is an annual light novel

Light novel

A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...

 guide book

Guide book

A guide book is a book for tourists or travelers that provides details about a geographic location, tourist destination, or itinerary. It is the written equivalent of a tour guide...

 published by Takarajimasha. The guide book publishes a list of the top ten most popular light novels and their characters according to readers polled on the Internet. An introduction to each of the works comes with each listing, along with an interview of the light novel's author or authors for first place. Many of the light novels that have been listed in this guide book were later adapted into anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 series. Most of the light novels listed contain a series of volumes, but some single-volume light novels also get listed. The first release of the guide book was on November 26, 2004 and is the 2005 listing. The latest release is the eighth volume on November 19, 2011 and is the 2012 listing. The Haruhi Suzumiya series

Haruhi Suzumiya

is the general name for a series of light novels written by Nagaru Tanigawa and illustrated by Noizi Ito which were subsequently adapted into other media. The story follows the title character Haruhi Suzumiya, a high school girl who can unconsciously change reality, and her strange antics with her...

, Baka to Test to Shōkanjū

Baka to Test to Shōkanjū

also known as Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts is a Japanese light novel series created by Kenji Inoue and illustrations by Yui Haga...

and the Book Girl series have appeared in five out of eight issues of Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!, while Toaru Majutsu no Index and Toradora!

Toradora!

is a Japanese light novel series by Yuyuko Takemiya, with illustrations by Yasu. The series includes ten novels released between March 10, 2006 and March 10, 2009, published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. Three volumes of a spin-off light novel series was also created,...

have appeared in four. Of these five series, only Toradora! has not achieved a ranking of No. 1 in a given year.

2005

Rank	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
01	Haruhi Suzumiya series Haruhi Suzumiya is the general name for a series of light novels written by Nagaru Tanigawa and illustrated by Noizi Ito which were subsequently adapted into other media. The story follows the title character Haruhi Suzumiya, a high school girl who can unconsciously change reality, and her strange antics with her...	Nagaru Tanigawa Nagaru Tanigawa is a Japanese author from Hyōgo Prefecture, in the Kinki region of Japan. He is a graduate of the law school at Kwansei Gakuin University. He is best known for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya for which he won the grand prize at eighth annual Sneaker Awards and has been adapted as an anime...	Noizi Ito Noizi Ito is a Japanese manga and game artist from Hyōgo, Japan. She is employed by the H-game maker UNiSONSHIFT and is a part of the circle Fujitsubo-Machine...	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
02	Zaregoto series Zaregoto Series is a Japanese novel series written by Japanese novelist Nisio Isin and illustrated by Take. The series was published in Japan between February 5, 2002 and November 2005 by Kodansha Books. It was followed by a spin-off series also published by Kodansha Books, , focusing on the Zerozaki clan...	Nisio Isin Nisio Isin , frequently written as NisiOisiN to emphasize that his pen name is a palindrome, is a Japanese novelist and manga writer. He attended and left Ritsumeikan University without graduating. In 2002, he debuted with the novel , which earned him the 23rd Mephisto Award at twenty years of age...	Take	Kodansha Kodansha , the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...  Novels
03	Akuma no Mikata	Hisamitsu Ueo	Kaori Fujita	Dengeki Bunko Dengeki Bunko is a publishing imprint affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works . It was established in June 1993 with the publication of Hyōryū Densetsu Crystania volume one, and is a light novel imprint aimed at a male audience...
04	Ryūketsu Megamiden	Shinobu Suga	Akari Funato	Cobalt Bunko
05	Baccano! Baccano! is a Japanese light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita and illustrated by Katsumi Enami. The series, often told from multiple points of view, is mostly set within a fictional United States during various time periods, most notably the Prohibition-era. It focuses on various people, including...	Ryohgo Narita Ryohgo Narita ' is a Japanese light novelist. He won the Gold Prize in the 9th Dengeki Novel Prize for Baccano!, which was made into a TV anime in 2007. His series Durarara!! was also made into a TV anime, which began airing January 2010....	Katsumi Enami	Dengeki Bunko
06	Nana Hime Monogatari	Wataru Takano	Osamu Otani
07	Sora no Kane no Hibiku Hoshi de	Soichiro Watase Soichiro Watase , who was born in 1978, is a Japanese author from Yokohama city, Kanagawa prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Honshū, Japan. He made his debut with the novel in 2000, winning Gold in the 7th Dengeki Novel Prize...	Minako Iwasaki Minako Iwasaki is a Japanese game character designer, and manga artist. She joined the game company Nihon Falcom in 1993 and took on character designs for Ys I & II eternal and so on...
08	Allison Allison (light novels) is a Japanese light novel series by Keiichi Sigsawa, with illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. There are three Allison novels, with the third split into two volumes, published by MediaWorks under their Dengeki Bunko label. The first novel was released on March 10, 2002, and the last novel was...	Keiichi Sigsawa	Kouhaku Kuroboshi
09	Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan is a Japanese light novel series written by Masaki Okayu and illustrated by Torishimo. It centers on a teenage boy and a killer angel from the future who constantly gets him into trouble and kills him violently and repeatedly with a spiked club, only to resurrect him seconds later. The novels were...	Masaki Okayu	Torishimo
10	Chaos Legion Chaos Legion is a third-person hack and slash video game developed and published by Capcom. The video game is based on Tow Ubukata's novel of the same name.The story of Chaos Legion is a gothic opera which begins November, 791 A.S. :...	Tow Ubukata Tow Ubukata is a Japanese science fiction light novel, manga and anime creator. He spent ages four to nine of his childhood in Singapore and ages 10 to 14 in Nepal. In Nepal, Ubukata made great effort to maintain his Japanese heritage and language abilities; he read dictionaries to keep in touch with his...	Satoru Yuiga	Fujimi Fujimi Shobo is a Japanese publishing company that specializes in the publication of light novels, manga, role-playing games and collectible card games. The company started in 1991 as a subsidiary of Kadokawa Shoten.-Magazines published:Light novel magazines...  Fantasia Bunko

