Acquisitions Announcement— Yen Press Wraps Up 2024 with Fourteen New Licenses

NEW YORK, NY – December 16, 2024 – Wrapping up 2024, Yen Press, LLC has announced fourteen new title acquisitions, filled with romance, brave heroes, magical schools, and more.

Releasing in June 2025, this lineup includes eight manga (Sword Art Online Unital Ring, Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, I Made Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in My Class, Isekai Samurai, Convenient Semi-Friend, The Heroic Tale of the Villainous Prince, The Hitman Stans, Dara-san of Reiwa), four light novels (Who Killed the Hero?, The Girl Who Wants to Be a Hero and the Girl Who Ought to Be a Hero, This Is the Wizard's Secret Weapon, Secrets of the Silent Witch (spin-off) -another- Part 1, and one digital exclusive manga (SAILOR ZOMBIE). Additionally, Yen Press announced the release of Lord of Mysteries, a popular Chinese webnovel that will soon be adapted into an animated show.

Sword Art Online Unital Ring, Vol. 1 (manga)
By Reki Kawahara
Art by Masato Kanetsuki
Original Character Design by abec

Orchestrated by genius scientist Akihiko Kayaba, the SAO Incident created a game you couldn't leave until you beat it. One where death in the game meant death in the real world... Kirito is a survivor of SAO who now spends his time playing the new VRMMORPG Alfheim Online with his old SAO friends, Asuna and Alice. But Kirito soon finds himself caught up in a mysterious game he never expected...

Secrets of the Silent Witch (spin-off) -another- Part 1 (light novel)
By Matsuri Isora
Illustration by Nanna Fujimi

After memorizing his magecraft textbook in a single week, Louis is accepted as a scholarship student at Minerva's Mage Training Institution. But surrounded by nobles, the rough and rowdy boy from a poor, remote village is treated as a problem child and feared for the way he trounces his opponents in magic battles. And yet Louis still finds teachers he respects and friends he can rely on as he grows into the man who will become a Sage. Learn all about the notorious deeds of the Barrier Mage's youth in this two-part prequel to Secrets of the Silent Witch.

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Vol. 1 (manga)
By Sunsunsun
Art by Saho Tenamachi
Original Character Design by Momoko

Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou, nicknamed Alya, is a half-Russian beauty with silver hair, at the top of her class, student council accountant, and completely unapproachable. She's taken to reprimanding the slacker who sits next to her in class, Masachika Kuze—a geeky, unmotivated, and unexemplary student who couldn't care less about keeping up his grades. Secretly, Alisa holds a certain fondness for Masachika, only revealed by the occasional Russian muttered under her breath that no one in her class can understand...except Masachika! He eavesdrops on these embarrassing revelations, pretending to be clueless, all the while wondering what her flirtatious comments actually mean!

I Made Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in My Class, Vol. 1 (manga)
By Rin Ono
Original Story by Takata
Art by Azuri Hyūga

Maki Maehara is always on his own at school. He has no friends or hobbies others share, and he doesn't expect the upcoming academic year to be any different, even surrounded by new faces. And six months later, it seems like he was right—until he runs into his popular classmate Umi Asanagi at a video store! Always at the center of attention and called the “second prettiest in class” by the boys, Asanagi's from a totally different world. But it turns out the two have more overlapping interests than just the B-grade movies they came to check out...and Asanagi asks Maehara to be her friend!

Isekai Samurai, Vol. 1 (manga)
By Keigo Saitō

As the final years of the Sengoku period dwindle away, Ginko, the strongest swordsman of the era, has yet to find a worthy opponent to slake her thirst for a fight to the death. Just when she's finally lost hope that anyone stronger than her exists, she gets transported to another world! And the first thing Ginko sees there is—a dragon?!

Convenient Semi-Friend, Vol. 1 (manga)
By Minori Chigusa

“What if we became friends with benefits…?” Suuna, a gloomy high school student, leaves home to live in a dorm. But when she nervously enters her room, she finds her roommate, Ruka, feeling up another girl! She finds out Ruka needs a “friend with benefits,” so Suuna takes charge and proposes they form a “(semi) friends with benefits” contract…?

The Heroic Tale of the Villainous Prince, Vol. 1 (manga)
By Hirosaki
Original Story by Ryu Hidari
Art by Hana Amano

As the only royal with pitch-black hair and eyes, Prince Alfred is the literal black sheep of his family. But one day, he happens to see his older brother Leor, the crown prince, publicly breaking off his engagement to his fiancée, Charlotte. To rescue Charlotte from the false accusations being hurled at her, Alfred puts himself in harm's way instead. With that, everything is resolved...or is it?

