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Yen Press Licenses Wonder Boy, Hinatsugimura, Out of the Cocoon, More Manga/Novels
posted on by Alex Mateo
Yen Press announced during its Anime Expo panel on Thursday that it has licensed nine manga and four light novels for release in December 2025 and January 2026. In addition, the company revealed audiobook releases for the Secrets of the Silent Witch, The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter, Days With My Stepsister, and Magical Explorer light novels.
Creator: Sumiko Arai
Summary: Experience the vibrant, captivating story of the rock-loving pair-now in an exclusive, limited-edition hardcover only available from the Yen Press webstore! Fashionable and upbeat high schooler Aya falls head over heels for an employee at a local CD shop. He's stylish with an air of mystery about him, and his taste in music is impeccable. Little does she know—this supposedly male employee is actually her female classmate Mitsuki! Mitsuki generally keeps to herself, but since her seat is right next to Aya's, she can't help but be extremely aware of the other's crush. And although she's afraid to reveal the truth, Mitsuki finds herself talking with Aya more and more.
Creators: Masayuki Taguchi (art), Koushun Takami (art)
Summary: The hyper-violent classic is back in a new edition! Forty-two middle school students are forced to fight to the death until there's only one survivor!
Creator: Kazumi Yamashita
Summary: A family, struggling to survive in Japan after the second World War. An orphan girl in London, working her fingers to the bone every day just to pay for the food on her table. A young man in a war-torn world, fighting without knowing his purpose for living. Across time and space, these strangers share just one thing in common—the wonder boy. A mysterious traveler who appears here and there throughout the ages, watching the triumphs and sorrows of humanity…
Creator: Aki Shimizu
Summary: While looking for the ruins of a pre-WWII village deep in the mountain wilderness, a group of college students find themselves stuck thanks to a sudden thunderstorm. With no phone service, they decide to wait out the rain in a mansion. But little do they know, a ghastly fate awaits them…
Creator: Yuriko Hara
Summary: Yuriko Hara, author of the atmospheric, eerily beautiful yuri Cocoon Entwined, brings us five haunting stories of love and attachment. Ranging from horrific to wistful, these captivating tales, featuring both yuri and Boys Love, are sure to ensnare readers. Fans of her previous work will be especially delighted by the final piece, which provides an extra chapter of Youko and Hana's story...
Creator: Takako Shimura
Summary: Awajima Opera School—where countless girls from across the country flock in hopes of one day standing on the big stage. As they work toward achieving their dreams of stardom, their time at Awajima is filled with as much friendship and admiration as competition and jealousy. The precious feelings of girls who are at once both classmates and rivals, tenderly captured in the portraits of an ensemble cast!
Creators: Shoun Makise (art), Yuki Higashiura (story)
Summary: Murakami is just your average college student—he attends class, works, and plays games on his days off. And it's a day like any other when he comes across a stray in the park near his apartment. But instead of a cute, fluffy friend, Murakami finds himself face to face with…a real-life dragon?! Her name is Ilsera, and she's on a training trip to become a fully fledged member of her species! Her only request is for Murakami to foster her during her time in the human world. And so Murakami somehow winds up with a strange new roommate…
Creator: Kentarō Satō
Summary: A young man burdened with a heavy secret finds himself trapped, broke and alone, in a love hotel. As he falls deeper into despair, an echo of his past haunts him—“Live on so you can atone…” Meanwhile, chaos erupts on the streets as grotesque figures begin to appear all around the city.
Creator: Takuya Okuda
Summary: Are we the predators or the prey? When an unsuspecting father and daughter stumble upon a strange gathering of humanoid animals with a taste for fine cuisine, their worst nightmare is about to begin. Here, creatures who are not quite human—and not quite animal at that— raise humans as livestock and slaughter them to put meat on the table. Through this bizarre and horrific tale, society's morals are put to the ultimate test: What does it truly mean to consume another living being?
Creator: Sesuji
Summary: My friend is missing. Before he disappeared, he was working on a magazine about the paranormal—his first real job as an editor. With almost no budget, he'd resorted to digging through back issues and unused research material, looking for inspiration. As he did, a terrifying truth began to emerge about a certain place in the Kinki region. I have collected the relevant articles, interviews, and other excerpts in this book. And once you have understood everything, I would like to ask for your cooperation. I hope you will get in touch.
Creator: Gyatei Murasaki
Summary: A collection of twenty-six shocking, awe-inducing short stories! A doctor tells a patient they can speak only one thousand words before their life ends. Someone's boyfriend turns into a can of mackerel. A woman is in her sixth year of pregnancy. This mysterious world is full of laughter and tears and twists and turns sure to leave anyone reeling!
Creators: Touwa Akatsuki (story), Falmaro (art)
Summary: Might the adventurer gave everything he had to defeat the Demonic Dragon, and while he emerged victorious, it cost him his life. After the blessing of the goddess resurrected him, he's back at level one. That barely matters though, because he's still ridiculously strong! He attracts the attention of many with his strength, and parties up with a harem of beautiful women! How will Might's new adventures unfold?!
Creator: Rintarō Hatake (story), Hino (illustrations)
Summary: In this world, people known as Informationists sell their supernatural abilities for use in armed conflicts. When Tsushima Rindou, an ordinary Informationist, agrees to help a fallen noble named Holly defect from the Balga Empire, he isn't expecting anything more than a typical escort mission. But there's much more to his client than she's letting on, and the Empire is intent on keeping her within its borders, dispatching their army and an elite group of Informationists to apprehend the duo by any means necessary. Can these two souls, bound only by a business agreement, survive the grueling journey and web of conspiracies that await?
Sources: Yen Press panel at Anime Expo (George Yang), press release
ANN's coverage of Anime Expo 2025 is sponsored by Yen Press and Ize Press!
Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. Yen Press, BookWalker Global, and J-Novel Club are subsidiaries of KWE.
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