2006

Rank	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
01	Zaregoto series	Nisio Isin	Take	Kodansha Novels
02	Kino's Journey Kino's Journey , shortened to Kino's Journey, is a Japanese light novel series written by Keiichi Sigsawa, with illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. The series originally started serialization in volume five of MediaWorks' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp on March 17, 2000...	Keiichi Sigsawa	Kouhaku Kuroboshi	Dengeki Bunko
03	Satōgashi no Dangan wa Uchimekenai	Kazuki Sakuraba Kazuki Sakuraba ' is a Japanese author of novels and light novels, and a Naoki Prize winner.Born in 1971, she began her career writing novelizations, but the hit mystery series Gosick brought her work with several light novel publishers, and her book A Lollypop or a Bullet placed third in the Kono Light Novel ga...	Mū	Fujimi Mystery Bunko
04	Sora no Kane no Hibiku Hoshi de	Soichiro Watase	Minako Iwasaki	Dengeki Bunko
05	Owari no Chronicle (Ahead series)	Minoru Kawakami	Satoyasu
06	Haruhi Suzumiya series	Nagaru Tanigawa	Noizi Ito	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
07	Watashitachi no Tamura-kun Watashitachi no Tamura-kun is a two-volume Japanese light novel series by Yuyuko Takemiya, with illustrations by Yasu. The first volume was released on June 10, 2005, and the second followed on September 10, 2005, both published by MediaWorks under their Dengeki Bunko label...	Yuyuko Takemiya Yuyuko Takemiya is a Japanese writer of light novels. Takemiya debuted in September 2004 with her light novel series Watashitachi no Tamura-kun which first appeared in the autumn 2004 issue of Dengeki hp Special, a special edition version of Dengeki hp...	Yasu Yasu (illustrator) is a Japanese illustrator from Tokushima, Japan, though now lives in Tokyo. As of 2007, Yasu is a free illustrator.-Works:Light novels*Koe de Bakasete yo Baby*Oto × Maho*Phantom*Reverse Brad*Toradora!*Watashitachi no Tamura-kun...	Dengeki Bunko
08	Saredo Sainin wa Ryū to Odoru	Rabo Asai	Kyūjyō	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
	All You Need is Kill All You Need is Kill All You Need Is Kill is a Japanese science-fiction light novel by Hiroshi Sakurazaka with illustrations by Yoshitoshi ABe. The novel was Sakurazaka's breakthrough science-fiction novel, earning wide praise from fellow novelists including Yasutaka Tsutsui and Chōhei Kanbayashi and was a entered in...	Hiroshi Sakurazaka Hiroshi Sakurazaka is a Japanese science fiction and fantasy light novel author. He originally began in a career in IT.-Life and career:Sakurazuka made his debut in 2002 at the second Super Dash Novel Rookie of the Year Award with the novel Mahō tsukai no netto, which was later published in December 2003 under the...	Yoshitoshi ABe Yoshitoshi ABe is a Japanese graphic artist who works predominantly in anime and manga. He received his Master of Fine Arts from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. His works have an edgy style due to, among other things, his not using a ruler while drawing as is usual for most anime-style art....	Super Dash Bunko Super Dash Bunko is a Shueisha publishing imprint established in July 2000 for publishing light novels aimed at teenage boys. In April 2001, the label inherited a strong lineup from the discontinued Super Fantasy Bunko label, in addition to inheriting all of their school life and slapstick light novel series...
10	Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora , subtitled looking up at the half-moon and also known as Hantsuki, is a Japanese romance light novel series written by Tsumugu Hashimoto and illustrated by Keiji Yamamoto centering around two hospitalized children aged seventeen and the love they begin to share...	Tsumugu Hashimoto	Keiji Yamamoto	Dengeki Bunko

