Spanning seven manga and three light novel works, Yen Press has a grand total of 10 new licenses set to commence distribution in English-reading markets from August 2024. As always, scroll down to see what they have lined up for the month, and see whether there is anything among its line-up that may be deserving of a spot on your bookshelf.
Manga
In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name
Story by Kotoko
Art by NiKrome
Through a handheld mirror connected to another world, college student Ichika befriends a boy named Cecil. But when the mirror disappears one day along with her older sister, Karen, Ichika thinks she’ll never see the two of them again…until a year later, when the mirror suddenly turns up and sends Ichika to the world on the other side! There, she finds a grown-up Cecil and her sister, who, for some reason, has become a saint named Ichika—?! After Karen has stolen her name and life, Ichika must forge her own destiny in this otherworldly, doting fantasy!
Rejected by the Hero’s Party, a Princess Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside
Story by Zappon
Art by Mutsuki Higashioji
Character Design by Yasumo
Before she reunited with Red in the frontier town of Zoltan, Rit was renowned as the brave warrior who helped the Hero’s party save her country from the demon king’s forces and the second princess of the Duchy of Loggervia, Rizlet. But after being suddenly exiled, Rit must embrace her new, untethered life as an adventurer traveling wherever the wind blows…though who knows where that journey will take her?! This is the story of Rit’s exploits across the continent of Avalon prior to finding Red!!
Riviere and the Land of Prayer
Story by Jougi Shiraishi
Art by Neriume
Character Design by Azure
After Riviere saved her from dying on the street, MacMillia chose to start working as her new assistant! The enigmatic Riviere runs an antique shop, where she specializes in dispelling troublesome (and sometimes dangerous) curses. Magic, witches, prayers (and the curses they turn into) mean there’s never a dull day for these two!
Strategic Lovers
By Sanshokuamido
Kouta Higashiyama’s father is the enormously wealthy founder of a corporate behemoth—but his mother was the man’s twenty-third mistress! He thought the issue of succession and inheritance had nothing to do with him. And it didn’t—until he was suddenly kidnapped as a candidate to be the next chairman and dropped in front of five beautiful girls, who are all in contention to become his lover…But is his whole life really about choosing whatever and whoever he wants? Or will Kouta himself be the one to be chosen…?
The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess Short Story Collection
By Akiharu Touka
In a world of her own creation, the lives of Konoha’s many characters are filled with the kind of cringey doom and gloom that only an adolescent mind can produce. But where’s the fun in that? Throwing in a pinch of crossdressing, a dabble of sickfics, and oh—a date with a fellow bookworm—really spices up the story! From ninjas to assassin butlers and yanderes, there’s never a dull moment in the many alternate universes Konoha Satou lives through as the most despicable villainess, Iana Magnolia!
The Hachioji Specialty: Tengu’s Love
By Tomo Nanao
Upon his return to his hometown near Mt. Takao, the lonely youth Kotarou reunites with a tengu girl he used to know, Hime. To his shock, Hime decrees that they must wed! Intent on marrying Kotarou, will Hime be able to break down his walls and build a happily-ever-after with him?!
The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies
By Cocoa Fujiwara
She’s a magical girl, sworn to fight for peace, love, and justice. He’s a lieutenant, born into a military family that serves an evil empire. And yet, it was love at first sight…From Inu x Boku SS creator Cocoa Fujiwara comes a four-panel comic about hostile enemies who won’t kill (and love) each other!
Light Novel
Hell Is Dark with No Flowers
Story by Yoru Michio
Illustration by Ruka Todo
Seiji Tohno sometimes sees the people around him as monsters. It is a curse that had driven him to a life of despair, living out of internet cafés with nowhere to call home…but all that changes one twilit evening when he stumbles across a huge European mansion. There, Seiji meets a bewitchingly beautiful boy dressed in a kimono with a white peony motif on the shoulder, who introduces himself as Shiroshi Saijou. This mysterious young man seems to know more about Seiji than he does himself, and before he knows it, Seiji has agreed to become Shiroshi’s assistant in exchange for room and board. Little does he know, however, this “proxy service,”’ as Shiroshi puts it, is none other than outsourced death! Sending monster-possessed sinners to Hell, will bring Seiji face-to-face with terrifying new creatures each and every day!
My First Love’s Kiss
Story by Hitoma Iruma
Illustration by Fly
Takasora Hoshi’s life is upended when a girl from her class named Umi Mizuike and her mother temporarily move into her family’s cramped apartment. From the outset of this arrangement, Takasora finds herself annoyed by Umi’s behavior…and her good looks. And though the two girls initially agree to avoid interfering with each other’s lives, Takasora can’t help but start to wonder where Umi keeps wandering off to at night…
From the author of Adachi and Shimamura comes the bittersweet tale of two high school girls whose lives are thrust together under the same roof.
Sword Art Online Alternative Clover’s Regret
Story by Soitiro Watase
Illustration by Ginta
Supervised by Reki Kawahara
Asuka Empire. A Japanese-style VRMMO created by Akihiko Kayaba from a VR engine entitled “The Seed”—a game once played by Yuuki, Ran, and Merida of the Sleeping Knights that hides many stories. Two young women—warrior priestess Nayuta and ninja Koyomi, who became friends in-game—come across a mysterious priest named Yanagi. The elderly man tells them that he’s looking for a detective to solve a riddle with a one-million-yen reward. The girls are shocked by the outlandish sum for this peculiar request, and then they meet an equally peculiar young man, who claims to be able to do this job as well as any other detective. With all his stat points invested in Luck, the man is useless in battle, but he does still seem to have some tricks up his sleeve, like that unbeatable drop rate for rare items… The mystery unfolds as two young girls and their dubious detective partner try to solve the case in this cutting-edge VRMMO world!
