Master List of Book Clubs

Japanese Language Book Clubs
1

Introduction

There are several book clubs here on the forums. Reading along with a book club can provide a great source of motivation, and there are a lot of people to help you out with questions, enabling you to tackle harder content.

Many of the book clubs have community vocabulary lists, so they can be a great resource even if you’re reading after the book club has moved on. Additionally, you’re always welcome to ask questions even after a book has been finished by a book club. People are always happy to help out.

The purpose of this thread is to be the master list of book clubs. That way, you only have to come to one place to find every book that has ever been discussed on the forums.

Some book clubs also do weekly “read aloud” sessions, where everyone takes turns reading part of the the previous week’s assigned reading. While general book discussion, grammar questions, etc. should take place on the these forums, the read aloud takes place on this Discord server.

For non-reading clubs see this topic: Master List of Other Media Discussion Threads

Editing Note

If you are going to edit this post to add a book club link, please use the following format:
[Book Club Title](https://community.wanikani.com/t/x/{threadid}).

i.e. replace the thread title with ‘x’. This will ensure that the post is easy to edit in the future and will decrease the chance of the links breaking from updates to the forums.

Please note: If you want to make a major formatting or content change to this post (not just adding an additional book), please post your proposal and see if others agree before making the change.

How to link Offshoot clubs: Only link if it has a different home thread than the first volume, aka if the first volume home thread becomes the series home thread, no need to link it again. (Discussion threads are not home threads. If all the offshoot has is a discussion thread for future volumes, please get that link added to the original home thread.)

Status key (for picking status)

Completed: The (first) book/manga volume was completed with the club, if part of a series, further volumes were not continued as an offshoot club. In rare cases (one so far), the book wasn’t finished but a discussion thread was set up for remaining pages.
Current: The book/manga is the current pick and being read.
Upcoming: The next book/manga that will be read.
Offshoot completed: Mostly this means the club have read all volumes (and the series is finished), but in rare cases it means that at some point the rest of the series was moved to use one general discussion thread and no further threads will be needed even if more book/volumes are released.
Offshoot ongoing: The offshoot is currently active, reading volume by volume.
Offshoot hiatus: Club is waiting for more books/volumes to be published. HOWEVER we might want to consider calling them ongoing, at least if they have regular yearly releases and if the club seems to always start the next one (close to) when it comes out
Offshoot stopped: More volumes are available but the club stopped before reaching the last book/volume. And no general discussion thread was made for future volumes.
Reread ongoing/completed: Sometime after the club finished a group of people decided to reread the book/manga following the same schedule (and often using the same discussion threads).

Book Clubs

Absolute Beginner Book Club

The Absolute Beginner Book Club is intended for people around an N5 level.

Absolute Beginner Book Club Home Page

Title Status Natively
にゃんにゃん探偵団
Kitty Detective Club		 Offshoot completed 17
なぜ？どうして？せかいはふしぎ
Why? How? Wonders of the World		 Completed 17
しろくまカフェ
Shirokuma Cafe		 Completed 20
チーズスイートホーム
Chi’s Sweet Home		 Offshoot completed 13
結婚しても恋してる
I’m in Love with You Forever		 Completed 22
10分で読める物語 二年生
10 Minute Stories - 2nd Grade Reader		 Completed 18
なぜ？どうして？科学のお話
Why? How? Science Stories		 Completed 17
レンタルおにいちゃん
Big Brother Rental		 Offshoot completed 17
10分で読める伝記 (2年生)
10 Minute Biographies - 2nd Grade Reader		 Completed 18
からかい上手の高木さん
Teasing Master Takagi-san		 Offshoot ongoing 19
それでも歩は寄せてくる
When Will Ayumu Make His Move		 Offshoot ongoing 20
大海原と大海原
Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea		 Offshoot completed 22
三ツ星カラーズ
Mitsuboshi Colours		 Offshoot completed 18
ハピネス
Happiness		 Offshoot completed 17
都道府県のおはなし 低学年
Stories of the Japanese Prefectures		 Completed 18
ハンター × ハンター
Hunter × Hunter		 Completed 27
はたらく細胞
Cells at Work!		 Completed 28
ルリドラゴン
Ruri Dragon		 Completed 20
ちいさな森のオオカミちゃん
The Wolf of the Small Forest		 Offshoot completed 14
ホリミヤ
Horimiya		 Current 22

Beginner Book Club

The Beginner Book Club is intended for people around an N4 level.

