Specs
Reviews
(4.19/5)Good read but not optimal for learning anymore
Solid option if you´re around N3 level. The content is quite unremarkable but it´s good reading material.
The only problem: If you can already read this comfortably, then you might as well just read actual native material. At level 5+ there is no strong point in still using graded readers to improve your japanese in my view.
Still, not a terrible way to use your time, if you are interested in the topic. Or maybe you want something a bit easier to read after finishing your first japanese nove
Kind of a boring story but invaluable for gauging your progress. Something people don't fully understand is that reading vertically forces your brain to think vertically, which can be exhausting after decades of primarily reading horizontal text. You can't skim naturally like you otherwise would and it can be difficult to tell where words/phrases/ scenes end. This reader is a great free resource to help build that vertical-reading stamina.
I just finished N3 and read this without any lookups -
A Good Segue Into Novels
If you can read this without banging your head against the wall, you're definitely ready for novels.
You may be wondering why I started reading this, despite already reading novels. The reason is because I wanted to give myself a challenge: I read the entire book without using a dictionary. I had to reread a few parts and I ultimately skipped a couple of parts, but they make it very clear through context on what's happening. It really isn't that challenging of a read if you're used to novels, a
Simple short story
The story itself isn't the most interesting, but it's good enough to read when learning Japanese or trying to get used to it. I'm in the middle of N4 and N3 level and I find this easy to read with some words I had to google. But grammar wise, it's easy to understand and the events in the story are pretty direct. It's short so it's not much of a hassle to read.