From someone else’s card: シャドーハウス 1 | L23 from @mitrac 's card!
Hmmm… it’s all the way in the corner over there… not an ideal spot for a bingo 
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You’re on track for a diagonal! 
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I had a very busy last couple of weeks but finally got my first book done (魔女の宅急便):
It was a fun read, but not exactly gripping. The film is definitely better. It also has lots of hiragana where there would usually be kanji, which made it harder than necessary.
Next up is また、同じ夢を見ていた for Book I always hear about but have never read.
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Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. I was thinking for me it’s around the same difficulty as Zoo book 1 which I think is about Lv 28 now so that makes me feel a bit better
I haven’t read any of these except what I tried to read and listen to regarding また、同じ夢を見ていた with the book club,which I wouldn’t have said was the same as Lv as Zenitendo series and 世界の真ん中の木 (at least not for me anyway) so maybe my comfort level is way lower than I thought and the books I thought were higher levels are actually lower than they’re marked. It would certainly explain some of the issues I come across 
Looks like I might be biting off more than I can handle with the rest of my bingo card if that’s the case.
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Hey, you have 25% filled squares already and still 11 months to go, no need to be that pessimistic, I‘d think. If you look things up even a more difficult book becomes readable.
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Yeah but my Goal is to get through 本好き book one and I think I’m gonna need about 2 months for that and the other books on my list are now looking a lot more difficult than I anticipated they would be.
That’s not to say I’m giving up, just may need to rethink my choices if things get way over my head 
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Yay, I chose a manga based purely on the color, picture and title name and it was gold!
I read the first book of Gal to Dino and discovered a new favorite genre: Iyashikei. All the chapters end on a good and soothing note, whereas my last read “Chis sweet home” had oftentimes sad or stressful parts mixed in between hillarious moments.
Anyway, here is my my new card. I’ll probably add some more of this series to my chart in the next few days 
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Oh I love that series! I should probably read some more of it… thanks for the reminder!
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I had an excellent month in terms of reading!
If I do happen to read a better manga that fits a square, I always have the urge to replace the old one. So, this card is likely to change at random.
January Highlights
One-word title
ブレス 1 | L24
Excellent art and atypical character designs. The way the scenes of the MC working on makeup are done, it really feels like he’s in battle. His passion and struggles are easy to empathize with for anyone with a competitive hobby.
New genre
限界OLさんは悪役令嬢さまに仕えたい 1 1 | L27
This is my first isekai. I’m extra picky about art style when it comes to women in manga. I originally bought this one just because it was a yuri with art I liked. I was surprised that the story was this fun. The chemistry between the two girls on the cover is stellar so far.
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Book Titles and Links
1. Title has number
2. New genre to me
野ばら Tadoku illustrated version
I think that this version is a bit better than the original because there are pictures. But story wise, it’s set in a boring place with two ppl who were also probably bored to death there if not for each other.
3. Language related
Pimsleur Japanese Level 1
This link is for Lesson 1 to 5 only but I’ve completed Level 1, Lesson 1 to 30 and all reading lessons. I think this series is one of the best for self-studying.
4. Was recommended to me
5. Features cats
6. Character with disabilities
7. Favorite color cover
小学館ジュニア文庫 名探偵コナン 灰原哀セレクション 裏切りの代償
Currently reading this
8. Main character is retired age or older
イベンチュア-KURUSHIMA BOOK-
Short manga to complete this bingo square. The story turned out better than expected.
9. Past book club
10. From someone’s card
チーズスイートホーム（１）
This is enjoyable because Chi’s so cute.
11. Unknown premise
名探偵コナン 絶海の探偵
I’m currently addicted to Detective Conan novels. I like that it has furigana for all kanji. Good series for intermediate level learners.
12. Non-human protagonist
13. Free
14. New topic to me
劇場版アニメ名探偵コナン から紅の恋歌
Someone mentioned that this book is about Karuta so I decided to read it because I’m curious about the game.
15. 2nd volume of series
16. Science fiction
学年別ドラえもん名作選一年生~六年生 ためし読み特別版
I used to like Doraemon translated manga when I was young. The stories in this free book are new to me. Or I might have forgotten the stories I’ve read. 
