Acquisitions Announcement— Over a Dozen New License Announcements from Yen Press’s Anime Expo 2024 Industry Panel

NEW YORK, NY (7/5/24) – Fresh off the heels of its last batch of acquisition announcements just
three weeks prior, Yen Press, LLC, held its annual Industry Panel at Anime Expo, announcing the
upcoming release of thirteen more titles. With familiar authors such as Yuu Morikawa, creator
of My Gemini, and Ghost Mikawa, author of Days With My Stepsister and Looks Are All You Need,
Yen Press will be publishing eight manga titles (Hereditary Triangle; Luciole Has a Dream; Blend-
S; Be My Worst Nightmare!; Revenge Agent Hizumi-san; Stomp, Kick, Love; With You, Our Love
Will Make It Through; Übel Blatt (3-in-1 omnibus edition)), four novels (Before the Tutorial
Starts: A Few Things I Can Do to Keep the Bosses Alive; I’m the Strongest in This Zombie World,
But I Can’t Beat This Girl!; Monsterholic; The BS Situation of Tougetsu Umidori), and one art
book (Sword Art Online abec Artworks New World). These thirteen titles are set to release in
December 2024.

Sword Art Online abec Artworks New World
Art by abec
Story by Reki Kawahara

This third collection of SAO illustrations highlights events from Volumes 16
through 22 of the main story as well as Volumes 1 through 3 of Sword Art Online
Progressive. Art from the anime and games is also featured, along with all-new
illustrations you won’t find anywhere else!

Hereditary Triangle
By Fumiya Hayashi

Childhood friends Koutarou Fujiki, Kajiwara, and Fuyuko thought they would
always be together. They spent their youth in a strange love triangle, the two boys
fighting over who would date Fuyuko. But suddenly one day, that life ends.
Kajiwara goes missing, and Koutarou takes his sweetheart’s hand in marriage.
Now middle-aged, Koutarou is left to wonder—would his wife have chosen
differently if Kajiwara were still around? On a visit to his hometown, the
memories come rushing back…

Luciole Has a Dream
By Yuu Morikawa

Awakened by a radiant light, Luciole realized he’d been asleep for a long, long
time. Stretching to the horizon before him lay an abandoned world. Whatever life
had once taken root here was long gone, leaving Luciole all alone—except for
Claude. Now, with a self-proclaimed five-hundred-year-old archmage for his only
companion, Luciole will set off on a journey to discover how alone the two truly
are.

Blend S
By Miyuki Nakayama

High schooler Maika Sakuranomiya can’t seem to land a part-time job, so when an
opportunity comes knocking, she’s up for anything. Waitressing at a cute café—
sounds perfect! The manager demands that each waitress adopt a quirk in their
service? Not a problem. Maika’s ready to act flirty, or hot-and-cold, or like a little
sister, or…sadistic?! Oh. That might be a tough one for our cheery and caring
heroine! The original manga behind the popular anime!

Be My Worst Nightmare!
By Michelle

Sayo Hoshikawa, a high schooler who’s insecure about his height, witnesses his
unrequited crush getting rejected by a tall and handsome boy named Mashiba.
Sayo challenges Mashiba to contest after contest, but he can’t win a single time.
Nothing gets under his skin more than when Mashiba calls him cute! But then he
starts having strange dreams about a certain someone embracing him—and soon
enough, the dreams devolve into something even deeper…!

Revenge Agent Hizumi-san
By Miyako

Masaichi Hizumi is a revenge agent, professionally dishing out just deserts to
anyone who may have incurred the wrath of his clients. His latest target? Mikoto
Kuga, an elite salaryman, narcissist, and way-more-than-two-timing cheater.
Hizumi’s task is to teach this piece of trash a lesson—by thoroughly humiliating
him, body and spirit! Whether he’s ready for it, Kuga is about to get his
comeuppance, served with a smile by Hizumi!

