AI Fiction on Narou and Kakuyomu: Usage Settings & Tag Rules
Narou's mandatory AI usage setting (unset works can't update from 2026-09-01) and Kakuyomu's three AI tags, plus translation, art, contests and payouts.
In this article 8 sections
Bottom line: On Shousetsuka ni Narou, every work must complete the "Narou AI Usage Setting," posting unedited AI-generated text across the entire body is prohibited, and starting 2026-09-01 any previously published work without this setting cannot be updated (AI Policy, Blog 5164); on Kakuyomu, adding one of three "Kakuyomu AI Tags" is recommended sitewide, mandatory for AI-involved "KakuyomuCon" contest entries, and carries no ranking penalty (Guidelines, Tag Announcement, KakuyomuCon 11).
Based on official platform pages (verified on 2026-11-12), this guide breaks down Narou's AI policy, rules for submitting AI-assisted fiction to Narou, baseline posting requirements on Shousetsuka ni Narou, and Kakuyomu's monetization rules (this article does not constitute legal advice).
Key Takeaways
- Mandatory setting on Narou: New works cannot be published without configuring the AI usage status, and starting 2026-09-01 existing works cannot be updated until it is set (AI Policy, Blog 5164).
- No raw AI dumps on Narou: Posting full-text AI output without authorial revision or directly uploading unedited AI translations is prohibited (AI Policy, Blog 5159).
- Recommended tagging on Kakuyomu: Three tags are recommended sitewide based on AI proportion and role, and the platform explicitly states that tagged stories are not disadvantaged on rankings (Guidelines, Tag Announcement).
- Stricter contest rules: KakuyomuCon 11 requires tags on AI-involved entries, while certain contests—such as the 2nd Kadokawa Books Fantasy Full-Length Novel Contest—exclude works whose main body is generated by AI (KakuyomuCon 11, Kadokawa Rules).
- Overseas writers can earn rewards, with payout limits: Both platforms' revenue-sharing programs are open to overseas residents and allow gift card redemptions, but bank payouts require a domestic Japanese bank account (Cheers Guide, Loyalty FAQ).
AI Usage Settings on Shousetsuka ni Narou
Shousetsuka ni Narou stipulates that "configuring AI usage status is mandatory," requiring creators to declare their usage accurately (AI Policy). Introduced on 2026-06-09, the setting blocks new submissions until completed; starting 2026-09-01, for already published stories, "if this setting is not completed, updating the work... will become impossible" (now in effect), and unset works may also be excluded from contests or publishing consideration (Blog 5164).
What the Four Options Mean and How They Are Displayed
Authors must accurately select one of four tiers in their work settings, with public visibility handled as follows (AI Policy, Help 226):
- Direct AI Use (AI Chokusetsu Shiyou): The work information page permanently displays the notice "Directly uses text generated by AI as-is" (for body text containing passages directly generated by AI), automatically adds the keyword AI Chokusetsu Shiyou ("Direct AI Use") to the keywords field, and allows an optional note (Help 226).
- Indirect AI Use (AI Kansetsu Riyou): Displays an explanatory notice on the work information page without adding an automatic keyword, and allows an optional note (Help 226).
- AI-Assisted Use (AI Hojoteki Riyou) and No AI Use (AI Fushiyou): Neither is shown publicly to third parties, though relevant companies are informed during contest judging or commercial publishing negotiations (Help 226).
Prohibited Conduct, AI Translation, Illustrations, and Enforcement
- Prohibited conduct: "Using AI-generated text as-is across the entire body field is prohibited" (full-length AI output with no authorial additions or revisions), pasting prompts into the body text field, falsifying AI usage settings, and misusing the remarks field (AI Policy, Help 70).
- AI translation: Translating your own original work via AI for submission falls under the same standards and is categorized by how you edit the generated text; directly posting a story "composed solely of text translated and generated by AI" is prohibited (Blog 5159).