Beginner Book Club Home Page

Title Status Natively
よつばと！
Yotsubato!		 Offshoot hiatus 17
魔女の宅急便
Kiki’s Delivery Service		 Completed
Reread completed		 26
Aria 完全版
Aria the Masterpiece		 Offshoot completed 21
のんのんびより
Non Non Biyori		 Completed 22
夏目友人帳
Natsume’s Book of Friends		 Completed 26
時をかける少女
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time		 Completed 25
少女終末旅行
Girls’ Last Tour		 Offshoot completed 21
ふしぎ駄菓子屋 銭天堂
Zenitendou - The Mysterious Sweet Shop		 Offshoot completed 24
一週間フレンズ
One Week Friends		 Completed 21
ふらいんぐうぃっち
Flying Witch		 Offshoot ongoing 20
霧のむこうのふしぎな町
The Mysterious Town Beyond the Mist		 Completed 26
ゆるキャン△
Laid-Back Camp		 Offshoot hiatus 27
フルーツバスケット
Fruits Basket		 Offshoot stopped 26
シメジシミュレーション
Shimeji Simulation		 Offshoot hiatus 25
ハイキュー!!
Haikyuu!!		 Offshoot ongoing 24
不可解なぼくのすべてを
Love Me for Who I Am (FukaBoku)		 Offshoot completed 24
日常
Nichijou		 Completed 25
地縛少年花子くん
Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun		 Offshoot stopped 23
小川未明童話集
Ogawa Mimei: Collection of Children’s Stories		 Completed 30
極主夫道
The Way of the Househusband		 Offshoot ongoing 24
デスノート
Death Note		 Offshoot ongoing 30
夜カフェ
Night Cafe		 Offshoot ongoing 23
シャドーハウス
Shadows House		 Offshoot ongoing 24
耳をすませば
Whisper of the Heart		 Completed 21
神さまがまちガえる
God Bless the Mistaken		 Offshoot ongoing 23
月刊少女野崎くん
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun		 Offshoot ongoing 25
古見さんは、コミュ症です。
Komi Can’t Communicate		 Completed 23
ロジカとラッカセイ
Rojica and Rakkasei		 Offshoot ongoing 22
スーパーの裏でヤニ吸うふたり
Behind the Supermarket, Smoking With You		 Offshoot ongoing 24
舞妓さんちのまかないさん
Kiyo in Kyoto Book Club		 Current 27
この美術部には問題がある！
This Art Club has a Problem!		 Upcoming Dec 2nd 24

Intermediate Book Club

The Intermediate Book Club is intended for people around an N3 level.

Intermediate Book Club Home Page

OBS :bangbang: Where do we want this to go??? : Offshoot book clubs: Sayaka Murata Book Club

Title Status Natively
No. 6 Completed 32
秋の牢獄 Completed 31
赤い悪夢 (5分後に意外な結末) Completed 25
はたらく魔王さま！ Completed 30
キノの旅 Completed 29
コンビニ人間 Completed
Reread completed
Slow reread completed		 29
涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱 Completed 37
キッチン Completed 29
氷菓 Completed 32
夜市 Completed 31
聖☆おにいさん Completed 28
博士の愛した数式 Completed 35
君の名は Completed 30
コーヒーが冷めないうちに Completed 28
ヨコハマ買い出し紀行 Completed 21
地球星人 Completed 31
佐賀のがばいばあちゃん Completed 28
Spy x Family Offshoot Ongoing 30
TUGUMI Completed 31
おばちゃんたちのいるところ Completed 33
僕が愛したすべての君へ Offshoot completed 28
あん Completed 29
あなたも殺人犯になれる! Current 27

Advanced Book Club

The Advanced Book Club is intended for people around an N2-N1 level.

