Master List of Book Clubs

[seanblue]

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

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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 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	Offshoot	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	19
玉藻の恋Tamamo no Koi	Completed	17
カードキャプターさくらCardcaptor Sakura	Offshoot	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	Completed	21
俺物語!!My Love Story!!	Current	21
ギャルと恐竜Gal and Dino	Next	15

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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 ongoing	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 completed	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 completed	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 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!	Finished	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 ongoing	24
葬送のフリーレンFrieren	Offshoot ongoing	25
ウスズミの果てUsuzumi no Hate	Offshoot planned	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	Finished (no offshoot)	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	Offshoot TBD	22
ひらやすみ Hirayasumi	Next	22

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Children's Novel Club

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

Children’s Novel Club Home Page

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Intermediate Manga Club

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

Intermediate Manga Club Home Page

Title	Status	Natively
とんがり帽子のアトリエ1	Offshoot ongoing	26
紡ぐ乙女と大正の月1	Completed	29
鋼の錬金術師1	Offshoot ongoing	31
ダンジョン飯 1	Offshoot ongoing	30
ぼっち・ざ・ろっく！1	Offshoot ongoing	28
ふたつのスピカ 1	Offshoot ongoing	24
銀の匙 1	Completed	29
蟲師 1	Offshoot ongoing	25
日本の歴史1	Completed	28
アンリの靴	Completed	25
ハクメイとミコチ	Current	29
幸せのマチ	Next	24

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Intermediate Book Club

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

Intermediate Book Club Home Page

OBS 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	CompletedReread completedSlow 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!	Completed	27
セーラー服と機関銃	Completed	30
変な家	Completed	27
妊娠カレンダー	Completed	31
Silent Witch	Completed	31
お探し物は図書室まで	Completed	30
掏摸（スリ）	Completed	32
怪人二十面相	Ongoing	30

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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 completed	35
マリアビートル	Completed	35
傲慢と善良	Completed	32
虐殺器官 - Genocidal Organ	Completed	37
蛇にピアス	Completed	30
アンダーグラウンド	Completed	33
マスカレード・ホテル	Completed	31
本の読み方 スロー・リーディングの実践	Completed	36
風立ちぬ	Completed	41
六人の嘘つきな大学生	Completed	36
香君 上 西から来た少女	Offshoot ongoing	36
硝子の塔の殺人	Current	33
国宝（上）	Upcoming	30??

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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

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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
しろくまカフェ(Shirokuma Café)	Absolute Beginner	2024-05-27	Upcoming
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
しまなみ誰そ彼(Our Dreams at Dusk)	Beginner	2023-09-16	Completed
NARUTO ナルト	Beginner	2023-10-14	In Progress
サバイバル・ゲーム!(Survival Escape Game)	Beginner	2024-03-08	In Progress
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure	Intermediate	2020-01-15	Hiatus
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (in full)	Intermediate	2024-01-1	In Progress
NANA―ナナ―	Intermediate	2025-03-01	In Progress
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 (series)	Intermediate	2023-03-25	In Progress
桜蘭高校ホスト部	Intermediate	2023-05-20	In Progress
はなものがたり	Intermediate	2023-10-13	Completed
自転車屋さんの高橋くん	Intermediate	2025-09-30	In Progress
Re-Zero	Advanced	2019-07-01	In Progress
DanMachi	Advanced	2020-02-10	Hiatus
1Q84	Advanced	2020-08-01	Completed
Saikawa & Moe	Advanced	2021-04-10	Completed
半落ち	Advanced	2023-01-02	In Progress

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Miscellaneous Book Discussions (non-scheduled)

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

• 掌の小説 (Kawabata reading group)
• ご注文はうさぎですか (Is the Order a Rabbit)
• Sword Art Online
• 放浪息子 (Wandering Son)
• 君の膵臓をたべたい (I Want to Eat Your Pancreas)
• 世界から猫が消えたなら (If Cats Disappeared from the World)
• Graded Readers and Parallel Texts
• 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)
• 魔法少女育成計画 (Magical Girl Raising Project)
• 機動戦士ガンダムアグレッサー (Gundam Aggressor)
• NHK Easy News Reading Group
• GJ部
• 君の名は - Your Name
• Skip Beat!
• Flesh&Blood
• 糞尿譚
• 人間椅子
• おいしいごはんが食べられますように
• チュベローズで待ってる
• ユートロニカのこちら側
• 水たまりで息をする
• 夢十夜
• 予言の島
• スラムダンク Slam Dunk
• ひきこまり吸血姫の悶々

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[seanblue]

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”?

[MissMisc]

This is great! お疲れ様(^^)

@seanblue

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

Hmmm… “spin-off”? “Continued”?

[Belerith]

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!

[Radish8]

I love it! organisation

I’m also on team spin-off

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

[cybershark]

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

[NathaLire]

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

[cybershark]

Graded Readers and Parallel Texts "Book Club"

I want this to be a “Free for all” and open to all types of Graded Reader books. We are many who have them, but not necessarily the same ones. And this is where this differs from the Book Clubs; I want everyone to be able to ask about any and all Graded readers. They are a great resource that comes in a good variety of difficulties! Most of the stories are very short. If you ask about the beginning or middle, no spoiler tag is needed. If you ask about a plot point near the end you should proba…

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

[Abstormal]

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 )

[2023] 多読/extensive reading challenge

Preliminary note: this thread was started for the year 2019. The table is reset every year and thus its content will not match the earlier discussions. Goal: the purpose of this thread is to offer a place to post and keep track of your extensive reading. Give yourself a long term target (number of books you want to read this year), a daily target (how many pages a day or how long do you plan to read per day) and then come back regularly to log your progress. This isn’t a race, just a way to cha…

[seanblue]

@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.

[Radish8]

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.

[seanblue]

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

[Radish8]

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)_/¯

[Abstormal]

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.

@Radish8

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

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)

[Radish8]

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)

[Abstormal]

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 =^_^=

[seanblue]

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.

[Abstormal]

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…)

[ninjaflautist90]

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

[ulurujamman]

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.