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Yen Press Licenses Happy Sugar Life, Kakegurui Twins Manga, Penguin Highway, Walk on Girl, Mirai Novels (Updated)
posted on by Karen Ressler
Anime News Network's coverage of Anime Expo 2018 is sponsored by Yen Press.
Yen Press announced the following new manga and light novel licenses at Anime Expo on Sunday.
- Kei Sanbe's Yume de Mita: Anoko no Tame ni manga
- Ruzuru Akashiba and Eto Mori's Dive!! manga
- Author Memarei and artist Chabane Uchida's Monster Wrestling manga
- Tomihiko Morimi's Penguin Highway and The Night is Young, Walk on Girl girl novels
- Mamoru Hosoda's Mirai novel
- Asato Asato's 86 novels
- Okada Atsushi's Nyankees manga
- Suu Minazuki's Plunderer manga
- Author Homura Kawamoto and artist Kei Saiki's Kakegurui Twins manga
- Tomiyaki Kagisora's Happy Sugar Life manga
- Kafka Asagiri and Sango Harukawa's Bungo Stray Dogs novels
- Author Wanwan Majin and artist Kochimo's Woof Woof Story novels
Yen Press describes Yume de Mita: Anoko no Tame ni:
Kei Sanbe of ERASED returns with another thriller! One rainy night, five-year-old Senri's parents fell victim to a murderer, and his twin brother went missing. Now a high school student, all he can think of is revenge. With the culprit's scar his only clue, he will do everything to end the life of the one who destroyed his family.
Sanbe (ERASED) launched the manga in July 2017. The manga's second compiled volume shipped on May 2.
Yen Press describes DIVE!!:
The Mizuki Diving Club has fallen on hard times, and their sponsors are ready to pull their support. They promise to give the club another year of sponsorship if new coach, Kayoko Asaki, can get a member into the Olympics in one year!
Mori (Colorful original creator, screenplay for Black Jack OAV, Black Jack The Movie) wrote the original four-volume novel series between 2000 and 2002. Mori's novel series inspired a live-action film adaptation in 2008 and a 12-episode anime adaptation in 2017. Masahiro Ikeno drew a five-volume manga adaptation in 2007-2008.
Ruzuru Akashiba's manga adaptation that Yen Press has licensed is ongoing, and the first volume shipped on August 4.
Yen Press describes Monster Wrestling (MonWres: Ishu Kakutō - Monster Musume:
In a world where humans and monster people co-exist, Monster Wrestling is the most popular sport. When Chirol, a novice Cerberus wrestler, is approached by the world's largest wrestling organization, her competitive life finally begins to move forward.
The web comic launched on Micro Magazine's Monthly Comic Ride website in October 2017. The first compiled volume shipped on May 2.
Yen Press describes Penguin Highway:
Fourth-grader Aoyama investigates the mysterious reason behind the sudden appearance of penguins in his village. Is it somehow related to the power of a young woman working at a dental clinic?
The novel is inspiring an anime film adaptation from Studio Colorido. The film opens in Japan on August 17.
Yen Press describes The Night is Young, Walk on Girl (Yoru wa Mijikashi Aruke yo Otome):
On a mysterious night that seems to last a year, an ordinary college student continues to chase one of the underclassmen, a girl with black hair—the girl of his dreams. Up until now, he has been relying on a simple plan, bumping into her every day while making it seem like a meaningful coincidence.
Kadokawa published the original novel in 2006, and it won the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize and the second place Japan Booksellers' Award in 2007. Ranmaru Kotone drew a manga adaptation, and Masaaki Yuasa directed an anime film adaptation that premiered in Japan in April 2017. The film will open in U.S. theaters under the title The Night is Short, Walk On Girl on August 21.
In addition to Penguin Highway and Walk on Girl, Morimi also wrote the original novels for The Tatami Galaxy and The Eccentric Family.
Yen Press describes Mirai (Mirai no Mirai):
Kun, a spoiled 4-year-old boy, comes across a magical garden where he meets his future sister, Mirai, who is now a young woman and has traveled back in time to see him. Their adventures together help Kun cope with learning how to live with a baby sibling.
