Hello everyone! Welcome to another article in our ongoing coverage of Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi 2021.

In this article, we’re taking a look at the Top 10 Bunkobon light novels. There are a lot of new titles on the list this year, with only 3 of them being already licensed for English release. That said, given how often light novels that place in the Top 10 get licensed, check out the unlicensed titles as they could be future announcements!

Another interesting fact, there isn’t a single isekai title on this list!

1

Chitose-kun wa Ramune Bin no Naka / Chitose-kun is in a ramune bottle / 千歳くんはラムネ瓶のなか

Written by: Hiromu / Illustrated by: raemz

“Chitose Saku from Class 5 is a playboy scumbag.” --Even with such rumors about him circulating around the school's underground board, Chitose Saku is a member of the ruling caste of Fuji Highschool. The people who gathers him were all of dignified appearance and wholesome personalities. The girl closest to him with the aura of a princess, Hiiragi Yuuko. A diligent girl who's popular amongst boys, Uchida Yua. The bubbly ace of the basketball club, Aomi Haru… etc. While enjoying the new school term with his group of friends, Saku was requested to reform a certain social-withdrawn student. Is the start of his fulfilling harem story, or what is it--? 

Source: Anime-Planet

2

Spy Kyoushitsu / Spy Room / スパイ教室

Written by: Takemachi / Illustrated by: Tomari

A world where wars are fought with spies. With a mission success rate of 100%, the remarkable, yet rather difficult to deal with, spy Klaus is being tasked with an almost impossible mission by the agency, harboring an insane 90% chance of failure and death…which for some reason involves seven inexperienced girls?!

Source: Novel Updates

3

Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e / Classroom of the Elite / ようこそ実力至上主義の教室へ

Written by: Shougo KINUGASA / Illustrated by: Shunsaku TOMOSE

The cutthroat school drama light novels that inspired an anime!

Students of the prestigious Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School are given remarkable freedom―if they can win, barter, or save enough points to work their way up the ranks! Ayanokouji Kiyotaka has landed at the bottom in the scorned Class D, where he meets Horikita Suzune, who's determined to rise up the ladder to Class A. Can they beat the system in a school where cutthroat competition is the name of the game?

Source: Seven Seas

This title is being released in English by Seven Seas. You can view the English Light Novel’s entry on it here.

4

Tantei wa Mou, Shindeiru / The Detective is Already Dead / 探偵はもう、死んでいる。

Written by: Nigozyu / Illustrated by: Umibouzu

I, an ordinary high school student, Kimizuka Kimihiko, who easily gets involved in things, was appointed to take care of mysterious attache cases by mysterious men in black suits. After meeting a beautiful angel-like detective girl, named Siesta in a hijacked plane, I became her assistant.

And from there–
[You deal with the beehive, and I'll restrain the enemy.] [Don't make plans that make me the victim.]

We had those kinds of foolish conversations, all while being completely broke every day and fought against . Even when there were hurricanes, the weather-beaten duo sleep past it. Sometimes when we saved money at a casino, we would jump around on the beds at a resort hotel, only to be broke again the next day. We would walk through deserts, traverse through jungles, conquer mountains, cross oceans– The great detective and her assistant would go through these dazzling adventures–

Until she died.

And this story starts from 1 year after that incident.
I'm the only one who's left, but I carry on her remained wishes.
This story is far from over..

Source: Novel Updates

5

Mamahaha no Tsurego ga Motokano datta / My Stepsister is My Ex-Girlfriend / 継母の連れ子が元カノだった

Written by: Kyousuke KAMISHIRO / Illustrated by: TakayaKi

A certain boy and girl in middle school became a couple, flirted with each other, disagreed on trivial things, became more frequently irritated with each other… and eventually broke up upon graduation.

And so, the two of them, Irido Mizuto and Ayai Yume, wound up meeting each other in the most unexpected fashion.

“Isn't it obvious that I'm the older brother.” “Isn't it obvious that I'm the older sister.”

The children of the other party of their parent's remarriage was their ex-partner!?

The former couple, mindful of their parent's feelings, decided on a ‘sibling rule' where the one takes conscious of the other as the opposite s*x loses, but--

When they encounter each other in the bathroom, commute to and from school together… along with the memories of the past and living under the same roof, just how do they disregard each other!?

Source: Novel Updates

6

Rakuen Noise / Paradise Noise / 楽園ノイズ

Written by: Hikaru Sugii / Illustrated by: Yuu Akinashi

I dressed up as a woman and posted a performance video on the net, and I suddenly became famous as a mysterious high school girl (although a man) net musician. I thought it was okay because I didn’t show my face, but my high school music teacher, Misao Hanazono, lost my identity, and I was forced to use my weaknesses …

　My high school life, which should have been tasteless and odorless , Three girls who meet through Mr. Hanazono-Rinko, a twisted genius pianist, Shigetsu, a drummer of a flower road princess, and Akane, a vocalist of a school refusal Zashiki-warashi, are colored noisily and annoyingly.

　Boy meets girls who spend all their time in love, youth and the band!

Source: Dengeki Fandom

7

Jaku-Chara Tomozaki-kun / Bottom Tier Character Tomozaki / 弱キャラ友崎くん

Written by: Yuuki YAKU / Illustrated by: Fly

Tomozaki is one of the best gamers in Japan, and in his opinion, the game of real life is one of the worst. No clear-cut rules for success, horribly balanced, and nothing makes sense. But then he meets a gamer who’s just as good as him, and she offers to teach him a few exploits…

Source: Yen On

This title is being released in English by Yen On. You can view the English Light Novel’s entry on it here.

8

Kanojo no Imouto to Kiss wo shita / I Kissed My Girlfriend's Little Sister / カノジョの妹とキスをした。

Written by: Riku Misora / Illustrated by: Saba Mizore

Hiromichi Sato has been dating Haruka for a month, and their relationship is quickly heading in a good direction.

But one day Hiromichi's parent announces they're remarrying and he'll be getting a new step-sister. When he meets her, he's shocked to see that she looks exactly like Haruka. No worries, though -- they're totally different people. They're just twins, each one living with a different parent since the divorce.

Certainly nothing to worry about. It's not like there can be any wacky misunderstandings brought about by living with your girlfriend's identical twin, right…?

Source: Novel Updates

9

Propeller Opera / プロペラオペラ

Written by: Koroku INUMURA / Illustrated by: Hitomi SHIZUKI

The archipelagic nation of the Far East, Hinoo. First Imperial princess, Ibuya was the captain of the heavy aerial destroyer “Ibuki”. Naturally, all of the airship's crew were her fan! Out of the blue came a new crew member of the ship, the protagonist Kuroto. Kuroto was the scion of the Kuronomiya house which was a subsidiary of the Imperial house and also Ibuya's childhood friend. But, he committed an unforgivable crime that led to his expulsion from the Imperial house, which was desertion to their enemy country, the United States of Gameria. “How dare you show your face!?” But Kuroto interrupted her, “I came back to save Honoo from the monsters commanded by Gameria!” 

Source: Anime-Planet

10

Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsu no Ma ni ka Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken / The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten / お隣の天使様にいつの間にか駄目人間にされていた件

Written by: Saeki-san / Illustrated by: Hazano KAZUTAKE

Amane lives alone in an apartment, and the most beautiful girl in school, Mahiru, lives just next door. They’ve almost never spoken-until the day he sees her in distress on a rainy day and lends her his umbrella. To return the favor, she offers him help around the house, and a relationship slowly begins to blossom as the distance between them closes…

Source: Yen On

This title is being released in English by Yen On. You can view the English Light Novel’s entry on it here.