With a new year comes a whole new batch of series licenses, and Yen Press decided to start things off this year by announcing nine new titles including a handful of manga, novels, and even one art book.
Sword Art Online: Kiss & Fly
Original Story by Reki Kawahara, Art by Rico Bekko, Character Design by abec
First up from Yen Press was Sword Art Online: Kiss & Fly, a collection of three short stories about Kirito and Asuna’s experiences as newlyweds in SAO, as well as Asuna’s time in ALO. This will be a must grab for any SAO fan.
Visions 2023 Illustrator Book
Edited by pixiv
Back again is Yen Press’ Visions Illustrator Book compilation that includes hundreds of profiles and artwork from highly popular and talented artists on pixiv, one of the world’s biggest art platforms.
Penguin Highway
Story by Tomihiko Morimi, Art by Keito Yano
The fan favorite anime movie, Penguin Highway, was also announced to have it’s manga adaptation for fans by Yen Press. This title will also be released in a complete, all-in-one omnibus format.
Demon’s Crest
Story by Reki Kawahara, Art by Yukiko Horiguchi
Next up is Demon’s Crest, the brand new light novel series from Reki Kawahara, the creator of Accel World and Sword Art Online. Much like his previous two works, this series again takes place in a popular MMORPG game but with the twist that the virtual world is beginning to fuse with the real world.
Sister and Giant: A Young Lady Is Reborn In Another World
Series by Be-con
Yen Press followed up with another new darker reincarnation based isekai series about found family, with a heavy helping of action and even some “yuri subtext” between the two main characters, Hinako, and the Goddess and giantess, Eiris.
Senpai, This Can’t Be Love!
Series by Shinta Harekawa
Next up was a special treat for BL fans, as Yen Press announced the series license for “Senpai, This Can’t Be Love!”, a workplace romance between Yanase, a veteran CG designer, and Kaneda, his brand new trainee. Tension between the two immediately rises due to Kaneda’s frosty disposition, but secretly he is melting on the inside from his nerves whenever Yanase so much as gives him praise.
Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra
Story by Fehu Kazuno, Art by Yasaiko Midorihana
Yen Press also announced the license for yet another isekai, although this one is a bit on the darker side. Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra follows Takuto Ira, who died at a young age from an illness only to find himself reincarnated as an “evil god” in a world just like his favorite strategy sim game. There he vows to build a kingdom together with Atou, a character from the game he had once subdued.
This Monster Wants To Eat Me
Series by Sai Naekawa
For the first Yuri/GL license of the year, Yen Press announced the license for This Monster Wants to Eat Me, a darker romance about a high school girl named Shiori who lives in a seaside town that is unusually irresistible and even “delicious” to nearby monsters. One day she is spotted by a mermaid named Hinako, who vows to protect Shiori until she matures, so that one day she may feast on Shiori herself.
A Sinner of the Deep Sea
Series by Akihito Tomi
Surprisingly, Yen Press announced the license for another mermaid focused series titled A Sinner of the Deep Sea. In this series we follow two young mermaids, Jo and Ryuu, from a hidden civilization under the sea. Their tranquil and peaceful lives are shattered one day when Jo is locked away for breaking their civilization’s biggest taboo: that humans must never know of their existence.
Thank you for tuning in to our first batch of manga licensing coverage for 2024! We will be continuing to cover as much licensing news as possible from a wide range of publishers as news comes out, so be sure to follow along.
If you want to see past coverage of licensing announcements, or to view some of my past reviews, you can just click here.