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Seven Seas Entertainment Launches Light Novel Imprint

Seven Seas Entertainment has announced that it will start publishing translated Japanese light novels under a new light novel imprint.

The imprint will launch in April 2007 with seven ongoing series, Ballad of a Shinigami (Shinigami no Ballad) by K-Ske Hasegawa (Keisuke Hasegawa), Pita-Ten, Strawberry Panic!, Kanokon, Gun Princess, and Vamp!.

The light novels will be published in the same 10.5cm x 15cm (4.1” x 5.9”) pocket format that they are published in Japan, which is somewhat smaller than the standard 18.75cm x 12.5cm (7.5" x 5.0") for manga. The light novels will be priced $7.95.

Very popular in Japan, light novels (pronounced "raito noberu" in Japan), are easy to read novels that are geared towards teen-aged readers. They often feature manga style art and are serialised in monthly magazines in the same manner as many manga. Some notable series that originated as light novels before they were adapted into anime or manga include Kino's Journey, Full Metal Panic!, Slayers and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.