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Square Enix Manga & Books Licenses 5 Manga, 1 Novel

Square Enix announced six new licenses under its new Square Enix Manga & Books imprint during its panel at Anime NYC on Saturday.

Title: Ragna Crimson
Story and Art: DAIKI Kobayashi
Description: In this action-packed dark fantasy, humanity lives under the threat of annihilation by immensely powerful dragons. The dragon hunter Ragna embarks on a revenge-fueled quest to eliminate that threat once and for all!

Square Enix will publish the first volume in August 2020.

Kobayashi launched the manga in Square Enix's Gangan Joker magazine in March 2017. Square Enix published the manga's fifth compiled book volume on July 22.

Title: The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto)
Story: Natsu Hyūga
Art: Nekokurage
Composition: Itsuki Nanao
Description: After breaking a "curse" on the imperial heirs, a palace servant with training in herbal medicine is promoted up the ranks to food taster...and right into the thick of palace intrigue!

Square Enix will publish the first volume in August 2020.

Nekokurage launched the manga in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine in May 2017. Square Enix published the manga's fifth compiled book volume on July 25.

Hyūga began serializing the story in the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in October 2011, and the most recent chapter debuted on September 12. Shufunotomo is publishing the novels in print with art by Touco Shino, and the eighth volume debuted in print on February 28. Minoji Kurata launched the spinoff manga Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Mao Mao no Kōkyū Nazotoki Techō (The Apothecary Diaries ~The Palace Cloister Mystery-Solving Notebook of Mao Mao~) in Shogakukan's Monthly Sunday GX magazine in August 2017. Shogakukan published the manga's fifth volume on July 25.

Title: Beauty and the Feast (Yakumo-san wa Eduke ga Shitai)
Story and Art: Satomi U
Description: A boy with a bottomless stomach and a lonely widow with room at her dinner table serve up a heaping helping of secret happiness in this delightful foodie rom-com!

Square Enix will publish the first volume in October 2020.

Satomi U launched the series in Square Enix's Young Gangan magazine in March 2016. Square Enix published the manga's eighth compiled book volume on September 25.

Title: The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated! (Jahysama ha Kujikenai!)
Story and Art: Wakame Konbu
Description: Puny and powerless after an unfortunate encounter with a magical girl, the Dark Realm's Number Two has her work cut out for her in the world of humans!

Square Enix will publish the first volume in September 2020.

Konbu launched the series in Square Enix's Gangan Joker magazine in August 2017. Square Enix published the manga's fifth compiled book volume on September 21.

Yen Press has also licensed Konbu's Breasts Are My Favorite Things in the World! (Sekai de Ichiban Oppai ga Suki!) manga.

Title: By the Grace of the Gods (Kami-tachi ni Hirowareta Otoko)
Story: Roy
Art: Ranran
Description: Slime's up for one recently deceased middle-aged businessman! When the gods reincarnate him in another world as a boy with magical powers, he discovers that magically tamed slime are an untapped natural resource!

Square Enix will publish the first volume in November 2020.

Ranran launched the manga in Square Enix's Gangan Online magazine in November 2017. Square Enix published the manga's fourth compiled book volume on October 12.

The manga is based on Roy's light novel series of the same name. Roy began serializing the story in the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in August 2015. Hobby Japan began publishing the novel in print with art by Ririnra in September 2017, and it shipped the seventh volume on August 24. J-Novel Club is releasing the novels in English.

Title: NieR:Automata - YoRHa Boys (NieR:Automata - Shōnen YoRHa)
Story: Jun Eishima
Description: An original novel set in the universe of the award-winning, international hit video game NieR:Automata.

The novel includes artwork by famed FINAL FANTASY® illustrator, Toshiyuki Itahana.

Square Enix will publish the novel in October 2020.

Square Enix published the novel in July 2018. The novel adapts the stage play of the same name, which had its first run in January to February 2018.

Eishima also wrote the NieR:Automata: Long Story Short and NieR:Automata: Short Story Long spinoff novels for the franchise. Viz Media released the former in October 2018, and the latter on April 9.

Sources: Email correspondence, Square Enix Manga & Books panel at Anime NYC (Christopher Macdonald)