The 2019 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (This Light Novel Is Amazing!) guidebook revealed its list of the top light novel series on Saturday. The guidebook lists the cumulative rankings of light novels according to polls conducted among both fans and "collaborators" (critics, publishers, influencers, and other people related to the light novel industry).

On top of the rankings, Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! provides interviews with authors and commentary on the state of the light novel industry. The 2019 issue released statistics on web novel and e-book readership as part of a column discussing the latest trends in the industry.

According to the polling conducted on the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! website, 52.6% of the respondents addressed their web novel reading habits. Among those respondents, 65.2% of them said that they read web novels and then bought the light novel version. 18.6% said that they read the web novel, but would not buy the light novel version. 16.2% said that they hardly read the web novel version or the light novel version.

On the other hand, print books still appear to be the preferred means of consuming light novels. 95.1% of respondents answered the question "How many e-books do you read?" Among them, 65.6% said that they bought e-books "almost never." 13.2% said that most (around 80%) of the light novels they purchased were e-books. 10.9% said that they only bought a few (around 20%) of light novels in e-book format. 10.2% said about half their light novel purchases were e-books.

The writer of the column concluded that although web novels have become extremely popular as a form of free entertainment among Japanese light novel fans, when it comes to buying books, print versions are still preferred. However, the column also noted that even if it is not the dominant format, e-book readership has still been on the rise over the past few years.

Source: Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! guidebook 2019 edition