The Haruhi Suzumiya series is a well-known Japanese light novel written by Nagaru Tanigawa and illustrated by Noizi Ito. It is ranked 1st in the most popular light novel list since it has played a significant role in the light novel industry. You could say it's the number one series in the best light novel list, and it's played a massive role in making light novels popular.

The story is about a high school student named Kyon who has an unusual encounter with a girl named Haruhi Suzumiya. Haruhi is a bit strange, and she wants to meet aliens, time travelers, and other supernatural creatures. She starts a club at their school called the "SOS Brigade" to try and find them. The club has some other members like Yuki Nagato, Mikuru Asahina, and Itsuki Koizumi, and they all have their special powers.

Here's the exciting part: Kyon discovers that Haruhi has powers like a god, and she can change the world without even realizing it. As Kyon gets more involved with Haruhi and her club, he gets caught up in all the mysteries and strange things that happen because of her powers.

The series also has a unique story element called the "Endless Eight," where the characters are stuck in a time loop and have to live through the same two weeks over 15,000 times. This part of the story surprised and fascinated fans.

Not only is it a book series, but Haruhi Suzumiya also became an anime with two seasons, and it's become popular with fans of the books and people who like anime.

Detailed information:

• Author: Nagaru Tanigawa
• Illustrator: Noizi Ito
• Published: from 2003
• Genre: Fantasy, Slice of life

Sword Art Online is one of the most popular Japanese light novel series worldwide. It combines elements of science fiction and fantasy, captivating a broad and diverse audience, and has been turned into various forms of entertainment like anime, manga, and video games. This light novel, which began in 2009, consists of five main parts: Aincrad, Fairy Dance, Phantom Bullet, Alicization, and Unital Ring.

Sword Art Online is set in a made-up world in 2022, where a super-advanced online game called Sword Art Online is created. The revolutionary FullDive technology lets players dive entirely into the VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game).

The story starts when players of Sword Art Online find themselves stuck in the game world and can't log out. Throughout the series, a group of unforgettable characters takes the leading roles, with Kirito (Kazuto Kirigaya) and Asuna Yuuki as the central characters. As the story unfolds, they meet other players, some as friends and some as foes, in the virtual worlds they explore.

The light novels have been successfully turned into an exciting anime series, beginning with the Aincrad storyline and covering multiple story segments. There are also manga versions, video games, and even a movie called "Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale." This multi-dimensional saga continues to be celebrated by fans of light novels and anime, showing its enduring popularity.

Detailed information:

• Author: Reki Kawahara
• Illustrator: abec
• Published: from 2009
• Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

Re: ZERO -Starting Life in Another World, or simply Re: ZERO, is a top-rated Isekai light novel series. It first appeared online in 2012 on a platform called Shosetsuka ni Naro, and since 2014, over 30 volumes of light novels have been published.

The story revolves around Subaru Natsuki, a regular young man suddenly transported to a fantasy world. In this new world, Subaru discovers that he has a unique ability called Return by Death. This power lets him go back to a specific time when he dies, giving him the chance to make different choices and try again.

Subaru's life in this new world turns dark as he gets caught up in challenging and often gruesome situations. Along the way, he forms relationships with different characters, including Emilia, a mysterious half-elf, and Rem and Ram, twin maids from the mansion he frequently visits. Subaru's journey is marked by trials, tragedies, and the emotional toll of his unique power as he tries to protect the people he cares about.

Re: ZERO -Starting Life in Another World has a diverse cast of characters, each with backgrounds and motivations, and they all go through their growth and development. Subaru, in particular, experiences significant personal growth as he deals with his extraordinary power and the complex challenges of this fantasy world.

Detailed information:

• Author: Tappei Nagatsuki
• Illustrator: Shinichiro Otsuka
• Published: from 2012
• Genre: Dark fantasy, Isekai, Naro

Overlord is a famous Japanese light novel. It was published first on Arcadia and Shosetsuka ni Naro in 2012. It's about a regular office worker named Suzuki Satoru who gets stuck in a virtual reality game called Yggdrasil. He stays logged in when the game is supposed to shut down, and strange things happen. The game characters come to life, and the game world becomes real.

