Yen Press launches “Yen On” imprint with “A Certain Magical Index” novels

The light novel business may be thriving in Japan, but outside of their home country things have been less than positive. Numerous times, publishers have tried to tap into the market overseas but to little success. Recently however, Yen Press surprised fans by announcing that they will be releasing the original light novels of Sword Art Online and Accel World, with the former due out at the end of the month. These licenses were initially thought to be testing the waters, but now it seems that Yen Press is jumping into the pool.

At Sakura-Con 2014 in America, the publisher revealed a new imprint – Yen On, exclusively for novels. Titles in this imprint begin to be released from this autumn and there is already quite the impressive line-up announced:

  • A Certain Magical Index by Kazuma Kamachi (with art by Kiyotaka Haimura) will have its first volume released this winter.
  • Another by Yukito Ayatsuji. Previously released as a digital title, this novel will be released in a hardcover omnibus addition in October.
  • Is It Wrong To Try And Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon by Fujino Omori will be released this winter.

The biggest license upon the list is undoubtedly A Certain Magical Index, which has amassed a whopping 25 volumes since the first novel was published in Japan ten years ago. Since then, two television anime series’ based on the property have been released (although they have yet to be released in the United Kingdom), as well as a spin-off manga A Certain Scientific Railgun.

They also announced some other acquisitions:

  • King of Eden by Takashi Nagasaki (Story) and SangCheol Lee (Art). Starting on 1st May, chapters will be published worldwide.
  • PandoraHearts ~Odds and Ends~ art book by Jun Mochizuki is due out in November.
  • GOU-DERE SORA NAGIHARA by Suu Minazuki is scheduled for November.
  • LOVE AT FOURTEEN by Fuka Mizutani is a third title slated for November.
  • THE ANGEL OF ELHAMBURG by Aki will be released in…Spring 2015 (Ha, thought I was gonna say November?)

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Josh A. Stevens

Reviewing anime by moonlight, working in film by daylight, never running out of things to write, he is the one named Josh A. Stevens.

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