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J-Novel Club Licenses Amagi Brilliant Park, Kokoro Connect, Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Novels

Anime News Network's coverage of Anime Expo 2018 is sponsored by Yen Press.

J-Novel Club announced eight new book licenses at its Anime Expo panel on Thursday. The company plans to release Amagi Brilliant Park, Kokoro Connect, Sorcerous Stabber Orphen, Gear Drive, Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles, JK Haru is a Sex Worker in Another World, Last and First Idol, and Märchen der Werwolf: The Annals of Veight light novels.

The first half of the first volumes of Amagi Brilliant Park, Kokoro Connect, Sorcerous Stabber Orphen, Gear Drive, and Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles are already available for members, with a preview available for free. The e-book for for their first volumes will be available in August.

The first parts of JK Haru is a Sex Worker in Another World, Last and First Idol, and the first volume of the Märchen der Werwolf: The Annals of Veight novels are already available as free previews, while the remaining parts will be available to members later. The e-book for the novels will be available this fall.

J-Novel Club describes Amagi Brilliant Park:

Amusement parks are places of wonder and fun for all ages... right? Well, that's not quite the case for Amagi Brilliant Park, a "crummy" amusement park on the outskirts of Tokyo where the snacks are inedible, the attractions are falling apart, and the mascots regularly get into fistfights with the guests. It's the kind of place that cool, handsome, brilliant Kanie Seiya wouldn't be caught dead in... until a mysterious girl drags him there–at literal gunpoint–and demands that he help them save the park!

Shoji Gatoh (Full Metal Panic!) launched the original light novel series with illustrations by Yuka Nakajima (Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!/Papa Kiki!) in 2013. Fantasia Bunko published the eighth volume in 2016. The novel series inspired a television anime adaptation by Kyoto Animation in 2014, as well as manga adaptations and spinoffs.

Sentai Filmworks licensed the anime and streamed the anime on Crunchyroll as it aired in Japan. Sentai Filmworks released the anime on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in February 2017.

Kokoro Connect is J-Novel Club's first license from Kadokawa. J-Novel Club describes the story:

The Cultural Research Club is an eclectic bunch: a pro wrestling fanboy, a goofy ditz, a master of snark, a laid-back jokester, and a total girly-girl. Their peaceful teenage lives are turned upside-down, however, when they suddenly and inexplicably start swapping bodies with each other. At first it's all wacky hijinks... but then things get a little too personal. Boundaries are crossed, and dark secrets come to light—secrets that threaten to destroy the very foundations of their friendship.

Who—or what—is causing the body-swap phenomenon? Will it ever stop? But most of all... can their club survive it?

Sadanatsu Anda launched the series in 2010 with illustrations by Yukiko Horiguchi (K-ON!, Tamako Market) and ended with the 11th volume in 2013. The television anime adaptation premiered in 2012. Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired and Sentai Filmworks released the series on home video.

Seven Seas Entertainment also published all five compiled book volumes of CUTEG's manga adaptation of the novels.

J-Novel Club describes Sorcerous Stabber Orphen:

Orphen is a Sorcerer drop-out from the prestigious Tower of Fangs. His journey to save Azalie, a girl he looked up to like a sister, has brought him to the bustling city of Totokanta. Here they are reunited for the first time in five years. But what is the truth behind her monstrous transformation, and just what secrets lurk behind the Sword of Baldanders...?

Yoshinobu Akita began the Sorcerous Stabber Orphen (Majutsushi Orphen) light novel series in 1994 with illustrations by Yuuya Kusaka.

The novels spawned the 1998-1999 anime of the same name as well as the 1999-2000 anime Orphen: The Revenge. ADV Films released both anime in North America, and ADV Manga later published the novels' manga adaptation. The novels have over 10 million copies in print. The novels are also inspiring a new television anime to commemorate the series' 25th anniversary in 2019.

Muraji currently serializing a manga adaptation titled Majutsushi Orphen Haguretabi - Wa ga Mei ni Shitagae Doll. The manga went on hiatus in December, and return in March with the title Majutsushi Orphen Haguretabi - Wa ga Mune de Nemure Bōrei.

