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The Best Manga and Light Novels of 2023
Don't close out your reading list yet! We've got the best manga and light novels of 2023 right here.
― For the first time, we're adding the best manga and best light novels to our year-end wrap-ups! We've split both publishing mediums into two categories: new and continuing. The new section highlights our favorite series published in English for the first time this year, while the continuing section...
The Fall 2023 Light Novel Guide
Whether its isekai or a villainess redemption story, Rebecca Silverman will help you choose your next light novel!
The Fall 2023 Light Novel Guide is sponsored by Yen Press! ― By this point in light novel history, a few genres are entrenched. Chief among them? Isekai and villainess stories, and both of those are represented here. But far more interesting is the fact that this span of months has mor...
The Fall 2023 Light Novel Guide is sponsored by Yen Press! ― By this point in light novel history, a few genres are entrenched. Chief among them? Isekai and villainess stories, and both of those are represented here. But far more interesting is the fact that this span of months has mor...
Light Novels With Shōjo Manga Energy
Whether you're looking for intrigue, romance, fantasy, or just a fun female protagonist, we've got your next summer read here!
― Last year, I wrote an article about light novels with shōnen manga energy. It's a bit belated, but here is a list of light novels that feel like they belong in a shōjo manga magazine. (In fact, some of their manga adaptations actually are published in shōjo magazines!) It i...
The Spring 2023 Light Novel Guide
Find your next page-turner in our light novel guide! Go back to the beginning with Sasaki and Miyano: First Years, or find out what happens when Only the Villainous Lord Wields the Power to Level Up!
― There are plenty of things that I could say about this Guide's crop of light novels, but the most striking to me is the balance: there's a much more equal slate of books aimed at a male and a female a...
The Fall 2022 Light Novel Guide
Rebecca Silverman has all the details you need to find your next must-read light novel series right here!
― Another seasonal round up, another batch of isekai! Yes, the subgenre continues to be strong in the slate of translated light novels, with the twin sub-subgenres of “villainess” and “overpowered hero” remaining on top. But we're also seeing a bit more variation within them, as Formerly, the Fal...
Interview with My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU's Wataru Watari, Masazumi Kato, Chado Horii
The light novel series' author shares insights on the series' international popularity, "We actually get fan letters from across the sea, too. What can I say? They're like a source of power for us!"
― Fans of My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU eagerly packed into a Otakon panel room to spend an hour with a few special guests—original light novel creator and script writer Wataru Watari, producer Masazumi K...
Why Were Light Novel Fans Furious at Classroom of the Elite's First Season?
Kim Morrissy breaks down why the first season of Classroom of the Elite left a bad taste in novel readers' mouths.
― Light novel fans can be hard to please when it comes to anime adaptations, which is only understandable when so many shows have mediocre production values at best. Due to length constraints, it's also common for adaptations to cut scenes or only present the bare essentials for covering...
How DARLING in the FRANXX Inspired a New York Times Bestselling YA Novel
In the four years since it first aired, DARLING in the FRANXX has had an unexpectedly long tail, inspiring even the likes of Kim Kardashian to dye her hair. Devout anime lover Xiran Jay Zhao found the sci-fi story a launch point for their bestseller Iron Widow.
― In the four years since it first aired, DARLING in the FRANXX has had an unexpectedly long tail. According to Google Trends, the show exper...
The Spring 2022 Light Novel Guide
Kim and Rebecca look at this season's novel offerings to help you pick your next page-turner whether you're interested in drunk VTubers, big ol' dogs, or vampire princesses.
― Sometimes all the waiting pays off. As light novels become more ubiquitous in English translation, that can mean a chance to finally read the source material for a story you've seen in anime (or manga) form, and that happily is...
The Algorithmic Rise of Isekai Light Novels
Isekai light novels are here to stay, in part thanks to retailers' own systemic recommendations. Kim Morrissy explains how Amazon and other online stores help push sales.
― It's been over half a decade since the isekai light novel anime boom, and it's still showing no signs of letting up. Western anime fans are partly responsible for this; isekai anime are regularly among the top-viewed titles on Cru...
The Best Light Novels With Horny Energy
Looking for something spicy for your late night reading? You won't want to miss this new list. Just make sure your door is locked first.
― Not long ago, I wrote about light novels with shonen manga energy. Now I'm back with a (mostly new) list of light novel recommendations! The theme this time is “horny.” Many light novels, even of the non-pornographic variety, contain at least some degree of titill...
What Happened to Sol Press?
The light novel, manga, and visual novel publisher's releases were pulled amid the company founder's disappearance, leaving team members unpaid.
― Sol Press was a North American localization company that specialized in manga, light novels, and visual novels. Founded in 2017, it had a lot of promise for a small publisher, licensing beloved niche titles like Chivalry of a Failed Knight, Blend S, and Is...