17. Set outside of Japan
18. Seeking Recommendations Thread
19. Curious title
20. One-word title
野ばら
Boring book. Definitely not my cup of tea.
21. Keep hearing about
名探偵コナン から紅の恋歌
I was curious about Karuta and I heard that Detective Conan novels are suitable for intermediate learners. Since it was my first time reading Japanese novels, I bought both the manga and novel versions for several titles just in case I can’t understand the story from the novel versions only.
22. Where I’ve lived before
23. No review on Natively
劇場版アニメ名探偵コナン 絶海の探偵
I prefer the novel version compared to this manga.
24. New Natively level to me
指輪
Another short story to fill up the bingo square. It’s the highest level I’ve tried before and I need to use a translator to understand some parts of the story. Did not enjoy reading it at all.
25. Read a book and consume adaptation
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I finished two books and bingo squares since Thursday:
- Book + adaptation - 沖縄で好きになった子が方言すぎてツラすぎる 1, the manga corresponds to the episodes #1-3 of the anime that started in January.
- 2nd volume of series - ふたごの魔法つかいと女神の星, retells some old Greek myth about “winter“ and changes it into an adventure for three girls and two witches: 1.6 lookups/page, 20.7% zero-lookup pages for me, LN level 22. Still in search for a non-manga book with less than 1.0 lookups/page
and will start one new bingo square these days, and a book for in-between:
- Favorite color cover - 幻獣調査員, about a investigator of mystical beasts, she seems to have much work to do. During February, this book will run in the background together with the light novel book club.
- おまわりさんと招き猫 あやかしの町のふしぎな日常, which is an urban fantasy setting if I can belief it’s title and also has a talking cat as MC iirc from my test read. Hmm, maybe I‘ll re-arrange my bingo card…
Btw, the title page continues on the back cover:
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Hi everyone, new here, and first post Been lurking around for a while, and finally decided to take active part in this bingo for KR !
I made my own card taking inspiration from others, and filled my first square. (fully covered covers are planned/currently reading)
5x5 is kind of an ambitious goal for me, but let’s see how it goes !
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Congrats on the squares and welcome!!
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My updated card as of February 2, 2025.
I’ve finished the squares for:
New Natively Level (to me): ふくよも, which was level 17 when I read it, but seems to have dropped to level 1６.
Set Outside Japan: 悪役令嬢の兄に転生しました
Title Includes a Number: 怪獣８号
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Read やがて君になる not intending to use it for bingo, but then I noticed it had a past book club.
For the no reviews and new level prompts, I decided that a book would only have to meet that criteria when I started reading it. It was a good thing I decided that, because soon after I started 暁のヨナ it changed from level 28 to 27.
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I’m also operating under these rules bc the book I want to use for no gradings has gradings, they’re just from me when I paused reading (and marked as stopped) a few months ago.
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Meanwhile, 幼女戦記 1 Deus lo vult | L43 dropped from 44 (not a new level) to 43 (new level, thus making it even harder to find something at a new level) and I’m 99.9% considering counting it as “new level” anyway.
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Count it, we won’t tell anyone 
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I finished 숲속의 담 2 | L17 a few days ago, and I liked it as much as the first book. I’m counting it for “2nd volume of a series”, but I think I’ll stop here and read a few other books before starting volume 3. I’m still enjoying the art, but there were less flowers & colours in this one, despite the beautiful cover.
I have to say, I’m having a lot of fun with this challenge! I am now a bingo fan!
The only problem is I now expect every single book I read to fit into the challenge, and I don’t think it is realistic. We’ll see how it goes!
Previous reads
우리우리 복댕이 | L16 Non-human protagonist
호랑이 들어와요 | L18 Book you keep hearing about
우리들의 식탁 | L17 Genre you don’t usually read
숲속의 담 1 | L17 Didn’t know the premise going in
딱 하나만 선택하라면, 책 | L19 A book about a book
숲속의 담 2 | L17 2nd volume of a series
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I had this feeling as well, partly why I chose a smaller card. I planned out my books that I would use with a mind to change them if I feel I need to. That way I had something in mind and don’t feel too bad if some of my reads don’t fit in with the squares
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