Summary

• Yen Press acquires high-demand stories for North America, including hot light novels and localizations, bringing visibility to great creators and cult hits.
• The slice-of-life manga Is the Order a Rabbit? promises cozy hijinks and friendship, adding to Yen Press's diverse acquisitions.
• Yen Press will release the audiobook version of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime providing accessibility to a famous Isekai story.

Yen Press had a banner year in 2023, localizing massive hits with blockbuster anime adaptations like Oshi no Ko and Solo Leveling, continuing to drive their success as a manga, light novel, audiobook, and manhwa distributor. The New York-based publisher recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce its latest acquisitions for readers across multiple demographics, with some surefire hits to hit shelves by Fall 2024. The best of Yen Press' acquisition announcements involve high-demand stories that are coming to North America, cult hits with anticipated manga adaptations, and brand-new surprises.

Yen Press regularly announces new license acquisitions on their official X (formerly Twitter) , so it's worthwhile following their social media for the latest updates on new manga and light novels coming to English bookstores.

Yen Press features a wide genre variety of genres and demographics in its library including iconic all-time hits like Spice and Wolf and Bungo Stray Dogs and recent hits like She Loves to Cook, She Loves to Eat, and Jungle Juice. But this catalog grows ever deeper with Yen Press' best new announcements, listed below.

10 Lethal Dose of Love Promises a Star-Crossed BL Romance

Yen Press Treats Readers to an Emotional Ride Between Two Former Students

Excellent Yaoi, Yuri, and general LGBTQ+ manga continue to bolster their presence in the Yen Press library with the announcement of Lethal Dose of Love. Generally, the boys' love manga featured by this publisher varies in its romances, so they don't always occur in BL clichés like the classroom. Lethal Dose of Love is slightly different, moving past their shared school experience when they reconnect.

The plot of Lethal Dose of Love is relatable, with its protagonist, Ryousuke, reeling after a sudden confession from his classmate Yuu, only for the latter to disappear. Ryousuke thought he had missed his chance until the two crossed paths years later. The twist, however, is that Yuu is with another man, creating a tense love triangle that's sure to be an engaging read.

9 Blade & Bastard Gets an Exciting Manga Adaptation

Based on the original light novel by Goblin Slayer author Kumo Kagyu

Kumo Kagyu's additions to the Yen Press vaults deepen further with this exciting adaptation of the Blade & Bastard light novels. Featuring the original characters, drawn by Makoto Fūgetsu and inspired by So-bin's illustrations in the book, this is likely to be a bloody, dungeon-crawling adventure for fantasy fans. The original light novels are also available under the Yen On imprint.

Featuring the original characters, drawn by Makoto Fūgetsu and inspired by So-bin's illustrations in the novel, this is likely to be a bloody, dungeon-crawling adventure for fantasy fans.

The manga features a graphic novel retelling of Blade & Bastard centered around Iarumas, a resurrected amnesiac adventurer tasked with finding dead adventurers in "the dungeon". Inside, he finds a vulgar woman called "the Monster's Leftovers", whose feral behavior is complimented by her unfortunate name, Garbage. With Garbage by his side, Iarumas plunges deeper into the dungeon to learn more about his past while trying to evade certain death.

8 Cute Hijinks Ahead in Is the Order a Rabbit?

Come for drinks and bunnies, stay for life-long friendships

The wide range of Yen Press' acquisitions becomes ever clearer with this latest announcement, promising a slice-of-life manga that's sure to be a cozy read. The publisher is no stranger to sweet stories such as My Poison Princess is Still Cute or Cheerful Amnesia, but Is the Order a Rabbit seems like an especially innocent premise. One can never go wrong with a funny slice-of-life manga.

The publisher is no stranger to sweet stories such as My Poison Princess is Still Cute or Cheerful Amnesia, but Is the Order a Rabbit seems like an especially innocent premise.

Is the Order a Rabbit? features Cocoa Hoto as its protagonist, a cheerful and lovable young girl who stops by the Rabbit House Cafe expecting merely what the shop s. However, Cocoa soon realizes this is to be her new home while going to school, where she must work to earn room and board. Cocoa is ed by Chino, Ryze, Chiyo, and Sharo, as they bond and run the cafe together in this cheerful manga by artist Koi.

7 Romance Never Dies in Love is Dark

Given the Novel's Protagonist, Other Lives Might Not Be So Lucky

Assassins in manga comedies are not new, but lately, they have felt like a high-profile VIZ affair. Anime assassins are usually only half of the equation in Spy x Family or Marriagetoxin. Still, in Yen Press' latest announcement, Love is Dark, light novel enthusiasts will have a new assassin comedy to enjoy. Readers of any medium can find plenty of experience if Mr. and Mrs. Smith are not their thing.

Love is Dark follows Sosei Takurai, a high schooler by day and an assassin by night. After being inexplicably asked out by his class's most beautiful girl, Asumi Shiramori, he also tries to make time for her. However, this proves especially difficult when he finds another classmate, Kuchina Hitsujimoto, another assassin at his workplace. This creates a complicated series of romantic mishaps for those wanting a slight edge injected into their rom-coms.

