Yen Press has announced a significant expansion to its catalog, acquiring licenses for several highly anticipated manga and light novel titles, including the manga series Bad Girl and the novels Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End ~Prelude~ and Lycoris Recoil: Recovery Days. These new additions, alongside a diverse array of other series, were revealed during Anime NYC 2025 and are slated for release starting in March 2026.
The announcement highlights Yen Press’s continued commitment to bringing a wide range of popular and emerging Japanese works to English-speaking audiences, spanning various genres from fantasy to action and heartwarming narratives.
Expanding Universes: Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End ~Prelude~
Fans of the critically acclaimed Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End will have more to explore with the licensing of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End ~Prelude~. This novel offers five original short stories, providing additional insights into the beloved characters and world. The stories are supervised by Kanehito Yamada, the writer of the original manga, ensuring an authentic continuation of the series’ tone and narrative. Readers can look forward to new adventures featuring Frieren, Fern, Stark, Lawine, Kanne, and Aura.
New Perspectives: Lycoris Recoil: Recovery Days
The popular Lycoris Recoil franchise also sees an expansion with the acquisition of the novel Lycoris Recoil: Recovery Days. This addition promises to delve deeper into the world of the Lycoris agents, offering new stories and character development for fans of the original anime and existing light novels. The title is authored by Asaura, with the original story by Spider Lily.
Action-Packed Debut: Bad Girl Manga
Among the newly licensed manga is Bad Girl. While specific plot details are eagerly awaited, its inclusion in Yen Press’s lineup suggests an engaging narrative within the action or drama genres. Manga enthusiasts can anticipate another compelling series to add to their reading lists.
Additional Notable Acquisitions from Anime NYC 2025
Beyond these highlighted titles, Yen Press’s Anime NYC 2025 panel unveiled a total of twelve new acquisitions, encompassing both novels and manga. These titles are set to enrich the publisher’s diverse offerings, touching upon themes of bittersweet romance, thrilling mysteries, and more.
Diverse Literary Additions
The novel acquisitions include:
- Legend of the Far East’s Savior by hotokeyomo, illustrated by Kurogin, a story set in a demon-ruled world after World War II, where humanity fights back with magicite-powered mechs.
- Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture EX.
- Casebook of Kurumi Tokisaki, Magic Detective.
- The Bubble Love of the Mermaid.
- To the Monster I Love.
Exciting New Manga Series
The manga side also saw a range of new titles, including:
- Sailor Zombie: Complete Omnibus.
- Battlefront of the Great Powers.
- How to Love a Loser.
- A Pen, Handcuffs, and a Common-Law Marriage.
These newly licensed series demonstrate Yen Press’s ongoing strategy to provide a comprehensive and varied selection for manga and light novel enthusiasts, further solidifying its position as a leading publisher in the industry. Fans can expect these titles to begin hitting shelves in March 2026.
