Yen Press has announced a significant expansion of its catalog, acquiring licenses for a diverse array of new manga and light novel titles, including the highly anticipated Wonder Boy, Hinatsugimura, and Out of the Cocoon. The publisher unveiled these new acquisitions, alongside several others and an expansion of its audiobook offerings, during Anime Expo 2025.
The newly licensed print titles are scheduled to begin their release in December 2025 and continue into January 2026, promising a fresh wave of content for fans across various genres. In total, the announcement included nine new manga series and four new light novels.
Featured Manga Acquisitions
Among the standout manga titles announced, several are poised to captivate readers with their unique narratives and artistic styles:
Wonder Boy
Authored by Kazumi Yamashita, Wonder Boy is a poignant tale that spans across different eras and locations, from postwar Japan to London and war-torn landscapes. The story follows a mysterious traveler, the “wonder boy,” who quietly observes and connects the triumphs and sorrows of humanity through various lives—including a family struggling in postwar Japan, an orphan girl in London striving for survival, and a young man fighting in a conflict-ridden world without a clear purpose.
Hinatsugimura
From the creator Aki Shimizu, Hinatsugimura delves into the horror genre. The story centers on a group of college students who, while searching for the ruins of a pre-World War II village deep in the mountains, become stranded due to a sudden thunderstorm. With no cell service, they seek refuge in a mysterious mansion, unaware of the ghastly fate that awaits them. This title is a one-shot from Asahi Shimbunsha’s Nemuki+.
Out of the Cocoon
Yuriko Hara, known for the atmospheric yuri series Cocoon Entwined (also previously licensed by Yen Press), presents Out of the Cocoon. This collection features five haunting stories exploring themes of love and attachment. Ranging from horrific to wistful, these captivating tales encompass both yuri (girls’ love) and Boys Love narratives, and fans of Hara’s previous work will be particularly delighted by a concluding piece that offers an additional chapter to Youko and Hana’s story from Cocoon Entwined.
Other Notable Manga Licenses
Beyond these key titles, Yen Press also revealed a range of other intriguing manga acquisitions:
- The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All by Sumiko Arai: This manga will be released as a limited-edition hardcover, exclusive to the Yen Press webstore, in November. It tells the story of a fashionable high school girl who develops a crush on a stylish music store employee, only to discover that he is, in fact, her quiet female classmate.
- Battle Royale Deluxe Edition: The infamous dystopian story by Koushun Takami, featuring middle school students forced into a deadly survival game, returns in a new deluxe edition.
- Scenes from Awajima by Takako Shimura: An ensemble school-life drama set within a prestigious opera academy for girls. This five-volume series comes from the acclaimed author of Wandering Son and Even Though We’re Adults.
- Please Look After the Dragon by Yuki Higashiura (story) and Shon Makise (art): A comedic fantasy that follows a college student unexpectedly becoming the guardian of a dragon-in-training.
- Animan by Takuya Okada: A grotesque and allegorical horror narrative where humanoid animals have reversed roles and raise humans as livestock.
- Thou, as My Knight… by Rintaro Hatake and Hino (art)
- New Game Plus After Defeating the Last Boss. by Towa Akatsuki and Falmaro (art)
- Immortality and Punishment. by Kentaro Sato
New Light Novel and Manhwa Titles
Yen Press also added several light novels and manhwa to its upcoming roster. The newly licensed light novels include About a Place in the Kinki Region. by Sesuji and 1,000 Words to Live. by Gyatei Murasaki.
Additionally, two new manhwa titles were announced: Beatrice and Revenge of the Baskerville Bloodhound. Beatrice already has an existing official English translation available on Tapas.
Audiobook Expansions
Further diversifying its offerings, Yen Press revealed plans to expand its Yen Audio line with adaptations of several popular light novel series. Upcoming audiobooks include Secrets of the Silent Witch, The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter, Days With My Stepsister, and Magical Explorer. These audio adaptations will bring fan-favorite stories to life for listeners, though casting details are still pending.
