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Yen Press Licenses Unnamed Memory, 5 Other Novels, 6 Manga

Yen Press announced during its panel at the Anime Expo Lite event on Friday that it has licensed the Unnamed Memory; Reign of the Seven Spellblades; The Place Promised in Our Early Days; The World's Finest Assassin, Reincarnated in a Different World as an Aristocrat; The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten; and King of the Labyrinth light novels. The company also announced the licenses of the A Witch's Love at the End of the World, Strawberry Fields Once Again, The Vampire & His Pleasant Companions, Slasher Maidens, Eniale & Dewiela, and Mieruko-chan manga. Yen Press will also publish the Overlord: The Complete Anime Art Book.

Kuji Furumiya's Unnamed Memory novels' story centers on the relationship between the noble prince Oscar and the powerful and immortal witch Tinasha. Oscar has been cursed since childhood to never have a child of his own, and he seeks out the calamitous witch Tinasha to find a way to break the curse, braving the trials of her tower. When they meet, Tinasha reveals that she has a strange connection to Oscar, and a curious courtship begins between them that threatens to shake the power structures of their world.

Furumiya began serializing the novels on the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" website in September 2012. Kadokawa published the first volume in print in January 2019, and will publish the fifth and latest volume on Wednesday. The novels ranked #1 in the 2020 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (This Light Novel Is Amazing!) guidebook.

Naoki Koshimizu will launch a manga adaptation of the novels in Kadokawa's Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh magazine in September.

Yen Press describes Bokuto Uno and Ruria Miyuki's Reign of the Seven Spellblades (Nanatsu no Maken ga Shihai Suru) light novels:

Springtime at Kimberly Magic Academy, when new students begin their first year. One boy, clad in black robes with a white cane and sword strapped to his hip, approaches the prestigious school. This young man—Oliver—must form a bond with a katana wielding girl named Nanao if he's to survive the dangers he's to face at this school that is anything but what it seems!

Uno launched the Nanatsu no Maken ga Shihai Suru novel series with the first volume in September 2018, with illustrations by Ruria Miyuki. Kadokawa published the fifth novel volume on February 7, and will publish the sixth volume on July 10. The novel series ranked #1 in the 2020 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (This Light Novel Is Amazing!) guidebook. Uno's Alderamin on the Sky light novel series ran from 2012 to August 2018. Those novels inspired a television anime series in 2016, and Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired in Japan.

Sakae Esuno launched a manga adaptation of the novels in Kadokawa's Shonen Ace magazine in May 2019.

Yen Press describes The Place Promised in Our Early Days:

In the Soviet-occupied Japan of an alternate history, two childhood friends who have grown apart find each other again and begin a search for a missing third friend-and possibly save the world in the process. Acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai pens his own novelization of his first feature-length animated film!

The novel is by Shunta Kanō and Makoto Shinkai, and is a novelization of Shinkai's own film of the same name. The novel originally debuted with tankōbon version from Kadokawa in 2005. Kadokawa re-released the novel in bunko format in June 2018 (Yen Press' cover features the bunko version).

The film debuted in 2004. ADV Films originally released the film theatrically in the United States and later on DVD in 2005.

Yen Press describes Rui Tsukiyo and Reia's The World's Finest Assassin, Reincarnated in a Different World as an Aristocrat light novels:

When a great assassin is reborn in another world, he finds himself the heir to a long line of killers from the shadows. With both his modern-day knowledge and experience and the special magic and techniques of this new world, he could very well become the most unstoppable assassin in history…!

Tsukiyo began serializing the story on the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in July 2018. Kadokawa began publishing the story in print volumes with illustrations by Reia beginning with the first volume in February 2019. It published the fourth volume on April 1. Hamao Sumeragi launched a manga adaptation in Kadokawa's Young Ace Up manga website in January 2019.

Seven Seas Entertainment publishes Hideaki Yoshikawa's manga adaptation of Tsukiyo's Dungeon Builder: The Demon King's Labyrinth is a Modern City! novels. Tsukiyo's Kaifuku Jutsushi no Yarinaoshi: Sokushi Mahō to Skill Copy no Chōetsu Heal (Redo of Healer) light novel series is also inspiring an upcoming television anime adaptation in 2021.

Yen Press describes Saekisan and Hanekoto's The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten (Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsu no Ma ni ka Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken) light novels:

Amane lives alone in an apartment, and the most beautiful girl in school, Mahiru, lives just next door. They've almost never spoken—until the day he sees her in distress on a rainy day and lends her his umbrella. To return the favor, she offers him help around the house, and a relationship slowly begins to blossom as the distance between them closes…

Saekisan began serializing the story on the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in December 2018. SB Creative began publishing the story in print volumes with illustrations by Hanekoto beginning with the first volume in June 2019. It published the second volume on April 14.

Yen Press describes Shien Bis' King of the Labyrinth (Meikyū no Ō) light novels:

On the tenth floor of the labyrinth awaits the minotaur. Many brave adventurers have challenged this great beast, all have thoroughly failed. “More!" Demands the powerful monster. “Send me more powerful opponents!” This creature blindly pursues strength at any cost. Perhaps it will even grow strong enough to surpass the rules of the labyrinth itself! Can any adventurer hope to stand against such a mighty creature?

Shien Bis began serializing the story on the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in August 2011. Kodansha began serializing the story in print novels with illustrations by Shōko Meguro beginning with the first novel in January 2019. It published the third volume last December.

