Square Enix is most well known for their work on many highly successful video game franchises. Still, their western division has recently begun expanding into acquiring/licensing the rights to manga and artbooks. Although there is the odd Final Fantasy or Nier: Automata title in their collection, many works are not related to any of their IPs. This is evidenced by their most recent of acquisition announcements, confirming their plans to release Okura’s heart-warming LGBTQIA+ friendly family comedy I Think Our Son is Gay and Iori Miyazawa, Eita Mizuno and Shirakaba’s sci-fi fantasy Otherside Picnic in May 2021.
Each book will be available digitally and physically at the same time, with individual digital volumes of each priced at $8.99 USD and printed paperpack copies costing $12.99 USD at participating retailers. You can read more about each manga below:
I Think Our Son Is Gay, Volume 1
By: Okura
Volume 1 Release Date: 11 May 2021
Genres: LGBTQIA+, Comedy, School Life, Slice of Life
Despite belonging to a family of four, the Aoyama residence is typically home to three due to father Akiyoshi’s job. While he’s away at work, mom Tomoko and her two beloved sons Hiroki and Yuri go about their everyday lives–going to school, making dinner, doing homework, etc.
But now that Hiroki’s in his first year of high school, his thoughts are turning ever so slightly to sex and romance…and his mom can’t help but notice his slips of the tongue when he’s talking about who he likes. Supportive Tomoko has an inkling Hiroki might be gay, but she’s going to let him figure it out for himself. Unfortunately, Hiroki has little talent for keeping his “secret,” so he might die of embarrassment before all is said and done!
Otherside Picnic, Volume 1
By: Iori Miyazawa, Eita Mizuno and Shirakaba
Volume 1 Release Date: 25 May 2021
Genres: Light Novel Tie-in, Media Tie-in, Mystery / Thriller, Romance, Science Fiction
In this sci-fi/fantasy survival thriller, the dangerous and deadly realm of the Otherside–where urban legends, cryptids, and folkloric legends roam–calls to two women, both in search of something. As they set out to sate their curiosity and explore this other world, will the most earth-shattering thing they discover on the Otherside be their feelings for each other?