- Illustrations and covers: Uploading AI illustrations via the companion image host Mitemin requires selecting the image category AI Seisei Gazou ("AI-Generated Image") and avoiding infringing elements; a 2026-02-03 announcement also banned hyper-realistic images indistinguishable from real photographs across the board (Mitemin FAQ, Blog 5068). Separate AI rules specifically for "book covers" are unverified (checked AI Policy, Help Category 15, Help 226, and Mitemin FAQ, with no dedicated clause found).
- Platform enforcement: Violations result in "making the work private," or "suspending the corresponding account" in malicious cases; the help center also lists false AI usage settings as a prohibited act (Help 70), and inaccurate declarations during publishing or media adaptations may leave the user liable for damages (AI Policy).
AI Tags on Kakuyomu
Kakuyomu does not ban generative AI and states sitewide that "we recommend adding the following tags"; routine AI assistance built into everyday tools and automatic proofreading in word processors do not count, and staff do not answer individual inquiries about which tag applies to a specific story (Guidelines, AI Policy Notice).
What the Three Tags Mean
- AI Used in Main Text (AI Honbun Riyou): Roughly 50% or more of the body text is AI-generated (Guidelines).
- AI Partially Used in Main Text (AI Honbun Ichibu Riyou): The body text includes AI-generated passages, but under roughly 50% (Guidelines).
- AI-Assisted Use (AI Hojo Riyou): Used for brainstorming ideas, gathering research, or proofreading; official notices clarify that you do not need to specify the exact details inside the tag (Guidelines, Tag Announcement).
Sitewide Recommendation vs. Contest Mandate, Rankings, and Unverified Items
- No ranking penalty: A 2025-11-19 announcement explicitly confirmed that adding these tags "will not put your work at a disadvantage in rankings or similar features" (Tag Announcement).
- Contest rules: Tagging is only recommended sitewide, but "for KakuyomuCon entries, it is 'mandatory'" (KakuyomuCon 11). Individual contests can be stricter: for instance, the 2nd Kadokawa Books Fantasy Full-Length Novel Contest specifies that "works whose main portion is generated by AI are ineligible," restricting AI to auxiliary tasks such as proofreading, polishing, or ideation, and requiring authors to state the tools and purposes in the work description alongside the recommended tag (Kadokawa Rules).
- Images and unverified items: Work overview pages and chapter pages "cannot display images" (only Activity Notes—Kinkyou Note—allow image uploads, with no AI-specific rule), so AI book covers are not applicable (Submission FAQ). In addition, dedicated rules for AI translation and specific penalties for omitting tags remain unverified (checked Guidelines, AI Policy Notice, Tag Announcement, Submission FAQ, and Terms of Service).
Side-by-Side Platform Comparison
| Dimension | Shousetsuka ni Narou | Kakuyomu |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement Level | Mandatory sitewide; unset works cannot be updated starting 2026-09-01 (AI Policy, Blog 5164) | Recommended sitewide; mandatory for KakuyomuCon 11 entries (Guidelines, KakuyomuCon 11) |
| Tiers / Tags | Direct Use / Indirect Use / AI-Assisted Use / No AI Use (AI Policy) | Main Text Use (≥~50%) / Partial Main Text Use (<~50%) / AI-Assisted Use (Guidelines) |
| Public Disclosure | Public notice for Direct/Indirect (auto-keyword for Direct); lower two tiers shared only with contest/publishing partners (Help 226) | Disclosed via public tags (Guidelines); no ranking disadvantage (Tag Announcement) |
| Full-Text Generation | Unedited copy-pasting across the entire body is banned (AI Policy) | Not banned sitewide; specific contests (e.g., 2nd Kadokawa Books Fantasy Full-Length Novel Contest) exclude primarily AI-generated works (Kadokawa Rules) |
| AI Translation | Direct upload of pure AI translation is banned (Blog 5159) | Unverified (Guidelines) |