Satoru, now in the game world, becomes a powerful character called Momonga. He takes control of a giant dungeon called the Great Tomb of Nazarick and its loyal characters. He starts exploring this new world, trying to find other players and understand why the game is still going.

Overlord talks about big ideas like power, what's right or wrong, leadership, and what happens when you're very powerful in a new world. There are many interesting characters, including Momonga and his loyal followers, and they meet other characters, some who help and some who are enemies.

Overlord was turned into a TV show, comic books, and audio stories. The TV show covers different parts of the story. The original books are where the main story comes from, and more are still being made.

Detailed information:

• Author: Kugane Maruyama
• Illustrator: so-bin
• Published: from 2012
• Genre: Naro, Isekai

The Rising of the Shield Hero is a beloved Japanese book series by Aneko Yusagi. It's a story in another world, where Naofumi Iwatani is chosen as a unique hero. But he's given the weakest weapon, a shield, and is accused of a crime he didn't commit. Because of this, he's treated poorly by the people in that world.

Naofumi is determined to clear his name and survive, so he goes on an adventure with his only friend, Raphtalia, a young demi-human. He also makes other friends along the way. Using his special shield to protect them, he becomes solid. The story discusses important ideas like unfairness, not giving up, and making up for mistakes. Naofumi changes significantly during the story, and you meet many interesting characters.

The Rising of the Shield Hero boasts a diverse array of well-developed characters. Naofumi Iwatani serves as the central figure, but the story also introduces other heroes, including Raphtalia and Filo, a bird-like creature, and various companions, antagonists, and supporting characters who enrich the narrative. This story has been made into different things like a TV show, comics, and other novels.

Detailed information:

• Author: Aneko Yusagi
• Illustrator: Minami Seira
• Published: from 2012
• Genre: Naro, Isekai, Adventure

My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected is a Japanese book series that started in 2011 and ended with the 14th volume in 2019 (with three shorter books also published in the series). It's about a high school student named Hachiman Hikigaya, who is often pessimistic and doesn't like being around people.

He's made to join the school's Service Club, where he meets Yukino Yukinoshita, a brilliant but distant girl, and Yui Yuigahama, a cheerful and outgoing girl. The Service Club's job is to help other students with their problems, and through this, Hachiman starts to rethink his views on life and relationships.

The story is about human relationships, personal growth, and the challenges of high school. It's known for its sharp and thoughtful writing style, as Hachiman gives a unique and sometimes gloomy perspective on how people interact.

This book series has been turned into an anime, and the last season of the anime came out in 2020. The anime shows what happens in the story. But the main level is in the books, and there are more books to come.

Detailed information:

• Author: Wataru Watari
• Illustrator: Ponkan8
• Published: 2011-2019
• Genre: Slice of life, Romance

No Game No Life is a famous Japanese light novel created by Yuu Kamiya, who also goes by Thiago Furukawa Lucas. The story is about two siblings, Sora and Shiro, who are incredibly good at playing games. They're known as the Blank team and have never lost a game they've played.

One day, they get an invitation to another world called Disboard. In this world, instead of fighting, people solve their problems by playing games. Sora and Shiro aim to challenge Tet, who is the god of fun, and become the rulers of this world.

The main ideas in No Game No Life are about strategy, intelligence, and how games can be used to solve problems and arguments. The story also highlights the importance of working together as a team and finding clever ways to win in a world where games are the most important thing.

Sora and Shiro, the brothers and sisters in the story, have unique abilities. Sora is good at making plans and talking to people, while Shiro is a genius with numbers and logic. Throughout the series, you meet many characters, from Disboard and others who challenge Sora and Shiro to high-stakes games.

One cool thing about No Game No Life is its amazing pictures. The books have detailed and colorful illustrations that make the story even more exciting.

