辛料)

Main couple.

• Shoujo Fujuubun/Ningyou ga Ningyou (少女不十分/ニンギョウがニンギョウ)
  

Crazy/Worth reading Nisio.

• Gekkou (月光)

Wine is good too.

• Giniro Fuwari (銀色ふわり)

Come and despair with me at the lack of a continuation.

• Qualia the Purple (紫色のクオリア)

Cute girls doing cute things (not exactly a lie).

• Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria (空ろの箱と零のマリア)

Broken characters I guess.

• A Lollipop or a Bullet (砂糖菓子の弾丸は撃ちぬけない)

Pretty nice.

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

• Kyuushoku Soudassen (給食争奪戦)

Simple but effective.

• Natsuyume Nagisa ~Nostalgie~ (ナツユメナギサ ~NOSTALGIE~)

If you played and loved the VN.

• Ware mo Mata Arcadia ni Ari (我もまたアルカディアにあり)

In a certain way it’s a long love story.

• Ken to Mahou no Fantasy (犬と魔法のファンタジー)

Romeo again.

• Zarusoba (kawaii) (ざるそば(かわいい))

Boy meets girl + noodles.

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

• Mojokai no Futekisetsu na Nichijou (も女会の不適切な日常)

Why didn’t sell enough to have at least one more volume?

• Kariringu! (狩りりんぐ！)

Just liked it. Hunting + Seishun story.

• AURA – Maryuuin Kouga Saigo no Tatakai (AURA ~魔竜院光牙最後の闘い~)

Romeo one more time.

• Resin Cast Milk (レジンキャストミルク)

Strong latter half. Chuuni as fuck.

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

• Sabishigariya no Lolyferatu (さびしがりやのロリフェラトゥ)

Not bad at all.

• Sayonara Piano Sonata/Kamisama no Memochou (さよならピアノソナタ/神様のメモ帳)

Good Sugii.

• Alisson/Lillia and Treize/Meg and Seron (アリソン/リリアとトレイズ/メグとセロン)

Good Sigsawa.

• Mushi Uta/Mushi Uta Bug (ムシウタ/ムシウタbug)

Boys and girls fighting for their dreams.

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

• Tsukumodo Kottouten (付喪堂骨董店)

Episodic at first but with a nice plot and a decent ending.

• Mondaiji ga Isekai kara Kurusou Desuyo? (問題児たちが異世界から来るそうですよ？)

Fun.

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

• Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu (バカとテストと召喚獣)

No matter what other people may say, this was a fun series from start to end.

• Tokyo Koutei☆Houjou Renka (東京皇帝☆北条恋歌)

Worth until the volume 8. It is mostly a crazy romcom.

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

• Aru hi Bakudan ga Ochitekite (ある日、爆弾がおちてきて)

Some stories could easily be (good) long running series.

• Boku no Gakuen Seikatsu wa Mada Hajimatta Bakari da! (僕の学園生活はまだ始まったばかりだ！)

lol

• Koukaku no Regios (鋼殻のレギオス)

Will never forget the battles at certain volumes.

Ongoing

★★★★★★★★★★

★★★★★★★★★☆

• Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata (冴えない彼女の育てかた)

Maruto.

• Tokyo Ravens (東京レイヴンズ)

Azano in a big setting and lots of characters. No way this won’t end with a blast.

• Hai to Gensou no Grimgar (灰と幻想のグリムガル)

Jumonji is what I would like to say but I still haven’t read any of his other works. Even so it managed to turn into one of my favorite LNs right now with just a couple of volumes.

• Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasuka? Isogashii Desuka? Sukutte Moratte Ii Desuka? (終末なにしてますか? 忙しいですか? 救ってもらっていいですか?)

Deserved popularity and attention from the media (KonoRano 2016, SUGOI Japan 2016).

★★★★★★★★☆☆

• Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru. (やはり俺の青春ラブコメはまちがっている。)

Pretty much perfect until the volume 9.

• Genesis Series: Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon/City Series (境界線上のホライゾン/都市シリーズ)

Kawakami.

• Kino no Tabi -the Beautiful World- (キノの旅 -the Beautiful World-)

Sigsawa.

• letters/vanishing (レターズ/ヴァニシング)

Hopefully it’ll still continue…

• Densetsu Series/Risuka Series (伝説シリーズ/りすかシリーズ)

Amusing Nisio. Risuka forever unfinished I guess.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

• Magdala de Nemure (マグダラで眠れ)

More Hasekura.

• Gifted (ギフテッド)

Forever waiting for the volume 3.

• 9S

Really cool.

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

• Baccano! (バッカーノ!)

Best Narita imo. Completely forgotten by him tho in the last few years.

• Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Record (ロクでなし魔術講師と禁忌教典)

王道

• Youkoso Zitsuryoku Shijou Shugi Kyoushitsu e (ようこそ実力至上主義の教室へ)

Kinugasa/Tomose.

• Houkago Apocalypse (放課後アポカリプス)

Usual Sugii.

• MONUMENT

Some good stuff. Waiting for the second volume to see how awesome it can get.

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

• Monku no Tsukeyou ga Nai Rabukome (文句の付けようがないラブコメ)

Love the main couple and the general “atmosphere” of the work. Good illustrations too.

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

• Log Horizon (ログ・ホライズン)

Database.

• Clockwork Planet (クロックワーク・プラネット)

Y-series.

• Rokka no Yuusha (六花の勇者)

Good.

• Gamers! (ゲーマーズ!)

romCOM.

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

• Monogatari Series (物語シリーズ)

Really good until the Second Season imo. (Nise not so much)

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

• Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o! (この素晴らしい世界に祝福を!)

Smiles and comedy.

• No Game No Life (ノーゲーム・ノーライフ)

Fun for fun.

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

• Last Embryo (ラストエンブリオ)

Promising.

• Courtbonny Kyoju Series (コートボニー教授シリーズ)

Huge mess but fun as fuck.

• Only Sense Online (オンリーセンス・オンライン)

Cute Yun is cute.

• Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (六畳間の侵略者!?)

Comfy. Snow White and the First Star.