Advanced Book Club Home Page

Title Status Natively
本好きの下剋上 Offshoot completed 31
雪国 Completed 47
容疑者Xの献身 Completed 34
すべてがFになる Offshoot ongoing 32
人間失格 Completed 40
乳と卵 Completed 39
パノラマ島綺譚 Completed 40
本陣殺人事件 Offshoot ongoing 39
薬屋のひとりごと Completed 38
海辺のカフカ Completed 34
狼と香辛料 Completed 35
ユージニア Completed 36
この本を盗む者は Completed 37
四畳半神話大系 Completed 43
風の谷のナウシカ Offshoot ongoing 35
マリアビートル Current 35

Visual Novel Book Club

The Visual Novel Book Club is intended for anyone who wants to/likes reading visual novels* (VNs), but because they tend to be quite long, the reading pace means the club is a better fit for the intermediate-advanced stage.
*think novel in video game format, although with little to no gameplay (see home thread for a more complete explanation)

Visual Novel Book Club Home Page

Title Status
ルーパーズ Completed
9-nine-ここのつここのかここのいろ Offshoot completed
BU$TAFELLOWS Offshoot completed
極限脱出 9時間9人9の扉 (Zero Escape: 999) Completed
Fatal Twelve Current

Miscellaneous Book Clubs (scheduled)

This section contains books that were not selected from normal book club polls, but are/were still run using a schedule. The list is ordered by difficulty and then start date.

Book Difficulty Start Date Status
おじさまと猫
(Old Man and a Cat)		 Absolute Beginner 2020-08-24 Hiatus
Sailor Moon Beginner 2020-01-01 Completed
アオハライド
(Ao Haru Ride)		 Beginner 2020-02-01 Completed
クレヨンしんちゃん
(Crayon Shin Chan)		 Beginner 2020-02-17 Hiatus
ブラックジャックによろしく
(Say Hello to BlackJack)		 Beginner 2020-04-05 Inactive
One Piece Beginner 2020-09-02 In Progress
3月のライオン
(March Comes in Like a Lion)		 Beginner 2020-09-12 Inactive
ドラゴンボール SD
(Dragon Ball SD)		 Beginner 2020-10-31 Hiatus
やがて君になる(1)
(Bloom into you)		 Beginner 2021-03-15 In Progress
暁のヨナ
(Yona of the Dawn)		 Beginner 2021-03-15 In Progress
幸色のワンルーム
(Sachiiro no One Room)		 Beginner 2021-06-04 In Progress
呪術廻戦 0
(Jujutsu Kaisen 0)		 Beginner 2022-02-23 Completed
Orange Beginner 2022-07-02 Completed
NARUTO ナルト Beginner 2023-10-14 In Progress
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Intermediate 2020-01-15 Hiatus
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (full) Intermediate 2024-01-1 Upcoming
Doki Doki Literature Club
(Visual novel / game)		 Intermediate 2020-01-18 Inactive
獣の奏者
(Kemono no Souja)		 Intermediate 2020-01-25 Completed
マンガ✖くり返しでスイスイ覚えられる百人一首 Intermediate 2020-07-18 Hiatus
文豪ストレイドッグス わん!
(Bungou Stray Dogs: Wan!)		 Intermediate 2020-08-31 Hiatus
Harry Potter Intermediate 2020-09-01 Completed
狐笛のかなた Intermediate 2021-01-16 Completed
囀る鳥は羽ばたかない
(WaniKani Members Only)		 Intermediate 2021-05-21 Discontinued
かがみの孤城 Intermediate 2021-11-06 Completed
A Dictionary of Japanese Grammar Intermediate 2023-03-25 In Progress
桜蘭高校ホスト部 Intermediate 2023-05-20 In Progress
Re-Zero Advanced 2019-07-01 In Progress
DanMachi Advanced 2020-02-10 Hiatus
1Q84 Advanced 2020-08-01 Completed
半落ち Advanced 2023-01-02 In Progress
Miscellaneous Book Discussions (non-scheduled)

This section contains books that were not selected from normal book club polls and do not have schedules.

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2

I mostly ripped the introduction from Resources for Starting to Read Japanese Content (thanks @Radish8!). Let me know if you want me to add or clarify anything.

If people like this thread and the general format, I’ll ask to get it pinned and eventually make it a wiki so anyone can update it. I’ll also update the book club section from the resources thread to just link to here.

Also, does anyone have a better word than “offshoot”? I can’t find the right word. “Ongoing”? “Continuing”? “Recurring”?

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3

image

This is great! :books::durtle_love: お疲れ様(^^)

Hmmm… “spin-off”? “Continued”? :thinking:

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4

Spin off is what I first thought of too!

I think this is a really helpful master thread to have. I know I’ve been confused about which thread to go before! :smiley:

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5

I love it! organisation :star_struck:

I’m also on team spin-off :+1:

You’re definitely going to want to turn it into a wiki at some point, or you’ll forever be committed to personally updating the current and finished books for all three clubs :stuck_out_tongue:

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6

ktheres a graded reader book club. im not able to search gor the link right now, though.

