2025 Bingo Reading Challenge ✅

[suadang]

as a non Japanese speaker who has read a lot of translations in Korean and English, I raise you: Lonely Castle in the Mirror and Journey Under the Midnight Sun. I believe you can find the Japanese titles for yourself. Heh

[Naphthalene]

@Akashelia

So 攻殻機動隊 it was.

Oooh, it’s been on my wishlist forever. I remember seeing the movie 20 ish years ago? I only remember the characters (vaguely), the setting (as you described) and none of the plot (plus, I assume that the movie and the manga may be pretty different)

[nikoru]

Thanks to the recent readathon on WaniKani, I finished another book!

香君3 , which is set in a fantasy country.

10 books in and still no bingo By now I think I should change my approach and see how long I can go without getting one

[CatDQ]

For anyone wondering - Journey under the midnight sun is 白夜行 in Japanese.

[Akashelia]

@suadang

as a non Japanese speaker who has read a lot of translations in Korean and English, I raise you: Lonely Castle in the Mirror and Journey Under the Midnight Sun. I believe you can find the Japanese titles for yourself. Heh

Nice thanks! The first one I definitely have on my to-read list so it’s a good candidate too! The second one seems to be “another” Keigo Higashino, I’ve already read 3 of his books and have 3 more to go to finish the Masquerade series. Not that I won’t read any other Higashino but would like to diversify my reading a bit before.

@Naphthalene

Oooh, it’s been on my wishlist forever. I remember seeing the movie 20 ish years ago? I only remember the characters (vaguely), the setting (as you described) and none of the plot (plus, I assume that the movie and the manga may be pretty different)

Never seen any adaptation so I couldn’t tell! But I enjoyed the manga, let me know what you think if you get around it! and just a tip, the last 50 pages are notes that are meant to be read while you read, I only found out they were there when I was done, very embarrassing)

[suadang]

“Another Higashino” is devastating… I’m on my 14th book of his right now and I bought at least 9 more in Korea LMAOOO

[Akashelia]

xD
Nothing wrong with that! Enjoy!

[suadang]

lil update

Finished:
불편한 편의점 2. A heartwarming read and a fitting conclusion to the first book. Do not read if you did not at least tolerate the first book.

비밀 (Secret) by Higashino Keigo. An unforgettable 5-star read and the new #2 on my Higashino tier list, displacing The Devotion of Suspect X. This book fucked me up so hard I had to write a review.

Next: emotionally empty after 비밀, I have to read something light and undemanding. It would be a good time to finally fill in that webnovel square.

[Snappie]

I’m really hyped for the 2026 edition. This time I want to participate from start to finish.

[moka]

some updates for this month.

• Set where I’ve lived: エル・カザド | L21
• Recommended to me: ささやくように恋を唄う 1 | L20, a friend recommended me this one a while ago but only now got around to read it.
• Someone else’s card: 百年文通 | L36 from Belerith’s card.

finally two bingos

previous squares

Unusual genre to me: さびしすぎてレズ風俗に行きましたレポ | L33
Features cats: おじさまと猫 1 | L17
Keep hearing about it: https://learnnatively.com/book/4b055a1cd5/
Unknown premise: ごぜほたる | L32
One word title: BIBLIOMANIA | L26
Second volume of series: キノの旅 2 | L30
Title includes number: エイリアン9 コンプリート | L21
Language related: 日本人の心がわかる日本語 | L23
Non-human protagonist: ライカの星 | L24
Natively - no ratings: スペクトラルウィザード | L27
New Natively level to me: https://learnnatively.com/book/30c7f5b219/
Book & adaptation: 貧乏姉妹物語(1) | L16 + 貧乏姉妹物語 S1 | L17
Science Fiction: 小説ヨコハマ買い出し紀行: 見て、歩き、よろこぶ者 KCノベルス | L29
Set outside of Japan: 碧いホルスの瞳 -男装の女王の物語- 1 | L28
Favorite color cover: 雨宮さん 1 通常版 | L23
Curious title: 阿・吽(1) | L35
Untranslated: 5分で読める胸キュンなラストの物語 | L28

[mitrac]

• September update
  • Retired age character: ふしぎ駄菓子屋 銭天堂7 | L23 (despite acting like an 8 yo, the MC of one chapter is retired)

Previous squares

• January:
  • Category: Read a book and its adaptation
    • I read シャドーハウス Vol 1 (Shadows House) and watched the first 2 anime episodes that perfectly cover Volume 1. It was great - definitely recommend!
  • 昴とスーさん 1巻 | L22 Category: unusual genre for me. I’ve never read a slice of life manga, and this also has other elements I don’t want to spoil that I’ve not approached yet. I left the first review if anyone is interested, I definitely recommend.
  • しろくまカフェbis 3 | L19 Category: favorite color cover (I love green and blue!). The cute world of panda, polar bear, and penguin can always brighten my day
• February:
  • Set outside Japan: たったひとりのサバイバル・ゲーム! 極寒の雪山を脱出せよ | L21
  • Anything / free spot: SLAM DUNK 3 | L23
  • New Natively level: ドラえもん一年生 学年別ドラえもん名作選 | L16
  • One word title: ハルタ 2020-AUGUST volume 77 | L31
• March update:
  • Non-human protagonist: 葬送のフリーレン 4 | L25
• April:
  • Recommended to me: ふしぎな声のする町で: ものだま探偵団 | L25
  • This is a great read if you like cozy mystery. I really enjoy this author and have already ordered the next book in this series.
• May update - first bingo!
  • Features cats: ふしぎ駄菓子屋 銭天堂6 | L23
  • Character with a disability: アンリの靴 第1巻 | L25 (love this!)
  • Science fiction: ドラえもん 45 | L21 (yes, that is the last of the series, no I did not read them all )
  • Unknown premise: ライカの星 | L24 (another great one)
• July update
  • Keep hearing about it: 木曜日にはココアを | L28

