Hello everyone and welcome to the monthly look at the light novel series making their English debut!
Assuming Yen On doesn’t delay any of their titles, I think this is going to be the single biggest month for new releases from them that I can recall. They have a series coming which was probably the most highly demanded by fans, one that has enjoyed accolades in Japan and is receiving an anime, and another that became a begged-for title after it charmed fans with its own anime adaptation. Add in a spin-off of a popular light novels series (and that isn’t even everything!) and they have a solid month.
Seven Seas has only one digital advance release, but I’m assuming it’s coming out this month so they can a volume or two ahead of the anime which is coming in July.
And Cross Infinite World is bringing us a one-shot title that sounds like it is a comedic play on the typical gender roles in “save the damsel in distress” fantasy stories.
So let’s get started!
The first debut of the month is a slow-life isekai series coming on March 4th from Seven Seas. As I said above, this is getting an anime adaptation that premieres in July.
Drugstore in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist
Drugstores & Dragons
When corporate drone Reiji wakes up in another world, he come face-to-face with a fatally wounded werewolf. Thankfully, Reiji’s new Medicine Maker skill enables him to brew uniquely effective potions. Alongside his new wolf-girlfriend, Reiji and his amazing cures are ready to revolutionize this fantasy world. Be they an old man seeking the secret of youth or an elven archer with blurry vision, all comers are welcome to his countryside pharmacy.
Drugstore in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist Volume 1 (ebook)(print to release later)
Amazon -- iBook -- Kobo -- Google Play -- Bookwalker
Released March 04, 2021 -- ASIN: B08VD7Y922
The next debut is the start of Yen On’s big month. I confess, this is the title I’m most looking forward to this month. The first volume won the GA Bunko Awards in 2018. At the time, it was the first book to be awarded the title in seven years! The previous winner had been Is it Wrong to Try to Pick-Up Girls in a Dungeon? All this and it’s also been announced to have an anime in production.
The Executioner and Her Way of Life (Virgin Road)
The Lost Ones are wanderers who come here from a distant world known as “Japan.” No one knows how or why they leave their homes. The only thing that is certain is that they bring disaster and calamity. The duty of exterminating them without remorse falls to Menou, a young Executioner. When she meets Akari, it seems like just another job…until she discovers it’s impossible to kill this girl! And when Menou begins to search for a way to defeat this immortality, Akari is more than happy to tag along! So begins a journey that will change Menou forever…
The Executioner and Her Way of Life (Virgin Road) Volume 1 (paperback, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository -- Rightstuf
Releasing March 9, 2021 -- ISBN-13: 9781975319694
On March 15th Cross Infinite World gives us their debut. It sounds like a comedic romp that switches the gender roles in the classic “rescue the damsel in distress.” Only this time, it sounds like the rescue is inspired more as a matter of pride as opposed to saving the “damsel.”
Hey! You've Kidnapped the Wrong Royal!
My Brother Can’t Be Cuter Than ME!
One day, the Demon Lord barged into the palace and, instead of kidnapping the rightful princess Alice, he took Jean, her stunningly gorgeous brother! Alice, alongside her butler Seb and sibling duo Hatta and Haigha set out for the Demon Lord's castle. Her goal: not to rescue Jean but--in her own words--smack some sense into the Demon Lord for even daring to think Jean was the cuter one! Meanwhile, Jean and the Demon Lord are getting along well…maybe a little too well.
Will Alice be able to defend her feminine pride? Follow her questionable adventures in this gag-filled fantasy novel!
Hey! You've Kidnapped the Wrong Royal! One-Shot Release (ebook)
Amazon -- iBook -- Kobo -- Google Play -- Bookwalker
Released March 15, 2021 -- ASIN: B08V3SCHSN
On March 23rd, Yen On delivers in English what was probably the most vocally demanded light novel. Honestly, every time a publisher announced a new light novel license, several people would leave a comment either being sad it wasn’t this title, or demanding they license this next. It was almost a relief to see it finally get picked up ;)
Date A Live
A little meet-cute in a decimated city
April 10. The first day of school. Shido Itsuka is rudely awoken by his personal alarm clock--his little sister. It's shaping up to be another typical day…well, as typical as it gets on a planet plagued by massive spatial quakes. Little does Shido know, however, his life is about to take a sudden turn when he encounters the source of this destructive phenomenon--a girl his age, apparently known as a Spirit. Turns out, there are only two ways he can stop her from unleashing hell on the world: Eliminate her by force or placate her…by taking her out on a date and making her fall in love with him!