6 Justice Burns Bright in The World Bows Down Before My Flames

Homura takes the term 'Firebrand' to the next level in this Yen On light novel

Known internationally as Homuseka, this light novel's announcement is famous among discerning fans. The World Bows Down Before My Flames s the Yen On imprint as it gets localized in North America. The series will appeal to fantasy, sci-fi, comedy, and mystery fans looking for a pleasant and engaging read.

This latest acquisition by Yen Press stars the aptly named Homura, whose abilities coincide with her desire to set anything around her on fire. This desire is used as she's sent alongside other female high schoolers to fight the forces of the Demon Lord. However, it's another question whether Homura will rein in her abilities before she causes irreparable harm.

5 The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All

An acclaimed yuri gets localized courtesy of Yen Press

Yuri manga stories are among the most beloved offerings by Yen Press. They offer deep, engaging love stories and cute comedies, also known as girls' love, or GL. This latest localization promises to preserve the original presentation, with YP tweeting that "Green Yuri will be green". Despite only being in print for a year, it's amassed adoration by its readers and critical acclaim.

The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All gives away the series' premise, but it's still compelling. Aya Oosawa and Mitsuki Koga are classmates at the same high school, and both share a mutual love for music, with Aya being especially popular. Aya falls in love after encountering Mitsuki, a more secretive individual, in her workplace attire, wearing unisex clothes and concealing her features, causing Aya to assume she's a boy. The crush never goes away, and the two are constantly brought together by circumstance, with the misunderstanding creating consistent tension between the pair.

4 That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Audiobook is Coming Soon

Accessibility wins in a new audiobook acquisition for the Yen Audio Imprint

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is a rare, layered success story. Its light novels and even a manga spin-off are already available on Yen Press' imprints, and it's among the most successful light novels — and manga adaptations — out there, with tens of millions of copies in circulation. It's also one of the most popular isekai anime, with That Time I Reincarnated as a Slime recently receiving a film adaptation in 2022.

The star of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime finds a confusing new lease on life after being murdered. He receives a new body as a slime straight out of a JRPG. He makes the most of his perplexing new life, creating a nation of monsters. It's one of the most famous and beloved isekai stories, and for those unfamiliar or unable to access their other media, this is a beautiful opportunity to enjoy the story.

3 Toilet-bound Hanako-kun: Second Stall is the Next Adorable Manga Boxset

Yen Press didn't stall or spare any paper for this new collection

There's little not to love about a box set shaped like a haunted toilet stall, right? This boxset collects Volumes #11-20 of the famous Square Enix manga and chronicles the adventures of Hanako, Nene, and more of the Picture Perfect Arc and the Omen Arc. It promises a fun read and a fun conversation for manga collectors' bookshelves.

This boxset collects Volumes #11-20 of the famous Square Enix manga and chronicles the adventures of Hanako, Nene, and more across the Picture Perfect Arc through the Omen Arc.

Toilet-bound Hanako-kun debuted its manga in 2014 and has since received a spin-off and popular anime adaptation. Hanako is the Seventh Wonder of Kamome Academy, a ghost who can be summoned to the third stall of the 3F bathroom in the old school building. Nene is a first-year-high school student who wishes to have a boyfriend and tries to summon Hanako to pursue this. It's as absurd as supernatural comedies can get, and it still runs through the present as a popular ghostly manga and anime series.

2 Horimiya Bonus Volume #17 Hits Shelves This Fall

Fans of Hori-san to Miyamura-kun get one last addition to their collection

It's bittersweet, but a welcome announcement as Yen Press confirms its acquisition of Horimiya, Vol #17: A Piece of Memories, concluding the beloved romantic comedy's manga localization. Inside this book are glimpses of the lives of its characters and even an original story by Hiroki Adachi, aka HERO. The series has been a consistent bestseller and among the most adored romance manga, so this is one of the most popular announcements by Yen Press in April.

Like many romantic comedy manga series, it features the charming relationship between Kyouko Hori and Izumi Miyamura. She's bright and famous; he's gloomy and geeky, a tale as old as time. As the two bond over their mutual secrets, the result is a connection that has endeared readers since 2007, along with a recent beloved Horimiya anime adaptation.

1 Girls With Guns Return in Lycoris Recoil Manga

Yen Press announces they have licensed the series for a North American release

In a move that was received enthusiastically by fans of the original anime series, Lycoris Recoil is possibly the most talked-about announcement from Yen Press in April 2024. The series has courted controversy but remained incredibly relevant in the past two years, with a new anime project on the way. It's a fascinating prospect for collectors to add this beloved series to their bookshelves in the Fall of 2024.

Lycoris Recoil centers on a Japan that has all but eliminated terror thanks to arming the schoolgirls. They're disarmingly cute yet armed and dangerous. Its main characters are Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue, two café workers with seemingly ordinary jobs, if not for their double lives, who carry out assassinations for Direct Attack.

Pick up this manga, and more from Yen Press in October 2024.

Source: Yen Press on X