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Yu Hibari's 'Kokō na Kanojo to, Kanojo no Heya de Shiteru Koto' Light Novel Gets Manga

The July issue of Kadokawa's Comic Alive magazine revealed on Wednesday that Yu Hibari's Kokō na Kanojo to, Kanojo no Heya de Shiteru Koto light novel is inspiring a manga adaptation by Mugiko that will launch in the magazine's next issue on June 27.

The novel centers on two opposites: the beautiful ice queen Kotori Nabata, and the introverted Takumi Hashio. Though classmates, they never speak to each other in class. But in secret, Kotori invites Takumi to do a certain "routine" at home, where she asks Takumi to put his body against hers, with no kissing or conversation, which he dutifully does. In truth, Kotori is no ice queen, and is as much an awkward introvert as Takumi, but she wants to reinvent herself as an extrovert who does not fear physical contact. Their "routine" is just a way for Kotori to train herself. Kotori's goal is to become like Ei, an older upperclassman who is everything that Kotori wants to become. His natural influence draws both Kotori and Takumi into his orbit, and they begin helping him out with odd jobs.

Hibari released the novel under Kadokawa's Sneaker Bunko imprint in August 2025, with illustrations by Nakaba Mimori.

Hibari launched the Tenkō-saki no Seiso Karen na Bishōjo ga, Mukashi Danshi to Omotte Issho ni Asonda Osananajimi Datta Ken (The Neat and Beautiful Girl at My New School Was My Childhood Friend Who I Used to Play With Who I Thought was a Boy, or Tenbin for short) light novel series on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō ("Let's Become Novelists") website in 2020. Kadokawa started publishing the series with illustration by Siso in 2021. Kadokawa published the light novel's ninth volume in August 2025, and will publish the 10th volume on July 1. Kina Ōyama launched a manga adaptation on Comic Walker as part of Kadokawa's "Dora Dora Flat" website in 2021. Kadokawa published the manga's seventh compiled book volume in July 2025. The novels are inspiring an upcoming television anime that will premiere in July.

Mugiko launched the manga adaptation of Nigojū and Umibōzu's The Detective Is Already Dead (Tantei wa Mō, Shindeiru) light novel series in Comic Alive in May 2020, and ended it in October 2023. The manga's sixth and final volume shipped in the same month. Yen Press is publishing the original novels as well as Mugiko's manga in English. The novels inspired a television anime that premiered in July 2021. Funimation streamed the anime as it aired, and also streamed an English dub. A second television anime season will debut in October.

Source: Comic Alive July issue