Manga or Light Novels?

They’re both brilliant. The manga has more references to the anime and is more important to the overall plot and lore, however the LN has some exceptional character writing. Manga at a 50/50 but if you can definitely read both!

I cannot stress this enough- Both. You should read both the manga and light novels, both do a very good job telling different things about the story. And they also tell very different parts of the story- each piece of media in KagePro shows a different part of the story. I would recommend reading the books first and then the manga since the manga is set up in a way where parts of it feel more impactful if you already have knowledge of the series.

So the light novels and manga are two different stories, the anime is not a adaptation but the "ending" of the story, the chronological order is:

Manga route 2> LN >Manga route 1 > Anime

The music is in-between and around the other parts.

I would recommend you start by reading the novel but you should read both.

Also I am going to defend the anime here, yes it makes no sense, but the problem is that you have no context for 80% of it, my recommendation is to read the novels and manga and go back to watch the anime.

This is my recommended listening/reading order, is complicated and weird, but I truly believe is the best way to experience the Kagerou project

1- Songs (No particular order) : Jinzou Enemy, kisaragi attention, Kagerou daze, mekakushi code, shounen brave, yanobashi deceive, kussou forest, children's record

2- Light novels - Volumes 1 to 3

3- Manga - Chapters 1 to 17 (Do not read Chapter 18)

4-Songs (No particular Order) - Tomei answer, Ayano koufuku riron, headphone actor, ene no dennou kikou, shinigami record, yukeei esterday, dead and seek

5- Manga - Chapter 18

6- Song - Outer science

7- Light Novels - Rest of the volumes

8- Songs (No particular Order) - Otsukimi Recital, konoha no Sekaijijou, My funny weekend, Goujou Rain, lost time memory

9- Manga - Rest of the Chapters

10- Songs (No particular Order) - Marry no kakuusekai , Additional memory, imagination reload, lost day hour

11- Mekakucity Actors ( Anime) - All episodes

12- Songs (No particular Order) - Summertime memory, Shissou word, Remind blue, Fireworks in the summer, Dayz(Daze)

Feel free to add anything I missed, and if you need explanations about the story or songs you can PM on reddit.

Well, manga got 2 routes, the novel got only one. It has a different storyline of the present events and some differences in the past of some characters (like the Tateyama family). Both are good, both should be read. Novel just has much more attention to details and tells a bigger story. So, if you read manga go dive into the novel and vice versa.

Light novels have better characterization imo

Manga or Light Novels? Yes. Both. They're different story routes, and both great

I mean I've read the manga but I haven't read the light novel yet so I can't give you a valid opinion but try both that's what I'm gonna do