| Illustrations / Covers | Set Mitemin illustrations to AI Seisei Gazou; covers unverified (Mitemin FAQ, Help 226) | No images allowed on work or chapter pages; not applicable (Submission FAQ) |
| Penalties / Contest Eligibility | Work set to private; malicious accounts suspended (AI Policy) | Penalties for missing tags sitewide or in KakuyomuCon 11 unverified (KakuyomuCon 11); Kadokawa Books full-length contest disqualifies primarily AI-generated works (Kadokawa Rules) |
General Submission & Monetization Rules (Quick Reference)
| Category | Shousetsuka ni Narou | Kakuyomu |
|---|---|---|
| Account & Originality | With an email address, "anyone can register for free" (Help 3); bans violations such as "plagiarism with a takedown request from the original author" (Help 70) | Limited to "works personally created by the member"; cross-posting works published elsewhere is allowed (Guidelines) |
| Format & Length | "Enter body text within 70,000 characters" per chapter, title ≤100 characters, foreword/afterword ≤20,000 characters each, no stated total limit (Help 32) | No images on work/chapter pages, no text file uploads, chapter title ≤100 characters, scheduled posting supported (Submission FAQ) |
| Adult Content | "Works restricted to readers 18+ can also be posted," confined to Nocturne / Moonlight / Midnight (three R18 sites) with R18 enabled; posting as all-ages risks forced deletion, under-18 users barred; check self-rating for R15 (Help 75, Age Rating Policy) | Keep explicit depictions to the minimum necessary and enable "Self-Rating" (R15 equivalent); excessive content faces revision requests or privatization (Guidelines) |
| Fanfiction / Derivative Works | "Posting derivative works is prohibited in principle," with exceptions only for public domain, song-lyric motifs, historical figures, permitted on-site/non-commercial works, and officially licensed IPs (Derivative Works Policy) | Limited to titles on the "Permitted Derivative Works List," published exclusively on Kakuyomu with cross-posting banned; other commercial fanworks (including parodies) prohibited (Guidelines) |
| Update Cadence | No minimum frequency; updates factor into "Cheer Score," encouraging "continuous work updates" (Cheers Guide, Help 201) | No minimum frequency; "please refrain from posting at excessive frequency" or uploading "massive volumes unthinkable in normal creative activity" over short spans (Guidelines); Kadokawa Books contest requires ≥80,000 characters, post-deadline edits excluded from judging (Kadokawa Rules) |
| Monetization Eligibility | Narou Cheers Program: all-ages (including R15; R18 excluded) original works only; minors need guardian consent; open to overseas residents (Cheers Guide) | Kakuyomu Loyalty Program: "returns 70% of revenue to users"; requires real birthdate, guardian consent for minors, open to overseas residents (Loyalty FAQ) |
| Redemption Thresholds | "1 Reward = 1 JPY in cash"; Amazon gift cards from 500, cash payout requires a domestic Japanese bank account; expires at month-end 11 months after grant month (Cheers Guide, Help 201) | BOOK☆WALKER Coins 100–10,000, Amazon gift cards 500–10,000, domestic Japanese bank transfer 3,000–1,000,000; transfer fee 200 JPY (3,000–29,999) / 300 JPY (30,000+); valid 12 months (Guidelines, Loyalty FAQ) |
| Tipping & Publishing | Staff forward publishing offers free of charge; continuing updates after commercialization is encouraged, and digest-only excerpts have been banned across the board since 2016-09-01 (Publishing Inquiries); paid chapters, subscriptions, or tipping unverified (checked Cheers Guide, Publishing Inquiries, Help 201) | "Participation in the program is required to receive gifts" with gift reception toggled on (no Supporters Passport subscription needed); does not affect rankings/judging or count as commercial use (Loyalty FAQ) |
Pre-Submission Checklist
- Complete disclosures accurately: Select the appropriate tier among Narou's four AI usage options, and add Kakuyomu's recommended tag matching your actual AI role and text proportion (AI Policy, Guidelines).