Stomp, Kick, Love
By Sumi Ichiya

What’s the best way to relax after a hard day’s work? If you ask Kaho, it’s to kick
back and relax at a bar with her best drinking bro, Akira. Sure, everyone around her
thinks he’s pretty hot, but he smokes, gets in fights, and is a bit of a playboy—so
definitely not boyfriend material. But when one thing leads to another and she
wakes up in his bed one morning, it makes it infinitely harder to deny that there is
absolutely nothing between them…

With You, Our Love Will Make it Through
By Chihiro Yuzuki

When high schooler Mari bumps into a fellow tardy student, she’s surprised to find
out he’s a beastfolk who’s to attend her school! After all, it’s not rare for beastfolk to
coexist alongside humans, but it’s still uncommon, with the prejudice and all.
Nervous to meet one at first, Mari soon learns there’s more to him than his furry
exterior. In fact, the more she gets to know him, the more she finds herself drawn to
him, his steadfastness, his kindheartedness, and…his body…

Before the Tutorial Starts: A Few Things I Can Do to Keep the Bosses Alive
Story by Kotatsu Takahashi
Illustration by Kakao Lanthanum

As soon as he opens his eyes, the man realizes he has been reincarnated into the
world of the famous RPG series Spirit Wars: Dungeon Magia. However, it isn’t as
the protagonist that he has been reincarnated, nor even as a background
character… With weak abilities, little to no talent, and the catchphrase “Nya-ha-
ha!” he has been born again as a bottom-feeder boss destined to die in the
tutorial! All that awaits him is his own grim end! But after finding out that his
beloved older sister is destined to die from illness, he makes her a promise: “I’m
going to wreck every unfair plot point in this damned world with my own two hands!” Taking advantage
of his vast knowledge of games, the man decides to rebel against the original scenario. The strongest
secret boss, the boss from the saddest route… He sets out to meet all the bosses of the world. But what
lies in store…?!

I’m the Strongest in This Zombie World, But I Can’t Beat This Girl!
Story by Ryou Iwanami
Illustration by TwinBox

In a Japan that’s on the verge of ruin, he’s surviving alongside a cute
underclassman! A sudden zombie outbreak ravages the country. Amid the fleeing
crowds, high school student Yuuma Kousaka ended up being bitten. Afraid of
dying, he reunited with his friend’s sister Haruka Hinata for the first time in years.
She offers to fulfill his dying wish and be his girlfriend. And with that, Yuuma
makes his best and final memory. But after becoming a zombie, he retains his
consciousness! “I thought you were going to die soon, so I showed you my boobs!
This wasn’t the deal! You need to take responsibility!” And thus, a romantic comedy begins between
Yuuma, the strongest boy in a world of zombies, and Haruka, a girl who knows all his weaknesses.

Monsterholic
Story by Ghost Mikawa
Illustration by Rag Miwano

This is the Masked Ballroom: a place where people revert to beasts, let go of
reason, and revel in freedom and anonymity. Here, with the help of a “monster
supplement,” anyone can transform into beasts and do as they please. It’s the
only “government-approved slum,” where people can forget the suffocating
atmosphere of the surveillance state. It’s in this city where Reiji, a young vampire
and a real monster, and his werewolf partner Tsuki take on the task of keeping the
streets clean. They search for centaurs who have committed hit-and-runs and
fight life-and-death battles against the urban legends that manifest. And a meeting with the “Medicine
Witch” will change the fate of Reiji and his friends…

The BS Situation of Tougetsu Umidori
Story by Kaeru Ryouseirui
Illustration by Natsuki Amashiro

One day, Tougetsu Umidori suddenly receives a mysterious request from Nara
Yoshino, a classmate of hers she is rather close with. Little does she know, however,
that this is only the beginning of a series of bizarre events. Soon after, an enigmatic
girl in a cat hoodie shows up at Umidori’s house, calling herself “Bullshit.” Thanks to
Bullshit, all manner of strange things happen, including toilet borrowing, betrayal,
threats, a grapple for freedom, and finally a desperate plea for mercy. Once everything is over, Bullshit
asks: “Hey, will you kill the lies with me?” And without knowing why, Umidori joins Bullshit on her quest.

Übel Blatt (3-in-1 omnibus edition)
By Etorouji Shiono

Rumors stir throughout the land: When the wielder of the black sword draws his dark
blade, all who stand in its path are torn asunder…! Köinzell, the mysterious young
boy who carries the black sword, undeniably wields it with exceptional skill, but can
he truly be responsible for the bloody rumors? Pursued by the Traitorous Lances,
four powerful warriors who were thought to have been defeated by the Seven
Heroes, the strength of the young swordsman will be tested to its limit. At battle’s
end, only the shocking truth of Köinzell’s quest will stand above the corpses of his
enemies… An epic fantasy on the grandest of scales!

About Yen Press, LLC
Yen Press, LLC, is a joint venture between Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group.
Founded in 2006, Yen Press has quickly risen to become one of the largest and most prolific
publishers of manga and original graphic novels in the North American marketplace and a
driving force in the introduction of light novels and Japanese literature to new readers
through its Yen On and Yen Audio imprints. For more information, visit www.yenpress.com.