The Hitman Stans, Vol. 1 (manga)
By Rintarou Ohshima

Meet “the Killing Machine” Owaru Endou: the cold-blooded and strongest hitman of a massive underworld organization, who has decided to retire out of the blue. His reason? To stan his favorite underground idol with his head held high! But old habits die hard, especially for a man whose hands are stained with blood. Can Owaru truly shed his identity to live the ultimate fan life of concerts, meet and greets, and picture lotteries—even when his past comes knocking?

Dara-san of Reiwa, Vol. 1 (manga)
By Haruomi Tomotsuka

Clouds blacken the sky and sheets of rain turn the mountain forest into a treacherous maze... A landslide crushes a razor wire fence, and buries a “NO TRESPASSING” sign... Two young siblings wander into a dark world where they do not belong, and a long, horrid shadow rears up to meet them— Anyway, so that's how we met Dara-san! She might look kinda scary, but just wait until you get to know her!

“Look, I'm a god of misfortune, okay!? Aren't you kids gonna freak out about my grotesque visage!?”

Who Killed the Hero?, Vol. 1 (light novel)
By Daken
Illustrated by toi8

Four years have passed since the Demon Lord was defeated. The kingdom, now at peace, has undertaken the task of compiling the many great deeds of the fallen Hero, interviewing the members of his former party: Leon the Sword Saint, Maria the Holy Maiden, and Solon the Sage. Yet in between their tales of the Hero's past and their adventures together, the truth about his death slowly comes to light. Who killed the Hero? The Demon Lord? …Or his comrades?

The Girl Who Wants to Be a Hero and the Girl Who Ought to Be a Hero, Vol. 1 (light novel)
By Inori
Illustrated by Akamoku

After the Great Human-Demon War comes to a close, humans use a magical device known as the Gear to found the Hero Institute, a school for raising a new kind of hero. Ruchika, a wild and reckless demon girl, travels to the city in the hopes of joining the institute. There she meets Leonie, the serious-minded daughter of the Almighty Hero who defeated the Demon Lord. Taking a liking to her immediately, Ruchika proposes—right in the middle of their entrance exam! Do these two girls have what it takes to become heroes? And can love bloom between a human and a demon?

This Is the Wizard's Secret Weapon, Vol. 1 (light novel)
By Tarō Hitsuji
Illustrated by Kurone Mishima

On a bloody battlefield, the master swordsman Rix finally gives in to his deep-seated dislike for warfare. So he fakes his own death to go into retirement! He starts fresh by entering a magic school...despite his magical aptitude being zero. However, alongside the scholarship student Shino, he's ready to work hard. Even her cold attitude doesn't discourage him! Using his swordsmanship prowess, he overpowers his magic-wielding peers—inadvertently smashing through anything that's common practice at magic school. In the process, his skills catch the eye of the Imperial princess. She tries to recruit him into the army, but he shoots her down. He doesn't want to be the strongest—all he wants is to live a peaceful and enjoyable life!

SAILOR ZOMBIE, Vol. 1 (digital manga)
By Jiji & Pinch
Art by Isshin Inudo

Two months have passed since the world was overrun by zombies. High schooler Maiko Inui, a girl who longs to become an idol, finds refuge in Fujimi Girls' High School, where the surviving students reside. When hordes of zombies mercilessly attack the girls, how will Maiko and her friends fight back?! Horror meets harmony in this vibrant tale where heroes don't wear capes…but sailor suits instead!

Lord of Mysteries, Vol. 1 (novel)
By Yuan Ye

Through the storm of steam and machinery, who can achieve the extraordinary? In the mist of history and darkness, who whispers to me? When I woke up from the haze of mystery, I found myself in a world of guns, cannons, giant ships, airships, difference engines, potions, divination, curses, hanged men, and sealed artifacts.

But the light still shines between it all, and the mystery is never more than two steps away. This is the legend of the Fool.

About Yen Press, LLC
­­Yen Press, LLC, is a joint venture between Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group. Founded in 2006, Yen Press has quickly risen to become one of the largest and most prolific publishers of manga and original graphic novels in the North American marketplace and a driving force in the introduction of light novels and Japanese literature to new readers through its Yen On and Yen Audio imprints. For more information, visit www.yenpress.com.