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7

Thank you for the overview!! This is also so useful for reading back in past book club discussions

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8

heres the link for the graded readers book club.
thanks @Abstormal

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9

An this one should also be listed; (I guess we could be together, the Graded Readers and the 多読, as we are "No specific book, just a push to read more and a place to talk about it/ask questions. Not sure what to call us though, since both are anything from pre N5 to past N1 =P )

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10

@Abstormal I was going to list the 多読 thread, but it felt out of place. I’m also not sure how to list the graded readers thread if you’re not discussing specific books. Do those threads make more sense in the general reading resources thread instead?

@Radish8 Yes, I will definitely be making this a wiki after a couple weeks. :grin:

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11

I definitely think the 多読 thread makes more sense in the general thread. I suppose it does provide motivation, but it’s not really a place where you can e.g. access a vocabulary sheet or ask grammar questions about the book you’re reading (not that people wouldn’t help if you did, I’m sure!).

It would make sense to me to have a line pointing to the 多読 thread as a place to look for possible recommendations, moral support and reading motivation.

The Graded Reader thread doesn’t really strike me as a book club, again because the key point of a book club in my eyes is that you’re reading the same thing, but I think the idea is for it to function quite similarly to e.g. the miscellaneous discussion threads. People can discuss the stories if they want and ask each other what they thought of different sets / volumes, and ask for help with any grammar they don’t understand.

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12

I wonder if it would get confusing if the Absolute Beginner Book Club ever votes to read a graded reader. :thinking:

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13

Very true.

I personally don’t think they should include graded readers for foreign learners, because the whole point is to read them fairly smoothly without needing to look stuff up, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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14

They are both basically the same kind, where we don’t pick one specific book, but inspire to read and can ask question, though mine has a somewhat limited number of books where the two sets of Graded Readers is the main focus (or meant to be at least) The Parallel texts comes with explanations of their own so might get less questions, but is also a good place to start because of it, so I included both kinds =)

I think they could both fit in the Miscellaneous, since they are Discussions

If the Absolute Beginner picks one, it will be just one of very many. And it didn’t seem likely as the general group thought they are too expensive, so I made the thread for a place for those who do have hem and want to talk about them.

We do both Graded readers and parallel texts (I love parallel text, they are generally “harder” (more natural language with you normal mix off all grammar, closer to native material or actual native material)
I allowed it in the book list, since it is there to help people find book of the Reader and parallel kind. I doubt it will be a focus in the comments (though it is allowed should they have questions =) )

Guess I should have both as part of the title (Though the main focus is the two sets of Graded readers + the app)

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15

Not totally certain, but think you may have misunderstood - I don’t think the Absolute Beginners’ Club should do graded readers for foreign learners ^^ I think having a thread for asking questions about graded readers makes a lot of sense.

(also a big fan of parallel text by the way)

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Ah! I thought you meant the German book I allowed to be added in the book list =) (a parallel text book Japanese - German)
I see =^_^=

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17

I’ll need to take a look at the graded readers thread later and think about it. Unless you guys actually pick specific graded readers to discuss, it probably shouldn’t be included here.

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We don’t pick specific ones, but the main focus is a specific set of stories which many seem to have, but never talk about cause there is no place for it. So it would be like coming to one of the finished books and ask questions that hadn’t been asked previously.

It is still in a start faze, so haven’t done much yet. But when I have some time I will pick a book and make a poll to see who have read it, and what they though about it and such, hoping to spur some more conversation and questions about particular stories. Sort of like a book club that doesn’t vote or wait for people to receive their books, since the list is short and many have them on their shelves already (and anyone can ask about a story of their choice at any given time). So it’s a bit differently structured, but if we are to make a master list it at least belong in the Miscellaneous (or as a Spin Off in the Absolute Beginner possibly, as the idea was triggered by it, but the books go up to Advanced in difficulty though…)

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19

This is fantastic, @seanblue. Thanks for putting it together all in one place!

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20

Does anyone here have any interest in setting up a book club for N2/N1, or for more literary texts in general? I’m about to make a stab at Kawabata’s ‘Meijin’ and thought it might be nice to have some company as I charge headfirst into a brick wall.

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