2007

Rank	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
01	Spice and Wolf Spice and Wolf is a Japanese light novel series written by Isuna Hasekura, with illustrations by Jū Ayakura. ASCII Media Works published 17 novels between February 2006 and July 2011 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. ASCII Media Works reported that as of October 2008, over 2.2 million copies of the first nine...	Isuna Hasekura Isuna Hasekura is a Japanese author and student at Rikkyo University. In 2005, Hasekura won the Silver Prize in the twelfth Dengeki Novel Prize with his debut novel Spice and Wolf...	Jū Ayakura Ju Ayakura is a Japanese illustrator primarily of light novels, although he has worked on one video game.-Works:Novels*Hanamori*Ichigoiro Kinku*Imagine Hiseki*Spice and WolfGames*Angel Bullet*Last Bullet-External links:*...	Dengeki Bunko
02	Haruhi Suzumiya series	Nagaru Tanigawa	Noizi Ito	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
03	Zaregoto series	Nisio Isin	Take	Kodansha Novels
04	Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora	Tsumugu Hashimoto	Keiji Yamamoto	Dengeki Bunko
05	Kino's Journey	Keiichi Sigsawa	Kouhaku Kuroboshi
06	Toradora! Toradora! is a Japanese light novel series by Yuyuko Takemiya, with illustrations by Yasu. The series includes ten novels released between March 10, 2006 and March 10, 2009, published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. Three volumes of a spin-off light novel series was also created,...	Yuyuko Takemiya	Yasu
07	Owari no Chronicle (Ahead series)	Minoru Kawakami	Satoyasu
08	Book Girl series	Mizuki Nomura	Miho Takeoka	Famitsu Famitsu is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...  Bunko
09	Sora no Kane no Hibiku Hoshi de	Soichiro Watase	Minako Iwasaki	Dengeki Bunko
10	Aruhi, Bakudan ga Ochitekite	Hideyuki Furuhashi	Yukari Higa

2008

Rank	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
01	Full Metal Panic! Full Metal Panic! is an ongoing series of light novels written by Shoji Gatoh and illustrated by Shiki Douji. The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of the covert anti-terrorist private military organization known as Mithril, tasked with protecting Kaname Chidori, a spirited Japanese high school girl.Individual...	Shoji Gatoh	Shikidouji	Fujimi Fantasia Bunko
02	Haruhi Suzumiya series	Nagaru Tanigawa	Noizi Ito	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
03	Book Girl series	Mizuki Nomura	Miho Takeoka	Famitsu Bunko
04	Toradora!	Yuyuko Takemiya	Yasu	Dengeki Bunko
05	Spice and Wolf	Isuna Hasekura	Jū Ayakura
06	Kino's Journey	Keiichi Sigsawa	Kouhaku Kuroboshi
07	Mimizuku to Yoru no Ō	Izuki Kogyoku	Hiroo Isono
08	Baka to Test to Shōkanjū Baka to Test to Shōkanjū also known as Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts is a Japanese light novel series created by Kenji Inoue and illustrations by Yui Haga...	Kenji Inoue Kenji Inoue is a Japanese wrestler who won the bronze medal in the Men's Freestyle 60 kg at the 2004 Summer Olympics.-References:...	Yui Haga	Famitsu Bunko
09	Tasogareiro no Uta Tsukai series	Kei Sazane	Miho Takeoka	Fujimi Fantasia Bunko
10	Shakugan no Shana Shakugan no Shana , also known simply as Shana, is a Japanese light novel series written by Yashichiro Takahashi, with illustrations by Noizi Ito. The series includes 25 novels released between November 2002 and October 2011 published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint...	Yashichiro Takahashi Yashichiro Takahashi is a Japanese novelist best known for the creation of the Shakugan no Shana series. The Shakugan no Shana series was adapted into a radio drama, manga, anime, and a video game. In addition, it was adapted into a movie on April 21, 2007. Takahashi also made another series entitled A/B Extreme, which...	Noizi Ito	Dengeki Bunko