J-Novel Club describes Gear Drive (Haguruma Drive):

In a world where magic abounds, 15-year-old Anti Kythera is the odd one out. No matter how hard she studies, she can't even use the most basic of skills. Her only hope is her upcoming Skill Bestowal: a ceremony that can help even the chronically magicless discover their talent.
But what Anti receives is something completely new: Gearcraft, a skill that allows her to make and control golden gears!
What can a restaurant owner's daughter, much less an aspiring adventurer, do with gears? As it turns out, quite a bit. But it's going to take a little imagination, and a lot of effort, if she's going to discover the secrets of this never-before-seen power.
Can Anti tame the tiara-shaped artifact that calls itself “Crown Gear”? Will she ever become as great as her idol, Purple Lightning? Join her as she gets into gear for a life of adventure!

Kabayakidare began serializing the story in the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in March 2017, and Overlap published the first volume of the print version of the novel with illustrations by Koutaro Sugi on February 25.

J-Novel Club describes Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles:

Meet Rio: a callous orphaned boy living in the slums. At only 7-years-old, he realizes he's actually the reincarnation of Haruto Amakawa, a Japanese university student with a tragic past. While still reeling from this shocking epiphany, Rio also comes to learn that he possesses extremely potent magical abilities and uses his new powers to solve the kidnapping case of a little girl. His good deed is acknowledged, and he's rewarded by being enrolled into… a prestigious academy for noble children...?

Yuri Kitayama began serializing the story in the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in February 2014, and Hobby Japan began published the first volume of the print version of the novel with illustrations by Riv in 2015. Futago Minazuki launched a manga adaptation of the novels in 2017.

J-Novel Club describes JK Haru is a Sex Worker in Another World (JK Haru wa Isekai de Shōfu ni Natta):

*record scratch*
*freeze frame on Haru Koyama getting choked by a horny naked dude*
Yep, that's me. You're probably wondering how I got into this situation. Not by choice, I can tell you that! It started when my weirdo classmate, Chiba, tried to save me from a runaway truck and got us both killed instead. Idiot. Then we got transported to another world, which I guess is like an otaku dream come true, or something? Chiba ends up with cheat abilities, and what do I get? Nothing! Lucky me, I get to be a sex worker instead. Gotta earn money somehow — but since I have to do it, I'm gonna kick ass at it. This world treats women even worse than the one we came from, so things get...rough. Still, I've made friends with some of the girls, and if I can juggle Chiba's idiocy and Sumo the virgin's emotions on top of all the various kinks my customers throw at me, things will be all right...won't they?

Ko Hiratori began serializing the story in the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in October 2016, and Hayakawa Publishing published the print version of the novel with a cover illustration by shimano last December.

J-Novel Club describes Last and First Idol (Saigo ni Shite Saisho no Idol):

"Bye-bye, Earth! My idol activities here were so much fun!"

4th Hayakawa SF Contest Special Prize
48th Seiun Award (Japanese Short Story Division)
27th Dark Seiun Award (Guest Division)
16th Sense of Gender Award (Future Idol Award)

Last and First Idol earned the first ever special prize in the Hayakawa SF Contest, and the first debut work to win the Seiun Award in 42 years! This existential widescreen yuri baroque proletariat hard sci-fi idol story has carved out a new legend in science fiction history!
Also includes Evolution Girls, in which some gacha-expert friends race to find the truth of the universe, and Dark Seiyuu, a brand-new space opera about voice actors! Gengen Kusano's astounding debut collection!

The book collects three short stories by Gengen Kusano. The titular short story won Best Japanese Short Story at the 48th Seiun Awards in 2017. Hayakawa Publishing released the short story collection on January 24.

J-Novel Club describes Märchen der Werwolf: The Annals of Veight (Jinrō e no Tensei, Maō no Fukukan):

The reborn werewolf known as Veight now leads the Demon Lord's third regiment under the title of Vice-Commander. Having conquered the trading hub known as Ryunheit, he soon learns the struggles of governing a city of mixed human/demon population. Armed with an understanding of inter-species relations and a desire for peace, he spends his days quelling violent demons and pacifying disruptive humans in his pursuit to bring balance and tranquility.

Hyougetsu began serializing the story in the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in July 2015, and Earth Star Entertainment published the print version of the first volume with illustrations by Nishi(E)da in December 2015.

Source: Press releases, Anime Expo panel (Kyle Cardine)