Kanji for light novel: How important are kanji in light novels?

There are several. Kanji for directions like 東 (higashi, 'east'), 西 (nishi, 'west'), 南 (minami,'south') and 北 (kita, 'north') can be used when describing a place or a journey. Kanji for numbers are also common. For example, 一 (ichi, 'one'), 二 (ni, 'two') etc. Also, kanji for colors such as 赤 (aka,'red') and 青 (ao, 'blue') are often found in light novels to describe characters' appearances or the scenery.

Yes. Japanese light novels typically utilize Kanji, along with Hiragana and Katakana, to convey the story and express ideas. The usage of Kanji helps provide more complex and specific meanings.

It really depends on the complexity of the light novel. Some simple ones might require you to know around 1,000 kanji, but for more complex ones, it could be 2,000 or more.

They can make it easier to remember. For example, if you know the origin of '人' (person) as a simple drawing of a person standing, it sticks in your mind better.

Well, usually, kanji are bolded in manga to make them stand out from the rest of the text. It could be for highlighting important information or creating a visual effect.

In general, the storylines in manga are more elaborate and fictional, while kanji is centered around the structure and usage of Japanese characters. There's little direct overlap between them.

Most visual novels use a combination of kanji and hiragana. It depends on the context and the target audience.

It really depends on the complexity of the novels you want to read. Simple ones might require knowing around 1,000 kanji, but for more challenging works, you could need to know 2,000 or more.

Yes, kanji is commonly used in manga. But it also often includes hiragana and katakana.

Not always. Many manga have furigana (small hiragana or katakana above kanji) to help with pronunciation and understanding. Also, some simple manga are written mostly in hiragana and katakana.