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DIVE!! Manga's Masahiro Ikeno Launches Fantasy Series on May 26

The June issue of Kadokawa's Shōnen Ace magazine revealed on Thursday that Masahiro Ikeno will launch a manga based on Zappon's Shin no Nakama Janai to Yūsha no Party o Oidasareta no de, Henkyō de Slow Life Suru Koto ni Shimashita (I Was Kicked Out of the Hero's Party Because I Wasn't a True Companion, So I Decided to Take it Easy on the Frontier) fantasy story in the next issue on May 26. The manga will also be available on Kadokawa's Comic Walker manga website beginning on May 28.

The story is set in a fantasy world where people are born with the divine protection of one of many gods, which grants them special abilities. The story centers on Red, born with the protection of the Guide, which grants him only a high initial level. He joins the party of his sister, born with the protection of the Hero, as their party sets out to defeat the Demon Lord. But soon, Red's high level cannot keep up with his lack of equipment, magic, or martial ability, and he is driven out by a fellow party member who claims that he is no true companion.

Crestfallen, Red decides to head to the frontier territory of Zoltan, distancing himself from the fateful confrontation with the Demon Lord, and use his skills to start an apothecary to earn money. With a half-elf carpenter and a princess who also couldn't be a party member of the hero, Red begins a relaxed frontier life.

Zappon launched the story on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō (Let's Become Novelists) website in October, and it is ongoing. Kadokawa will publish the story in print with illustrations by Yasumo beginning with the first volume (seen right) on June 1.

Ikeno also drew a five-volume manga adaptation of Eto Mori's youth novel series DIVE!! from 2007-2008. Ikeno will launch a new manga adaptation of Kumo Kagyu's Goblin Slayer novels, titled Goblin Slayer! Brand New Day, in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine on May 25.