#Yen Press Licenses 8 New Manga & Light Novel Titles for January 2025

Yen Press has announced eight new manga and light novel licenses set for release in January 2025. The company also teased more announcements to come at this year’s Anime NYC. 

The new licenses consist of five manga titles and three novels, which include a new work from Lycoris Recoil and a deluxe complete collection of the Solo Leveling novel. 

Here are the details for Yen Press’s newest releases: 

Manga

The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse

Story and Art: Haruo Iwamune

Synopsis: 

A girl walks alone in a world without humans. Her mission — to search for survivors and cleanse the land. But is anyone still out there in the lonely, beautiful ruins, waiting to be found?

I’m Here, Beside You

Story and Art: TEA natsuno

Synopsis: 

Ibuki Doi has never forgotten his first love from high school — Mikami Baba, the kind, handsome, and totally straight student council president. Though he was too shy to approach Mikami back then, Ibuki always held his idol near and dear to his heart, wishing him nothing but the best! However, when he learns Mikami is soon to be married to a man, he just can’t help it—he’s absolutely devastated. He drinks himself into a stupor to drown his sorrows but is surprised to wake up and find…he’s back in high school?! Could this be Ibuki’s second chance to make things go his way?

Takahashi from the Bike Shop

Story and Art: Arare Matsumushi

Synopsis: 

From unwanted advances from her boss to work dumped onto her by coworkers, thirty-year-old Tomoko Hanno, or Panko for short, struggles to stand up for herself. But when her rusty bike breaks down, she meets Ryohei Takahashi from the neighborhood bike repair shop. Although he can be a bit overbearing, Panko finds herself relying on his considerate nature and her world begins to shift…

Everyone’s Darling Has a Secret

Story and Art: Kashiko Amane

Synopsis: 

Hizashi Hiruno, a freshman at a super-elite high school, has just finished his first academic proficiency test of the year. He anxiously awaits the results, which will set the tone for his next three years at school. But due to a mistake on his answer sheet, he receives an abysmal score and gets sent to remedial lessons! If there’s one silver lining, he’s not the only one—and his comrade could be the girl of his dreams?!

Hell Is Dark with No Flowers 

Original Story: Yoru Michio

Art: Ruka Todo

Based on the supernatural horror light novel series of the same name. Yen Press also released the first volume of the light novels in English. 

Synopsis: 

Seiji Tohno sometimes sees the people around him as monsters. It’s a curse that has driven him to a life of despair…but all that changes one evening when he stumbles across a bewitchingly beautiful boy in a huge European mansion. The boy introduces himself as Shiroshi Saijou, and before he knows it, Seiji has agreed to become Shiroshi’s part-time assistant. It turns out that Shiroshi’s “proxy service” is to consign yokai-possessed sinners to Hell, which will bring Seiji face-to-face with an unimaginable host of horrors!

Light Novels

Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky

Story: Nanigashi Shima

Illustrations: raemz

Synopsis: 

On an April night in Tokyo, still too early for fireworks, university student Kakero Mano meets a woman named Koharu Fuyutsuki. She is a beautiful girl who stands out from the crowd, laughs a lot, and exudes a warmth that contrasts sharply with Kakero’s own introversion. But there was something Kakero didn’t know at first — she can’t see.

Unlike Kakero, Koharu hasn’t given up on anything, even with her blindness. She attends university daily, shows interest in clubs, makes friends — and dreams of launching fireworks one day. Kakero wonders why, when she can’t see them…but maybe it doesn’t matter. And maybe he can start moving forward, too, for the girl who’s always been by his side.

Lycoris Recoil: Ordinary Days

Adaptation: Asaura

Original Story: Spider Lily

Illustrations: Imigimuru

Lycoris Recoil: Ordinary Days is a light novel spinoff of the 2022 TV anime series. 

Synopsis: 

Located on the east side of Tokyo, overlooking the old, destroyed radio tower, Café LycoReco is a stylish and delicious place to relax. And this is a story depicting the everyday, extraordinary life of the charming staff who work there. Irresistible sweets, gun action, incredible games, heartwarming dramas, zombies and monsters…and a touch of love!? Of course, you can’t forget the coffee!

Solo Leveling Collector’s Omnibus

Story: Chugong

Art: DUBU(REDICE STUDIO)

Description: 

Arise, Solo Leveling fans! Experience all eight novels chronicling the tale of Jinwoo Sung in a deluxe omnibus fit for the strongest S-rank hunter. Featuring stunning art from the hit webcomic, this edition is sure to level up your collection!

Source: press release 

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