2009

Rank	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
01	Book Girl series	Mizuki Nomura	Miho Takeoka	Famitsu Bunko
02	Toradora!	Yuyuko Takemiya	Yasu	Dengeki Bunko
03	Baka to Test to Shōkanjū	Kenji Inoue	Yui Haga	Famitsu Bunko
04	Toaru Majutsu no Index	Kazuma Kamachi	Kiyotaka Haimura Kiyotaka Haimura is a Japanese game character designer and manga style artist best known for his work on the Toaru Majutsu no Index.- Character design :*Hotel ergriffen *Kokyu Shohu *Minato Genso...	Dengeki Bunko
05	Spice and Wolf	Isuna Hasekura	Jū Ayakura
06	Bakemonogatari series Bakemonogatari is a Japanese popular light novel series written by Japanese novelist Nisio Isin and illustrated by Taiwanese illustrator Vofan; the series is published by Kodansha under the Kodansha Box imprint...	Nisio Isin	Vofan	Kodansha Box
07	Seitokai no Ichizon series Seitokai no Ichizon is a collection of Japanese light novels by Sekina Aoi, with illustrations by Kira Inugami. The series started with the release of the first volume on January 19, 2008, published by Fujimi Shobo under their Fujimi Fantasia Bunko label. Originally the series was called , but was later changed to the...	Sekina Aoi	Kira Inugami Kira Inugami is a female Japanese manga artist. She often participates in cosplaying events.-Works illustrated:*H2O: Footprints in the Sand artbook & manga*√After and Another artbook-External links:*...	Fujimi Fantasia Bunko
08	Full Metal Panic!	Shoji Gatoh	Shikidouji
09	Usotsuki Mii-kun to Kowareta Maa-chan	Hitoma Iruma	Hidari	Dengeki Bunko
10	Toaru Hikūshi e no Tsuioku	Koroku Inumura	Haruyuki Morisawa	Gagaga Bunko

2010

Rank	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
01	Baka to Test to Shōkanjū	Kenji Inoue	Yui Haga	Famitsu Bunko
02	Bakemonogatari series	Nisio Isin	Vofan	Kodansha Box
03	Book Girl series	Mizuki Nomura	Miho Takeoka	Famitsu Bunko
04	Toradora!	Yuyuko Takemiya	Yasu	Dengeki Bunko
05	Seitokai no Ichizon series	Sekina Aoi	Kira Inugami	Fujimi Fantasia Bunko
06	Tasogareiro no Uta Tsukai series	Sazane Kei	Miho Takeoka
07	Usotsuki Mii-kun to Kowareta Maa-chan	Hitoma Iruma	Hidari	Dengeki Bunko
08	Ben-To Ben-To is a Japanese light novel series written by Asaura, with illustrations by Kaito Shibano. The first volume was published in February 2008, and nine volumes have been released by Shueisha as of July 2011. A manga adaptation titled Ben To Zero: Road to Witch, also illustrated by Shibano, was...	Asaura	Kaito Shibano	Super Dash Bunko
09	Toaru Majutsu no Index	Kazuma Kamachi	Kiyotaka Haimura	Dengeki Bunko
10	Sōkyū no Karma	Kōshi Tachibana	Haruyuki Morisawa	Fujimi Fantasia Bunko

