BookWalker Global has recently announced they will release in English The Ryuo’s Work is Never Done!, or Ryuo no Oshigoto! as it was known in Japan. The first volume is planned for release in the fall. This will be BookWalker’s second exclusive digital light novel title in English, following The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress (which released its first volume a few weeks ago).
In Japan there are six volumes for Ryuo, which began to release September 2015. It won first place in the 2017 Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! contest for best light novel.
Synopsis: “The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!” (working title) is about a teenage boy named Yaichi Kuzuryuu who happens to be the strongest shogi player in history, holding the top title of “Ryuo†(Dragon King). One fateful day, shogi-loving elementary student, Ai Hinatsuru, appears before him claiming that he promised to be her master. But was such a promise really ever made? Thus began their master and disciple relationship! Who can match their level of intensity and passion for shogi?
This announcement coincides with the announcement of an upcoming anime adaptation for the series in Japan.
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Edit: I worded this as a title licensed by BookWalker, but it’s more accurate to say they have exclusive distribution rights for a limited time. (Thanks, Frog-kun.) BookWalker does not own the rights to Ryuo (which belongs to Hobby Japan), but rather has simply sponsored the translation.
Will there eventually be print release?
I really hope so. This is a series that I had really hoped would get one. We know that J-Novel club’s more popular releases can get physical releases courtesy of Seven Seas. I guess this will be a test of whether the same can be said of Bookwalker ones. If not…
Yes, I totally second a print release of this! I’ve read the online preview, but I would love it in print!