News: Yen On Licenses Overlord, Boy and the Beast, Psycome

(pictured: Psycome)
(pictured: Psycome)

Three new light novel licenses were announced for Yen On’s lineup at New York Comic Con:

  • Overlord
  • The Boy and the Beast
  • Psycome
Overlord
Overlord

Overlord — by Kugane Maruyama (with art by so-bin)

The Overlord series began in 2012, and so far has nine volumes in Japan. It has an ongoing manga adaptation (also licensed by Yen Press), and had a season of anime air this past summer (available to stream on Hulu and Funimation’s websites). It is an MMO-setting story, so it will fit in nicely with Yen On’s similar light novels: Sword Art Online, Accel World, and Log Horizon.

Synopsis: The story begins when Yggdrasil, a popular online game is quietly shut down one day. However, the protagonist Momonga decides to not log out until the end. Momonga is then transformed into the image of a skeleton as “the most powerful wizard.” The world continues to change, with non-player characters (NPCs) beginning to have personalities. Having no parents, friends, or place in society, this ordinary young man Momonga then strives to take over the new world the game has become.

The Boy and the Beast
The Boy and the Beast

The Boy and the Beast — by Mamoru Hosoda

The anime film of the same name (titled Bakemono no Ko in Japan) was directed by Mamoru Hosoda, and released in Japan on July 11th. This novelization is apparently written by him as well! This director is famous for the likes of The Girl Who Leaped Through Time, Summer Wars, and Wolf Children. (And Digimon: The Movie.) The Boy and the Beast film will release in English on DVD and Blu-Ray in 2016, courtesy of Funimation (and may air in select theaters beforehand). The manga adaptation has also been licensed by Yen Press.

Synopsis: The story is set in the human realm (Tokyo’s Shibuya ward) and the bakemono realm (Shibutenmachi). In these two worlds which must not intersect, there lives a lonely boy and a lonely bakemono. One day, the boy gets lost in the bakemono world, becomes the disciple of the bakemono Kumatetsu, and is renamed Kyuuta.

Psycome
Psycome

Psycome — by Mizuki Mizushiro (with art by Namanie)

Psycome is short for Psycho Love Comedy, which seems to be precisely what this story is about. This light novel series ran for six volumes from 2013 to 2014 in Japan. It seems like a unique pick-up for Yen On, given that there is no anime adaptation for this one (at least, not yet)–but this would not be the first time that’s happened. (See: Kieli, for example.) Also, judging by the premise and accompanying illustrations, I imagine this will fit well in Yen On’s lineup alongside the likes of No Game No Life and Danmachi.

Synopsis: Sentenced on false charges, Kamiya Kyousuke was forced to enroll in the “Purgatorium School of Rehabilitation” where juvenile convicts are gathered. His surroundings include pretty girls with beautiful legs or fluttering hair… But they are actually convicted murderers. Attracting extra attention in school as the special “Mass Murderer of Twelve,” Kyousuke is also drawing the advances of the unidentified gas mask-wearing beauty with the giant rack, Hikawa Renko. In order to graduate safely, will Kyousuke be able to resist temptation laced with death?! Every single classmate is a murderer. LOVE=KILL! The deeper the love, the greater the risk of death, a hardcore romantic comedy!! Let the lessons begin!

These new titles are set to release some time in the spring or summer of 2016, so look forward to those, along with the likes of Baccano, My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong as Expected, and Another: Episode S.

***

More news to share from New York Comic Con! First of all, a look at the art that will be on the new cover for Kizumonogatari, which is now slated to release on December 15th:

https://twitter.com/Vertical_Comics/status/652509928805040129

On top of this, Vertical announced a plan to release audio light novels, starting in spring of 2016. “The new digital media format will include voice acting, music, and sound effects.” Sounds really interesting to me! It doesn’t look like specific titles are confirmed yet, but this seems like a fun way of experiencing the stories. Rather than being a direct reading like an audiobook, perhaps it will be somewhat similar to Japan’s drama CDs?

If there will be more light novel news to report from New York Comic Con, I’ll be sure to update the post here…

 

4 thoughts on “News: Yen On Licenses Overlord, Boy and the Beast, Psycome

  1. I’m happy and sad for the license for Overlord. Happy that it will finally be officially translated into English and I can buy myself a copy, but sad that I’ll have to wait all over again for it to catch up to the current translated volumes. *Sigh*

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