Yen Press describes Kujira's A Witch's Love at the End of the World (Sekai no Owari to Majo no Koi) manga:

In a world where magic rules from the shadows, there exists a school for witches. This mysterious academy trains young witches on a path of revenge against those who have used them only as tools. Alice, a magical prodigy, has lived her life by this goal only to have her world turned upside down when Mari, a magic-less human, enters the school and her heart!

Kujira launched the manga in Kadokawa's Comic it magazine in October 2018. Kadokawa published the manga's second volume last December.

Yen Press describes Kazura Kinosaki's Strawberry Fields Once Again (Strawberry Fields o Mō Ichido):

“I'll never have a 3D romance!” High schooler Akira loves otome games and refuses to have a 3D romance, so she's caught off-guard when the new transfer student suddenly declares that she is Akira's future lover! It's the start of the bittersweet story of two girls who are more than friends but less than lovers!

Kinosaki launched the manga in Kadokawa's @vitamin web magazine in 2017, and ended it in 2019. Kadokawa published three compiled book volumes for the manga.

Yen Press describes Marimo Ragawa's The Vampire & His Pleasant Companions (Kyūketsuki to Yukai na Nakama-tachi) manga:

From veteran shoujo manga artist Marimo Ragawa and BL light novelist Narise Konohara comes a strange and sexy tale! When a vampire from Nebraska named Al gets frozen in bat form, he winds up in Japan under the care of a dark and mysterious man covered in a bloody scent!

The manga adapts Narise Konohara's novel series of the same name. Ragawa launched the manga in Hakusensha's Bessatsu Hana to Yume magazine in April 2016. Hakusensha published the manga's fourth volume last December.

Konohara published five volumes for the original novel.

Ragawa serialized the 18-volume Baby & Me manga from 1991-1997. Viz Media published the manga in its Shojo Beat magazine, and also published the manga in book form. The manga inspired a television anime series in 1996 to 1997 and a live-action Korean film in 2008.

Digital Manga Publishing previously published Konohara's About Love and Castle Mango manga.

Yen Press describes Tetsuya Tashiro Slasher Maidens (Kaijin Reijō) manga:

Around the world, a phenomenon is observed where those whose mental stress reaches a peak transform into monsters called “Kaijin” and succumb to murderous impulses. Such supernatural events were completely unrelated to proud pervert Asuma Sudo, but after he transfers to an all-girls school while chasing the girl of his dreams, he discovers that the school was actually a front for an anti-Kaijin special agency!

Tashiro launched the manga in Square Enix's Monthly Gangan Joker magazine in April 2018. Square Enix published the manga's fourth volume on May 22.

Tashiro and Takahiro ended their Akame ga KILL! manga in December 2016. The manga launched in 2010 in Monthly Gangan Joker. Square Enix published 15 volumes for the manga. It inspired a TV anime, which premiered in Japan in July 2014. Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in Japan, and Sentai Filmworks licensed and released the series on Blu-ray Disc and DVD home video. The anime began airing on Adult Swim's Toonami block starting in August 2015.

Yen Press describes Kamome Shirahama's Eniale & Dewiela (Endevi) manga:

When Eniale the coy angel and Dewiela the serious devil get into frivolous spats, the whole world gets caught up in their antics! Whether it's wrecking New York in a bid to nab some famous cosmetics, getting into a car chase in Paris over a clothing quarrel, or sinking Tokyo thanks to a zombie outbreak, it's the advent of an otherworldly duo who are both beautiful and obnoxious!

Shirahama launched the manga Enterbrain's Harta magazine in 2012, and ended it in 2015. Enterbrain published three compiled book volumes for the manga.

Kodansha Comics is releasing Shirahama's Witch Hat Atelier manga. The manga launched in Monthly Morning two in July 2016. Kodansha published the manga's seventh compiled volume on May 22. The series was nominated for the Best Comic award at Angoulême International Comics Festival in January 2019. The manga was also nominated for the 11th Manga Taisho awards in 2018. The series ranked in the top 10 on the list of the best manga for male readers in the 2018 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (This Manga Is Amazing!) guidebook. The manga ranked on American Library Association's (ALA's) Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens list this year. It is also nominated for the Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia award in this year's Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards.

Tomoki Izumi's Mieruko-chan horror comedy manga centers on the titular character, a girl who can see the supernatural, including strange and disturbing ghosts, but nevertheless tries to go about her daily life while not trying to show that it affects her.

Izumi launched the manga on Kadokawa's ComicWalker website in November 2018. Kadokawa published the manga's third volume on March 21.

Yen Press describes Overlord: The Complete Anime Art Book:

A deep dive into the planning and making of the hit anime adaption of Overlord reveals delicately crafted settings and the incredible detailed outfits and accessories that breathed life into everyone's favorite cast of not-so-good guys!

The art book series collects art from the production of the Overlord television anime. Kadokawa released the first book, with art from the first season, in October 2015. It released the second book, with art from the second and third seasons, in December 2018.

The first 13-episode Overlord television anime series premiered in Japan in July 2015. Funimation streamed the anime series as it aired in Japan, and the company released the series with an English dub on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in November 2016. The second anime series premiered in January 2018 and ended in April 2018. Crunchyroll streamed the second series as it aired, and Funimation streamed an English dub. The third anime series premiered in July 2018. Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired, and Funimation again streamed an English dub.

Source: Email correspondence