- Verify manuscript compliance: Confirm that Narou chapters are neither unedited full-text AI output nor raw AI translations, and that no prompts remain in the body field (AI Policy, Blog 5159).
- Check contest guidelines: Before entering any contest, confirm whether AI tags are mandatory, whether primarily AI-written manuscripts are disqualified, and whether tools and uses must be listed in the synopsis (KakuyomuCon 11, Kadokawa Rules).
- Review artwork and posting pace: Mark AI illustrations on Mitemin as AI Seisei Gazou and avoid ultra-detailed images indistinguishable from real photos of people; don't post huge volumes in a short span on Kakuyomu (Blog 5068, Guidelines).
- Confirm age ratings and payout options: Double-check R15/R18 placement and fanwork permissions, and verify gift card redemption rules or domestic Japanese bank requirements before enabling monetization (Help 75, Loyalty FAQ).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What happens after September 2026 if an older work on Shousetsuka ni Narou has no AI usage status selected?
Starting 2026-09-01, previously published works without a completed AI usage setting cannot add new chapters or edit work metadata (this restriction is already active), and they may also be excluded from contest judging or commercial publishing consideration; official rules require selecting one of the four tiers accurately in your work settings (AI Policy, Blog 5164).
Q2: How should I disclose AI if I only use it for brainstorming, research, or proofreading on each site?
On Narou, select "AI-Assisted Use (AI Hojoteki Riyou)," which is hidden from general readers and shared only with partner companies during contests or publishing talks (Help 226). On Kakuyomu, routine AI features in everyday software and built-in spellcheckers do not count; when using generative AI for ideas, research, or proofreading, adding the "AI-Assisted Use (AI Hojo Riyou)" tag is recommended sitewide and mandatory for KakuyomuCon (Guidelines, KakuyomuCon 11).
Q3: Can I translate my original novel into Japanese with AI and post it directly on these two platforms?
Shousetsuka ni Narou applies the same AI rules to AI-translated versions of your own work, and directly posting a manuscript composed solely of unedited AI-translated text is prohibited (Blog 5159). On Kakuyomu, specific rules regarding posting AI translations of your own or another author's work are unverified, as no dedicated clause was found in the official guidelines or help pages (Guidelines, Submission FAQ).
Q4: Does adding an AI tag on Kakuyomu hurt rankings or contest judging?
It does not hurt rankings—Kakuyomu's 2025-11-19 announcement explicitly stated that tagged works suffer no disadvantage on leaderboards (Tag Announcement). Contests, however, set their own terms: KakuyomuCon 11 mandates tags on AI-involved entries, while the 2nd Kadokawa Books Fantasy Full-Length Novel Contest disqualifies works whose main body is generated by AI (KakuyomuCon 11, Kadokawa Rules).
Q5: Can I include AI-generated covers or illustrations in my web novel?
On Narou, you can insert AI illustrations through its image host Mitemin by selecting the AI Seisei Gazou ("AI-Generated Image") category, provided they contain no infringing elements and are not photorealistic images indistinguishable from real photos; standalone cover rules remain unverified (Mitemin FAQ, Blog 5068). Kakuyomu does not allow images on work overview pages or chapter pages, so neither covers nor inline illustrations apply (Submission FAQ).
Q6: Can creators living outside Japan monetize their stories on these two platforms?
Yes, you can enroll, though cash withdrawals are restricted. Both the Narou Cheers Program (all-ages original works only) and the Kakuyomu Loyalty Program accept overseas residents, allowing points to be redeemed for Amazon gift cards (from 500) or BOOK☆WALKER Coins (Kakuyomu only, from 100); however, bank wire payouts on both platforms require a domestic Japanese bank account (Cheers Guide, Loyalty FAQ).
Conclusion
All rules in this guide were verified on 2026-11-12. Platform terms and individual contest guidelines may change over time, so please double-check the latest wording via the official links above before posting, enabling monetization, or submitting to a contest.
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