Detailed information:

• Author: Yu Kamiya
• Illustrator: Yu Kamiya
• Published: from 2012
• Genre: Fantasy, Isekai

Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! is a Japanese book series created by Natsume Akatsuki and illustrated by Kurone Mishima. It first gained popularity on the website Shosetsuka ni Naro before its official release in 2013. The series concluded its story in May 2020. It's a lighthearted and whimsical tale set in an alternate world, commonly called an isekai, and primarily follows the adventures of a young man named Kazuma Satou.

He's not your typical hero, and he's a bit of a shut-in. But after a strange turn of events, he ends up in a fantasy world. There, he meets a goddess named Aqua, and instead of choosing a powerful item, he decides to bring Aqua with him, much to her annoyance. Together with their unusual friends, Megumin and Darkness, they go on comical and sometimes absurd quests.

The story is primarily a comedy and often pokes fun at the usual fantasy and isekai stories. It explores themes of friendship, absurdity, and the consequences of the characters' actions. The characters, like Kazuma, Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness, are all a bit unusual, and their interactions are often hilarious.

Konosuba has been turned into different things, like two seasons of a TV show, a comic book version, and even a full-length animated movie. The TV series is especially famous for its humor and how it turns the typical isekai story on its head.

Detailed information:

• Author: Natsume Akatsuki
• Illustrator: Kurone Mishima
• Published: 2012-2020
• Genre: Isekai, Comedy

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is a popular light novel in Japan written by Fuse and illustrated by Mitz Vah. It's well-liked for its unique story.

The story has a lot of different characters; some are human, and some are not. The main character is Rimuru Tempest, known for being wise and kind. Other important characters like the mighty demon lord Milim Nava and the skilled warrior Shion also have essential roles in Rimuru's adventures and his goal of creating a new nation.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is about Satoru Mikami, a regular office worker, who suddenly finds himself in a fantasy world as a slime, a gooey creature. He takes on the name Rimuru Tempest and discovers that he can do extraordinary things, like absorbing the powers of other animals. As a slime, he makes friends with many different beings and sets out on a journey to explore the new world, make it a better place, and build his nation.

The series discusses themes like going on adventures, making friends, and building a new nation. Rimuru is a character who cares about other people and what's right, which drives him to help the creatures in the fantasy world. The story also shows how working together and talking to each other is essential for making a peaceful society. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime has also been made into a TV show that started in 2018.

Detailed information:

• Author: Fuse
• Illustrator: Mitz Vah
• Published: from 2014
• Genre: Naro, Isekai

A Certain Magical Index is a viral and extensive light novel written by Kazuma Kamachi and illustrated by Kiyotaka Haimura. It's divided into three main parts: the first, "A Certain Magical Index," published from 2004 to 2010, then "New Testament: A Certain Magical Index," which continued from 2011 to 2019, and the latest part, "Genesis Testament: A Certain Magical Index," which began in 2020. In total, the series consists of a substantial 50 volumes.

The story occurs in a world where supernatural powers and advanced technology coexist. It follows the lives of two central characters: Toma Kamijo, a high school student with a unique ability called Imagine Breaker that can nullify any supernatural power or magic, and Index, a young nun with extensive knowledge of magical texts stored in her memory.

As they get caught up in a series of conflicts, they navigate a complex world with different groups, including magicians, espers (people with psychic abilities), and secret organizations. The story explores their exciting adventures, challenges, and ongoing efforts to maintain balance in a world where science and magic are both critical.

The series has also led to popular spin-off stories like A Certain Scientific Railgun, which focuses on the character Mikoto Misaka, and A Certain Scientific Accelerator, which centers around Accelerator. These spin-offs have gained their devoted fan base. A Certain Magical Index has been successfully adapted into various forms of media, including multiple seasons of animated TV shows, comic book versions, video games, and even a full-length animated movie.

Detailed information:

• Author: Kazuma Kamachi
• Illustrator: Kiyotaka Haimura
• Published: from 2004
• Genre: Fantasy, Action