[shuly]

@mitrac

despite acting like an 8 yo, the MC of one chapter is retired)

you say this like it’s a bad thing

[mitrac]

@shuly

you say this like it’s a bad thing

Well, then you’ll just have to read to find out

[monace]

Topic you didn’t know about: I’m going with “Catholic schools”: 너만 모르는 진실 | L26
Apart from learning a lof of vocab, I feel like I got used to prose in a way I hadn’t before. All the sentences that go with speaking verbs like “he nodded”, “she murmured”, “she agreed”, “he looked away”, the sentences that you never get in mangas, in epistolary novels, and barely ever in first-person books either, have now stuck a lot more. I feel like that will make reading harder books easier.

Previous reads

우리우리 복댕이 | L15 Non-human protagonist
호랑이 들어와요 | L17 Book you keep hearing about
우리들의 식탁 | L17 Genre you don’t usually read
숲속의 담 1 | L18 Didn’t know the premise going in
딱 하나만 선택하라면, 책 | L18 A book about a book
숲속의 담 2 | L18 2nd volume of a series
나빌레라 1 | L19 Main character is retirement age or older
좋은 날이야, 네가 옆에 있잖아 | L19 FREE SPACE
히카루가 죽은 여름 2 | L21 Recommended to you
히카루가 죽은 여름 3 | L21 Favourite colour
노인의 꿈 첫 번째 이야기 | L21 Title includes a number
기억술사 1 | L27 One-word title
당연하게도 나는 너를 | L23 Title that sounds curious
긴긴밤 | L21 Adventure-themed
너만 모르는 진실 | L26 Topic you didn’t know about

[bizoo]

I am fully in the ~changing categories to fit what i’m actually reading~ stage of the year.

Book about books - 명탐정의 저주 | L30 Very meta book about a crime writer who finds himself trapped inside the world of a detective novel. I loved it, especially towards the end when it got really meta and weird.

Retired Character - 두 번째 거짓말 | L30 Crime thriller with a very cinematic opening and a lot of tension. The narrative paid attention to patriarchy and women’s treatment in society which was similar in tone to another 정해연 book 용의자들. The retired character in question isn’t the main character but the suspect.

Book and Adaptation - 살롱 드 홈즈 | L30 Very tropey fun crime caper in which a group of middle aged ladies band together to try and catch the local pervert who has been exposing himself to women in their apartment block. It got a very wacky drama adaptation this summer which was very cheesy and over the top (complimentary).

Short Story Collection- 우리 집에 왜 왔어? | L28?? More 정해연 for the list. I like her writing and these three short stories all keenly expressed the fear and anxiety of realising that monsters can lurk behind the faces of our family, friends and neighbours. Good pick for anyone looking for something short but unsettling/소름이 끼치는 this autumn.

[shitsurei]

@bizoo

~changing categories to fit what i’m actually reading~ stage

I’m right behind you

[Snappie]

I Read Level 26 英雄と魔女の転生ラブコメ

英雄と魔女の転生ラブコメ | L26

I also concluded I should have gone for a 4x4 field but whatever I’ll do that in the next bingo. I can still get one or two bingo’s if I try and I’d consider that a win. (I’m still quite slow when it comes to reading Japanese books). I also eased the requirements for the bottom row, second from the left to “Read a book that doesn’t have any written reviews on Natively” because the original prompt made it difficult to find books of my level

I also buy like 5 kindle books per book that I read. Good thing that they’re dirt cheap. And it gives me a good pool to play bingo with!

[suadang]

How was the book? The title sounds kinda cool

[monace]

I liked it! It’s a YA sort of mystery book, I found the characters well rounded, each has their own perspective of events that are all understandable (not that I agreed with all of them, maybe realistic is a better word?).
The really brief summary is that a girl committed suicide on school grounds, and while the police is investigating, the teachers are talking to students - specifically to 4 students who each received a letter from their friend a few months after her death. It did make me think of how I would have acted if I were in that situation at that age - or even at my age in the teachers’ shoes.

Let me know what you think if you end up giving it a go!

[暁のルナ]

@monace

Topic you didn’t know about: I’m going with “Catholic schools”: 너만 모르는 진실 | L26
Apart from learning a lof of vocab, I feel like I got used to prose in a way I hadn’t before.

@monace

The really brief summary is that a girl committed suicide on school grounds, and while the police is investigating, the teachers are talking to students - specifically to 4 students who each received a letter from their friend a few months after her death.

This sounds bizarrely similar to 暗黒女子 | L34 which @eefara recommended to me recently