Novelous App Bridges Western Audience With Popular Light Novels and Manga Series
TOKYO, JAPAN – January 23 – Publisher Shogakukan will share its iconic Japanese light novels and manga with Western audiences by launching the digital media app and service Novelous later today, January 23, at 11 PM PST for Android and iOS devices.
Japan's light novel scene has few parallels elsewhere, producing many popular works across multiple genres – especially in fantasy, romance, and adventure. For the first time, Shogakukan's Novelous app will put English translations of the most popular series (and brand-new series) into the hands of Western audiences in the United States and Canada.
With today's launch of Novelous, new readers and Western fans of Japanese light novels and manga alike can enjoy more than 80 of Japan's favorite works. These include light novels like the dark fantasy Witch and Hound and romantic comedy Too Many Losing Heroines!, to manga like the action-packed Kengan Ashura. Most of these works have never been published in English before, and many more will be added after launch.
The Novelous app further develops the light novel readership community, allowing friends and family to share their favorite series, as well as rate and leave impressions about their favorite works. Easily identify which characters are currently speaking in any light novel work with dedicated character icons and speech bubbles for ease of reading.
In the future, Shogakukan will also include original, light novels in Novelous written in the West. Look forward to an upcoming competition where participants can submit their own English light novels for a chance to win a prize and be featured in the Novelous app!
“Many Western fans discover their favorite stories through anime, but are less familiar with the original manga or light novels those anime are based on,” says Yuki Wada, Novelous' producer. “Light novels, in particular, are not well known in the West, so we wanted to share the incredible work of these authors with a global audience.”
Novelous will launch on iOS and Android on January 23 at 11 PM PST. Unlock long-term access to new chapters with in-app Paid coins, or in the short-term with Free coins for readers looking to browse new stories without commitment.
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