Date A Live Volume 1 (paperback, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository -- Rightstuf
Releasing March 23, 2021 -- ISBN-13: 9781975319915
Also on March 23rd, Yen On gives a title that sounds kind of fun. I don’t want to spoil too much, but let’s just say there’s more to the story of his “defeat” of the demon lord. Also, funny enough, this is by the same author as Drugstore in Another World which I just spoke about at the start of this article. I bet if the anime of that one does well, you might see this getting the same treatment down the road.
Hazure Skill: The Guild Member with a Worthless Skill Is Actually a Legendary Assassin
Roland is the world’s greatest assassin, he’s a man who’s taken a worthless skill and made it so powerful that he managed to kill the greatest demon lord that’s ever lived. He could live out the rest of his days as a wealthy and famous man, but instead chooses…an exceedingly normal life working at an adventurer’s guild?! For someone as exceptional as Roland, aiming for a normal life won’t come easy, however…
Hazure Skill: The Guild Member with a Worthless Skill Is Actually a Legendary Assassin Volume 1(paperback, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository -- Rightstuf – BAM! – Indigo
Releasing March 23, 2021 -- ISBN-13: 9781975318772
On March 30th we get the last three releases from Yen On. Honestly, I’ll be pretty amazed if none of these get delayed into April, only because they’ve all been delayed a week already, and, well, Yen has a bad habit of pushing their end of month titles into the next month. And they always do it after I’ve gone to all the work of doing this article :(
Anyway, the first title became a hotly demanded light novel after its anime became super popular. The blurb makes it sound pretty generic, but fans of the anime seemed to find it fun and charming.
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense
When it comes to the VRMMO NewWorld Online, Kaede Honjou isn’t your run-of-the-mill greenhorn gamer. Forgoing a typical stat allocation for her Great Shielder, Maple, she pumps all her points into defense from the get-go! Her reasoning? “I don’t want to get hurt.” With no magic, agility, or strength to speak of, this walking fortress will have to get creative to beat the baddies early on. But little does she know that her pure-stat build will propel her to chaotic new heights that even the game admins couldn’t account for!
Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense Volume 1(paperback, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository -- Rightstuf – BAM! – Indigo
Releasing March 30, 2021 -- ISBN-13: 9781975322731
Next up of March 30th from Yen On is a very interesting sounding sci-fi title. I don’t think I’d class this as a light novel. However, the story certainly sounds like it will appeal to light novel fans. Also, I believe they’ve only licensed this first book, but there is a sequel in Japan.
Yokohama Station SF
In a future where Yokohama Station covers most of the island of Honshu, there are two ways of life-inside the station and outside. Life within the station is strictly controlled, and those who fail to follow the rules are expelled to the harsher world outside. When one of these exiles receives a temporary ticket to go into the station, he’s also given a mission to find the leader of a group determined to free humanity.
Yokohama Station SF (hardcover, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository -- Rightstuf – BAM! – Indigo
Releasing March 30, 2021 -- ISBN-13: 9781975319519
The final debut of the month is a spin-off of a light novel series that is popular in both Japan and in English. Popular enough that it’s getting an anime adaptation premiering in April! This Spin-off is a prequel series telling of how one of the characters in the story rose to power.
I Was a Bottom-Tier Bureaucrat for 1,500 Years, and the Demon King Made Me a Minister
In this spinoff story of I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, enjoy Beelzebub’s misadventures in her early days as the demon Minister of Agriculture, after she was promoted from entry-level office worker right to the top!
I Was a Bottom-Tier Bureaucrat for 1,500 Years, and the Demon King Made Me a Minister Volume 1 (paperback, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository -- Rightstuf – BAM! – Indigo
Releasing March 30, 2021 -- ISBN-13: 9781975318291
So, those are all the light novels making their debut in English during the month of March 2021. Hopefully none get delayed!
Which ones are you most looking forward to?
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