List of best-selling light novels
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A light novel (ライトノベル, raito noberu) is a type of popular literature novel from Japan usually classified as young adult fiction, generally targeting teens or older. The abbreviation of "raito noberu" is ranobe (ラノベ) or, in English, LN. The average length of a light novel is about 50,000 words.
The following is a list of the best-selling Japanese light novel series to date in terms of the number of collected volumes sold. All series in this list have at least 5 million copies in circulation. This list is limited to Japanese lightnovels only. The series are listed according to the highest sales or circulation (copies in print) estimate of their collected volumes as reported in reliable sources unless indicated otherwise. Ties are arranged in alphabetical order.
Collected volumes
At least 10 million copies and above
| Name | Author | Publisher | No. of collected volumes |
Date serialized | Approximate sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime | Fuse | Micro Magazine | 23 | 2013–2015 (web novel) 2014–present (light novel) |
56+ million[1] (includes physical and digital sales as well as related books and manga adaptations) |
| The Apothecary Diaries | Hyūganatsu | Shufunotomo | 16 | 2011–present (web novel) 2014–present (light novel) |
45 million[2] (includes manga adaptations) |
| Guin Saga | Kaoru Kurimoto, Yu Godai | Hayakawa Publishing | 149 | 1979–2024 | 33 million[3] |
| A Certain Magical Index | Kazuma Kamachi | ASCII Media Works | 51 | 2004–2010 (first story) 2011–2019 (second story: New testament) 2020–present (third story: Genesis testament) |
31 million[4] (including spin-offs and manga adaptations) |
| Sword Art Online | Reki Kawahara | ASCII Media Works | 27 | 2002–2008 (web novel) 2009–present (light novel) |
30 million[5] (including spin-offs) |
| The Irregular at Magic High School | Tsutomu Satō | ASCII Media Works | 32 | 2008–2011 (web novel) 2011–2020 (light novel) 2020–present (sequel light novel) 2021–present (spin-off light novel) |
25 million[6](including spin-offs and manga adaptations) |
| Slayers | Hajime Kanzaka | Fujimi Shobo | 17 | 1989–present | 22 million[7](including spin-offs and manga adaptations) |
| Haruhi Suzumiya | Nagaru Tanigawa | Kadokawa Shoten | 12 | 2003–present | 20 million[8] (includes manga adaptation) |
| Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? | Fujino Ōmori | SB Creative | 20 | 2013–present | 20 million[9] (including spin-offs and manga adaptations) |
| Mushoku Tensei | Rifujin na Magonote | Media Factory | 26 | 2012–2015 (web novel) 2013–2016 (spin-off web novel) 2014–2022 (light novel) 2023–present (spin-off light novel) |
15.53 million[10] (includes physical and digital sales as well as related books and manga adaptations) |
| Kagerou Project | Shizen no Teki-P | Enterbrain | 8 | 2012–2017 | 15 million[11] (includes manga adaptation) |
| Overlord | Kugane Maruyama | Enterbrain | 16 | 2010–2012 (web novel) 2012–present (light novel) |
14 million[12] (including spin-offs and manga adaptations) |
| Sorcerous Stabber Orphen | Yoshinobu Akita | Fujimi Shobo | 20 | 1994–2003 | 14 million[13] (including spin-offs and manga adaptations) |
| Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World | Tappei Nagatsuki | Media Factory | 44 | 2012–present (web novel) 2014–present (light novel) 2015–present (spin-off light novel) |
13 million[14] (includes physical and digital sales as well as related books and manga adaptations) |
| The Rising of the Shield Hero | Aneko Yusagi | Media Factory | 22 | 2012–present (web novel) 2013–present (light novel) |
13 million[15] (including manga adaptation) |
| Ascendance of a Bookworm | Miya Kazuki | TO Books | 33 | 2013–2017 (web novel) 2015–2023 (light novel) 2017–present (spin-off web novel) 2024–present (spin-off light novel) |
13 million[16] |
| The Twelve Kingdoms | Fuyumi Ono | Kodansha | 9 | 1992–present | 12 million[17] |
| Full Metal Panic! | Shoji Gatoh | Fujimi Shobo | 23 | 1998–2011 | 11.5 million[18] (including manga adaptations) |
| Classroom of the Elite | Shōgo Kinugasa | Media Factory | 31 | 2015–present | 10.8 million[19] |
| Fortune Quest | Mishio Fukazawa | Kadokawa Shoten | 48 | 1989–2020 | 10 million[20] |
| Goblin Slayer | Kumo Kagyu | SB Creative | 15 | 2016–present | 10 million[21] |
| KonoSuba | Natsume Akatsuki | Kadokawa Shoten | 17 | 2012–2013 (web novel) 2013–2020 (light novel) |
10 million[22] |
| My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected | Wataru Watari | Shogakukan | 14 | 2011–2021 | 10 million[23] |
| Record of Lodoss War | Ryo Mizuno | Kadokawa Shoten | 7 | 1988–1993 | 10 million[24] |
At least 5 million and below 10 million copies
| Name | Author | Publisher | No. of collected volumes |
