Master List of Book Clubs

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. Some of the book clubs also have JPDB vocab lists / prebuilt decks.

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
Reread offshoot 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 completed 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
Offshoot hiatus 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
Offshoot ongoing 22
可愛いだけじゃない式守さん
Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie
Completed 19
老女的少女ひなたちゃん
Granny Girl Hinata chan!
Offshoot ongoing 19
玉藻の恋
Tamamo no Koi
Completed 17
カードキャプターさくら
Cardcaptor Sakura
Offshoot ongoing 20
ドラえもん
Doraemon
Completed 16
10分で読めるこわい話 1年生
10 Minute Scary Stories - 1st grade reader
Completed 18
ゆびさきと恋々
A Sign of Affection
Offshoot ongoing 21
俺物語!!
My Love Story!!
Completed 21
ギャルと恐竜
Gal and Dino
Current 15


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
Offshoot stopped 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 completed 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 ongoing 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 completed 25
ハイキュー!!
Haikyuu!!
Offshoot stopped 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 stopped 24
デスノート
Death Note
Offshoot completed 30
夜カフェ
Night Cafe
Offshoot stopped 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 completed 23
月刊少女野崎くん
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun
Offshoot hiatus 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 completed 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
Offshoot ongoing 27
この美術部には問題がある!
This Art Club has a Problem!
Completed 24
気になってる人が男じゃなかった
The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t A Guy At All
Offshoot hiatus 24
葬送のフリーレン
Frieren
Offshoot ongoing 25
ウスズミの果て
Usuzumi no Hate
Offshoot hiatus 25
約束のネバーランド
The Promised Neverland
Offshoot ongoing 26
ひとりぼっちの〇〇生活
Hitori Bocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu
Offshoot ongoing 21
ルックバック
Look Back
Completed 20
ポケモンスペシャル
Pokemon Special
Completed 23
夜の名前を呼んで
Yoru no Namae wo Yonde
Offshoot ongoing 21
ヤマノススメ
Encouragement of Climb
Completed 22
ひらやすみ
Hirayasumi
Offshoot planned 23
骨ドラゴンのマナ娘
The Skull Dragon’s Precious Daughter
Current (starts 17 Jan) 25


Intermediate Manga Club

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

Intermediate Manga Club Home Page



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



Advanced Book Club

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

Advanced Book Club Home Page



Children's Novel Club

The Children’s Novel Club is intended for people around an N4-N3 level.

Children’s Novel Club Home Page

:glowing_star: Title Status Natively Level
:smiling_face_with_horns: 図書室の怪談 Ongoing L26

Speed Run Manga Club

A spin-off off the Intermediate Manga Club for volumes that are only free for a specific time. Intended for people around N3-N2 levels if they prefer to read things faster, without waiting for the next week to read the next chapter.

The Book Club has a strict time limit with each iteration: for as long as the manga volume is available for free to read.

Speed Run Book Club Home Thread



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 Completed
徒花異譚 Completed
ISLAND Completed


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 Stopped
One Piece Beginner 2020-09-02 Stopped
3月のライオン
March Comes in Like a Lion
Beginner 2020-09-12 Stopped
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 Stopped
暁のヨナ
Yona of the Dawn
Beginner 2021-03-15 Stopped
幸色のワンルーム
Sachiiro no One Room
Beginner 2021-06-04 Stopped
呪術廻戦 0
Jujutsu Kaisen 0
Beginner 2022-02-23 Completed
Orange Beginner 2022-07-02 Completed
しまなみ誰そ彼
Our Dreams at Dusk
Beginner 2023-09-16 Completed
NARUTO ナルト Beginner 2023-10-14 Ongoing
サバイバル・ゲーム!
(Survival Escape Game)
Beginner 2024-03-08 Ongoing
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Intermediate 2020-01-15 Hiatus
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (in full) Intermediate 2024-01-1 Ongoing
NANA―ナナ― Intermediate 2025-03-01 Ongoing
Doki Doki Literature Club
(Visual novel / game)
Intermediate 2020-01-18 Stopped
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 (series) Intermediate 2023-03-25 Completed
桜蘭高校ホスト部 Intermediate 2023-05-20 Hiatus
はなものがたり Intermediate 2023-10-13 Completed
Re-Zero Advanced 2019-07-01 Stopped
DanMachi Advanced 2020-02-10 Hiatus
1Q84 Advanced 2020-08-01 Completed
Saikawa & Moe (series) Advanced 2021-04-10 Completed
半落ち Advanced 2023-01-02 Completed
46番目の密室 Advanced 2026-01-03 Ongoing
後鳥羽伝説殺人事件 Advanced 2026-03-14 Planned

Miscellaneous Book Discussions (non-scheduled)

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

Book Date Created Natively Level
しろくまカフェ Today’s Special 2026-01-18 L21
スラムダンク
Slam Dunk
2024-04-00 L23
ご注文はうさぎですか
Is the Order a Rabbit
2018-08-00 L24
機動戦士ガンダムアグレッサー
Gundam Aggressor
2019-10-00 L24
GJ部 2020-10-00 L24
放浪息子
Wandering Son
2019-02-00 L25
世界から猫が消えたなら
If Cats Disappeared from the World
2019-05-00 L27
Skip Beat! 2020-10-00 L28
青春ブタ野郎はバニーガール先輩の夢を見ない
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
2019-08-00 L29
君の名は
Your Name
2020-10-00 L29
水たまりで息をする 2023-03-00 L29
掌の小説
Kawabata reading group
2018-05-00 L30??
君の膵臓をたべたい
I Want to Eat Your Pancreas
2019-01-00 L30
ハルタ 2023-12-20 L30
おいしいごはんが食べられますように 2022-11-00 L31
チュベローズで待ってる 2023-01-00 L32
Sword Art Online 2018-09-00 L33
ひきこまり吸血姫の悶々 2025-09-00 L33
魔法少女育成計画
Magical Girl Raising Project
2019-09-00 L35
Flesh&Blood 2022-05-00 L35
人間椅子 2022-10-00 L37
予言の島 2023-06-00 L37
ユートロニカのこちら側 2023-01-00 L38
糞尿譚 2022-06-00 L40
夢十夜 2023-03-00 L40
Graded Readers and Parallel Texts 2019-02-00 N/A
NHK Easy News Reading Group 2020-02-00 N/A
Waver(s) 2026-01-27 N/A

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Advanced Japanese Book Club // Now reading: 国宝(上)// Next: BUTTER (Jan 31st, 2026)
So I've reached level 60 and it's the law to write a post isn't it?
What I am doing. Is this right?
Level 21 before 2021!
Building Basic vocab
Level 21 before 2021!
:books::books: Read Japanese Every Day Challenge - Winter 2026 :sunrise::bell:
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[Seeking Nominations] Beginner Japanese Book Club // Now Reading: 骨ドラゴンのマナ娘
Readings struggle: Kunyomi....onyomi...and exceptions!
Reading suggestions, please?
Fukuoka reading club・Looking for people in Fukuoka
IBC Primer Book Club :rice_ball: Finished Reading コンビニ人間
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Teasing Master Takagi-san 😝 ・ Volume 1
Step Translation: ideal reading material [resource creators]
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(SPOILER EDITION) Descent of the Durtle into Madness
I am on level 10, and getting burnt out
First manga reading attempt
What are good reading practices for beginners?
Teasing Master Takagi-san :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: ・ Off-Shoot Book Club Home Thread ・ Currently Reading Volume 20

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

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

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

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

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

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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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@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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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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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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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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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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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)

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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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.

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

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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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