2011

Rank	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
01	Toaru Majutsu no Index	Kazuma Kamachi	Kiyotaka Haimura	Dengeki Bunko
02	Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai , also known as , is a Japanese light novel series written by Yomi Hirasaka, illustrated by Buriki, and published by Media Factory. It has twice been given manga adaptations; the first incarnation, its title and basic plot unchanged, began serialization in 2010; it was written and illustrated by...	Yomi Hirasaka	Buriki	MF Bunko J
03	Baka to Test to Shōkanjū	Kenji Inoue	Yui Haga	Famitsu Bunko
04	Sword Art Online Sword Art Online is a Japanese light novel series by Reki Kawahara, with illustrations by Abec. It will be adapted into an anime and a video game.-Plot:Kirito, a solo player who had the luck-of-the-draw to play the beta version, and the many other players of Sword Art Online are trapped inside of a game, unable...	Reki Kawahara	abec	Dengeki Bunko
05	Ben-To	Asaura	Kaito Shibano	Super Dash Bunko
06	Book Girl series	Mizuki Nomura	Miho Takeoka	Famitsu Bunko
07	Seitokai no Ichizon series	Sekina Aoi	Kira Inugami	Fujimi Fantasia Bunko
08	Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai Ore no Imoto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai , also known as or for short, is a Japanese light novel series written by Tsukasa Fushimi, with illustrations provided by Hiro Kanzaki. Nine volumes have been published since August 2008. A manga adaptation drawn by Sakura Ikeda was serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine. A...	Tsukasa Fushimi	Hiro Kanzaki	Dengeki Bunko
09	Durarara!! Durarara!! , often romanized as DRRR!! in Japan, is a Japanese light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita, with illustrations by Suzuhito Yasuda, that has also been adapted in to a Japanese anime series. As of February 2011, nine volumes have been published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko...	Ryohgo Narita	Suzuhito Yasuda
10	Kami-sama no Memo-chō Kami-sama no Memo-chō is a Japanese light novel series written by Hikaru Sugii, with illustrations by Mel Kishida. The first volume was published in January 2007, and as of September 2011, eight volumes have been released by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation illustrated by Tiv...	Hikaru Sugii Hikaru Sugii , born in 1978 in Tokyo, is a Japanese light novel author. In 2005, his debut work Hime no Miko won the Silver Prize at the 12th Dengeki Novel Prize.-Works:* Hime no Miko...	Mel Kishida

2012

Rank	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
01	Sword Art Online	Reki Kawahara	abec	Dengeki Bunko
02	Toaru Majutsu no Index	Kazuma Kamachi	Kiyotaka Haimura
03	Ben-To	Asaura	Kaito Shibano	Super Dash Bunko
04	Circlet Girl	Satoshi Hase	Miyū	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
05	Baka to Test to Shōkanjū	Kenji Inoue	Yui Haga	Famitsu Bunko
06	Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai	Yomi Hirasaka	Buriki	MF Bunko J
07	Occultologic	Tsukasa Nimeguchi	Magomago	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
08	Haruhi Suzumiya series	Nagaru Tanigawa	Noizi Ito
09	Idolising!	Sakaki Hirozawa	Cuteg	Dengeki Bunko
10	Iris on Rainy Days	Matsuyama Takeshi	Hirasato

Female

Year	Character	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
2005	Dokuro Mitsukai	Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan	Masaki Okayu	Torishimo	Dengeki Bunko
2006	Kino	Kino's Journey	Keiichi Sigsawa	Kouhaku Kuroboshi
2007	Holo	Spice and Wolf	Isuna Hasekura	Jū Ayakura
2008	Haruhi Suzumiya	Haruhi Suzumiya series	Nagaru Tanigawa	Noizi Ito	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
2009	Tohko Amano	Book Girl series	Mizuki Nomura	Miho Takeoka	Famitsu Bunko
2010	Mikoto Misaka	Toaru Majutsu no Index	Kazuma Kamachi	Kiyotaka Haimura	Dengeki Bunko
2011

Male

Year	Character	Title	Author	Artist	Imprint
2005	I	Zaregoto series	Nisio Isin	Take	Kodansha Novels
2006
2007	Mikoto Sayama	Owari no Chronicle (Ahead series)	Minoru Kawakami	Satoyasu	Dengeki Bunko
2008	Sousuke Sagara Sousuke Sagara is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the light novel, manga, and anime series Full Metal Panic!. He was portrayed by Tomokazu Seki in the original anime and by Chris Patton in the English dub.-Overview:...	Full Metal Panic!	Shoji Gatoh	Shikidouji	Fujimi Fantasia Bunko
2009	Hideyoshi Kinoshita	Baka to Test to Shōkanjū	Kenji Inoue	Yui Haga	Famitsu Bunko
2010
2011	Tōma Kamijō	Toaru Majutsu no Index	Kazuma Kamachi	Kiyotaka Haimura	Dengeki Bunko