Date serialized | Approximate sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Saga of Tanya the Evil | Carlo Zen | Enterbrain | 12 | 2010–2012 (web novel) 2013–present (light novel) |
9.5 million[25] |
| My Happy Marriage | Akumi Agitogi | Fujimi Shobo | 8 | 2019–present | 9 million[26] (including manga adaptation) |
| Aria the Scarlet Ammo | Chūgaku Akamatsu | Media Factory | 44 | 2008–present | 9 million[27] |
| Kyūketsuki wa Otoshigoro | Jirō Akagawa | Shueisha | 42 | 1981–present | 8.81 million[28] |
| Shakugan no Shana | Yashichiro Takahashi | ASCII Media Works | 28 | 2002–2012 | 8.6 million[29] |
| Wise Man's Grandchild | Tsuyoshi Yoshioka | Enterbrain | 17 | 2015–2022 (web novel) 2015–2022 (light novel) |
8.3 million[30] |
| Kino's Journey | Keiichi Sigsawa | ASCII Media Works | 22 | 2000–present | 8.2 million[31] |
| Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody | Hiro Ainana | Fujimi Shobo | 31 | 2013–present (web novel) 2014–present (light novel) |
8 million[32] (including manga adaptation) |
| My Isekai Life | Shinkoshoto | SB Creative | 16 | 2017–2020 (web novel) 2018–present (light novel) |
8 million[33] (including manga adaptation) |
| Nante Suteki ni Japanesque | Saeko Himuro | Shueisha | 10 | 1984–1991 | 8 million[34] |
| I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability | Kenkyo na Circle | Kodansha | 10 | 2019–present (web novel) 2020–present (light novel) |
8 million[35] (including manga adaptation) |
| From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman | Shigeru Sagazaki | Square Enix | 9 | 2020–present (web novel) 2021–present (light novel) |
8 million[36] (including manga adaptations) |
| High School DxD | Ichiei Ishibumi | Fujimi Shobo | 25 | 2008–2018 | 7.8 million[37] |
| Baka and Test | Kenji Inoue | Enterbrain | 18 | 2007–2015 | 7.3 million[38] |
| Gate | Takumi Yanai | AlphaPolis | 10 | 2006–2009 (web novel) 2010–2015 (light novel) |
7.2 million[39] (including manga adaptation) |
| The Case Files of Biblia Bookstore | En Minami | Kadokawa | 7 | 2011–2017 | 7 million[40] |
| Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill | Ren Eguchi | Overlap | 15 | 2016–present (web novel) 2016–present (light novel) |
7 million[41] |
| Haganai | Yomi Hirasaka | Media Factory | 11 | 2009–2015 | 7 million[42] |
| The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest | Shinkoshoto | SB Creative | 20 | 2016–2020 (web novel) 2017–present (light novel) |
7 million[43] |
| Mirage of Blaze | Mizuna Kuwabara | Shueisha | 42 | 1990–2007 | 6.8 million[44] |
| The Familiar of Zero | Noboru Yamaguchi | Media Factory | 22 | 2004–2017 | 6.8 million[45] |
| Isekai Izakaya "Nobu" | Natsuya Semikawa | Takarajimasha | 7 | 2012–present (web novel) 2014–present (light novel) |
6.7 million[46] (including manga adaptation) |
| The Eminence in Shadow | Daisuke Aizawa | Enterbrain | 6 | 2018–present (web novel) 2018–present (light novel) |
6.5 million[47] |
| Kyo Kara Maoh! | Tomo Takabayashi | Kadokawa Shoten | 22 | 2000–present (on hiatus) | 6.5 million[48] |
| The Story of Saiunkoku | Sai Yukino | Kadokawa Shoten | 22 | 2003–2011 | 6.5 million[49] |
| Shōnen Onmyōji | Mitsuru Yūki | Kadokawa Shoten | 47 | 2001–present | 6.2 million[50] (including manga adaptation) |
| Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest | Ryo Shirakome | Overlap | 13 | 2013–2015 (web novel) 2015–present (web novel sequel) 2013–2022 (light novel) |
6 million[51] |
| Date A Live | Kōshi Tachibana | Fujimi Shobo | 22 | 2011–2020 | 6 million[52] |
| My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! | Satoru Yamaguchi | Ichijinsha | 10 | 2014–2015 (web novel) 2015–present (light novel) |
6 million[53] |
| No Game No Life | Yū Kamiya | Media Factory | 10 | 2012–present | 6 million[54] |
| Student Council's Discretion | Aoi Sekina | Fujimi Shobo | 10 | 2008–2012 | 6 million[55] |
| Accel World | Reki Kawahara | ASCII Media Works | 27 | 2009–present | 5.7 million[56] |
| Durarara!! | Ryohgo Narita | ASCII Media Works | 13 | 2004–2014 | 5.6 million[57] |
| Harem in the Labyrinth of Another World | Shachi Sogano | Shufunotomo | 13 | 2011–2019 (web novel) 2012–present (light novel) |
5.6 million[58] (including manga adaptation) |
| The Villainess Is Adored by the Prince of the Neighbor Kingdom | Punichan | Kadokawa Shoten | 14 | 2016–present | 5.6 million[59] |
| Maria-sama ga Miteru | Oyuki Konno | Shueisha | 37 | 1998–2012 | 5.4 million[60] |
| Oreimo | Tsukasa Fushimi | ASCII Media Works | 16 | 2008–2021 | 5.2 million[61] |
| The Ideal Sponger Life | Tsunehiko Watanabe | Shufunotomo | 22 | 2011–present (web novel) 2012–present (light novel) |
5.2 million[62] |
| Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian | SunSunSun | Kadokawa Shoten | 8 | 2021–present | 5 million[63] |
| Spice and Wolf | Isuna Hasekura | ASCII Media Works | 22 | 2006–present | 5 million[64] |
| Toradora! | Yuyuko Takemiya | ASCII Media Works | 10 | 2006–2009 | 5 million[65] |