Director Hosoda penned the novelization of his upcoming Mirai film. Kadokawa shipped the novel in three different versions. The company's Kadokawa Bunko literature label shipped first on June 15, followed by the version from the Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko juvenile fiction label on June 30, and then the version for the Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko light novel label on July 1.
The film will open in Japan on July 20.
Yen Press describes 86:
The Republic of San Magnolia has been attacked by its neighbor, the Empire. Outside the 85 districts of the Republic there is the 'non-existent 86 th district,' where young men and women continue to fight. Sheen directs the actions of young suicide bombers, while Lena is a “curator” who commands a detachment from a remote rear. The story of the tragic struggle between these two begins!
Asato launched the novel series with the first novel in April 2017. Shirabi (The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!, Myriad Colors Phantom World) is drawing the illustrations, and the artist I-IV is in charge of mechanical design. The fourth volume shipped in May. The novel series ranked #2 in the bunkobon rankings for the 2018 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (This Light Novel Is Amazing!) guidebook last year.
Yen Press describes Nyankees:
This story depicts stray cats as yankees, ready to fight on the treacherous streets of the city!
The manga is serializing in Kadokawa's Monthly Shonen Ace. The third compiled volume shipped on February 26.
Yen Press describes Plunderer:
It's the year 305 of the Alcian calendar, and the world is controlled by numbers. Every human born is branded with a "Count,” which could mean anything from the number of kilometers walked to the amount of people who have said your food is tasty. And if your Count drops to 0… you'll be sent into the Abyss! After Hina's mother's Count dropped to 0, her last request is for Hina to look for the Legendary Red Baron.
Minazuki (Heaven's Lost Property's, Gou-dere Sora Nagihara) launched the series in Monthly Shonen Ace in December 2014. The manga is getting an anime adaptation.
Yen Press describes Kakegurui Twins:
One year before Yumeko transferred to Hyakkaou Academy, Saotome Meari passed her transfer examinations. A girl from an ordinary family, her new school has a crazy law of the Baptism of Gambling! Paired with Yumeko as her 'twin,' Meari's story of gambling mania begins!
The manga is a spinoff of Kawamoto and Tōru Naomura's Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler manga. The spinoff launched in Square Enix's Gangan Joker in September 2015, and the fourth volume shipped on June 22. Yen Press is also publishing the original manga, which inspired a 12-episode television anime in July 2017.
Yen Press describes Happy Sugar Life:
Satou Matsuzaka has someone she likes. She thinks it must be love, and everything will be forgiven so long as she protects this feeling, even if she tricks, steals, or even kills for it.
Kagisora launched the horror manga in the magazine in 2015, and Square Enix shipped the eighth volume on June 22. An anime adaptation will premiere on July 13.
Yen Press describes the Bungo Stray Dogs light novel series:
The light novel adaptation of the popular Bungo Stray Dogs manga is coming! This story focuses on the past of Dazai Osamu before he joined the Armed Detective Company.
Asagiri and Harukawa, the creators of the Bungo Stray Dogs manga, published three Bungo Stray Dogs novels from 2014 to 2015. Yen Press has already licensed the original manga, which has inspired two television anime series and an anime film.
Yen Press describes Woof Woof Story (Wan Wan Monogatari):
Oogami Routa, a corporate slave who died from working too much, wishes he could be the dog of a rich household…and has his wish granted by an enthusiastic rookie goddess! But isn't he a little too big for a dog?!
Maijin launched the novel on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō! website in March 2017, and Kadokawa published the first volume in print with art by Kochimo in November 2017. The third and most recent volume shipped on July 1.
Update: Although Yen Press' original press release only listed the novel author for Dive!!, Yen Press clarified on Twitter and with ANN that its Dive!! license is for the manga by illustrator Ruzuru Akashiba. Thanks, Millhi.
Update 2: Yen Press also confirmed with ANN that it will release the Shut-In Shoutarou Kominami Takes on the World and The Witch's House: The Diary of Ellen manga in print. Yen Press previously published both manga digitally.
Sources: Press release, Yen Press' Anime Expo panel
Thanks, Deb Aoki
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history