Can you recommend some weird Japanese novels?

Japanese novels can be weird because of their approach to reality and fantasy. They often blend the two in a seamless yet disconcerting manner. For instance, in some novels, normal daily life can suddenly turn into a dream - like or nightmarish scenario without much warning. The way they handle social norms and taboos is also different. They may expose or twist these norms in ways that seem very odd to an outsider. Moreover, the language itself can contribute. The use of certain Japanese words and expressions that have deep cultural connotations but seem strange when translated literally can add to the overall 'weirdness' of the novels.

Sure. 'At the Mountains of Madness' by H.P. Lovecraft is among the best weird novels. Lovecraft creates a terrifying and otherworldly setting in Antarctica, with ancient and unknowable horrors. Then there's 'The King in Yellow' by Robert W. Chambers. It has a really strange and dream - like quality, with the play within the book that seems to drive people mad. Also, 'The Third Policeman' by Flann O'Brien is a very odd novel. It has a surreal and absurdist plot that involves a man's journey through a very strange afterlife and his encounters with some really weird characters.

China Miéville's 'Perdido Street Station' is a great example. It has a richly detailed and strange cityscape filled with all kinds of bizarre creatures.

One great weird mystery novel is 'House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski. It has a really strange and complex structure that adds to the mystery. The story plays with the idea of a house that is larger on the inside than the outside, and the narrative is presented in a very unconventional way.

I would also suggest 'Annihilation' by Jeff VanderMeer. The setting of the Area X is extremely strange and the events that unfold are both terrifying and mysterious. The biologist's journey into this unknown and transformed landscape is full of horror elements that are quite different from traditional horror novels.

One of the weird visual novels is 'Doki Doki Literature Club'. It starts off as a seemingly normal dating sim but takes some very dark and unexpected turns. Another is 'Lisa: The Painful RPG'. It has a really strange and disturbing setting with some unique gameplay mechanics combined with a visual novel style. And 'Umineko no Naku Koro ni' is also quite strange. It has a complex and often mind - boggling mystery that unfolds throughout the story.

Well, 'Black Hole' by Charles Burns is quite a weird graphic novel. It tells a story in a post - apocalyptic - like setting with some really strange and mutated characters. It has a unique art style that adds to the overall sense of weirdness. There's also 'A Contract with God' by Will Eisner. It's an early work that introduced a more complex and somewhat off - beat narrative in the world of graphic novels.

Sure. 'Norwegian Wood' by Haruki Murakami is a great one. It tells a love story filled with melancholy and self - discovery. Another is 'The Tale of Genji', which is a classic, exploring court life in Heian - period Japan. And 'Battle Royale' is also popular, presenting a brutal and thought - provoking story about survival in a harsh setting.

One such novel could be 'The Strange Dream of Love'. In this novel, the main character has these really odd naps where she enters a dream world that's intertwined with her real - life romantic encounters. It's full of unexpected twists and turns in the relationship.

Sure. 'We' by Yevgeny Zamyatin is considered a pioneer of dystopian novels. It tells the story of a man in a highly regimented future society. Then there's 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy. Although it's more post - apocalyptic, it has elements of dystopia with a desolate world and the struggle for survival. And 'Station Eleven' by Emily St. John Mandel, which shows a world after a pandemic has wiped out much of civilization and how people deal with the new reality.