Light Novels With Shonen Manga Energy
Kim Morrissy is here to introduce you to some light novels with fist-pumping action and hot-blooded energy.
― With their heavy emphasis on cute girls and harem relationship dynamics, light novels are beacons of modern moe otaku culture. Yet every so often, there comes along a light novel that exudes shonen battle manga energy, the kind of thing you can easily imagine serializing in Weekly Shonen Jump...
Interview: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Author Rifujin na Magonote
Author Rifujin na Magonote looks back on his experiences writing the novel and offers his perspective on its distinctive, and sometimes sexual, themes.
― Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is one of the most popular web novels ever to be serialized on Shо̄setsuka ni Narо̄. The series inspired a television anime earlier this year, which tells the epic tale from the beginning. In this interview with...
Interview: The Faraway Paladin Author Reveals How The Story Was Originally Written as Practice
How did a web novel created as writing practice become a bestselling series that inspired an anime? The novel author Kanata Yanagino shares the series surprising origin story.
― How did a web novel created as writing practice become a bestselling series that inspired an anime? The novel author Kanata Yanagino shares the surprising origin story of The Faraway Paladin, along with his creative influence...
The Winter 2021 Light Novel Guide
Looking for your next page-turner? ANN's Rebecca Silverman will help you find your new favorite, whether its a famous vampire hunter, a planet of orcs, or a tsundere villainess!
― Every season at this point is a good one for light novels. That holds doubly true if you're not sick of
isekai, and I have to admit that, while I sometimes despair of it as a genre, I do still enjoy it. (I blame my
childhoo...
ANN Holiday Gift Guide 2021
Trying to find the perfect gift for the otaku in your life? Why not check out Anime News Network's curated list of anime, manga, video games, and collectibles? Everything from the most popular series to classics is right here!
― Sponsored: Above you'll find suggestions for all the best gifts you can give for this holiday season. But what if you want to add some special anime flair to your other fine...
Sword Art Online: A Series of Retcons
Right from the very start, Sword Art Online was a work of compromise. Its constant self-revisions are the source of its biggest storytelling flaws, but also its most interesting qualities.
― Right from the very start, Sword Art Online was a work of compromise. When Reki Kawahara first began writing the novel 20 years ago in the hopes of submitting it to the Dengeki Novel Prize, he struggled to make h...
Exploring the "Concept" Novel of Vivy -Fluorite Eye's Song-
Making an original anime is tough. When you're making something from nothing, you can't just a plop a manga or a novel on people's desks and say, "Read this. This is what we're doing."
...But what if you could do just that? ― Making an original anime is tough. Coming up with a cool idea and securing the funding for it is only the first part of an uphill battle – you still have to communicate that id...
...But what if you could do just that? ― Making an original anime is tough. Coming up with a cool idea and securing the funding for it is only the first part of an uphill battle – you still have to communicate that id...
Review: Academy Museum's Hayao Miyazaki Artbook
On September 30th, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will open the doors of its new film industry museum and its the inaugural exhibit will feature the works of none other than Hayao Miyazaki.
―
Featured image: Film Still, Spirited Away (2001), Hayao Miyazaki, © 2001 Studio Ghibli - NDDTM On September 30th, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, after a lengthy delay due to C...
Interview: Transcending Genre with The Detective is Already Dead Author and Director
Despite "detective" in the title, novelist Nigojū didn't plan it as a mystery story. "Crossing many different genres is the core of this work, and it's the duty entrusted to the detective and her assistant."
― The Detective Is Already Dead is full of surprises: It combines mystery, action, sci-fi, and romance into a single package. We spoke to novelist Nigojū, who created the original work, and anime...
The Spring 2021 Light Novel Guide
The second half of Anime News Network's Light Novel Guide is live! Kim Morrissy and Rebecca Silverman check out the latest releases including I Swear I Won't Bother You Again!, The King of the Dead at the Dark Palace, I Have a Secret, and more!
― Isekai may still dominate the light novel game as presented by English-language translations, but we're certainly seeing more variations on its theme. That...
The Spring 2021 Light Novel Guide
The first half of Anime News Network's Light Novel Guide is live! Kim Morrissy and Rebecca Silverman check out the latest releases from Yen On, J-Novel Club, Cross Infinite World, and Seven Seas!
― Isekai may still dominate the light novel game as presented by English-language translations, but we're certainly seeing more variations on its theme. That's immediately noticeable in the batch of volume ...
Jun Maeda's Debut Novel is a Queer Romance about Depression
The writer and musician of popular works like Angel Beats! and CLANNAD has published his first novel. Kim Morrissy checks out his newest story about two women bonding over a near-death experience.
― Content warning: this article and the novel itself discusses suicide. Jun Maeda should be a familiar name to anime fans who have strong memories of the 00s and early 10s. He is best known for his script ...
Why Date A Live Will Win Your Heart
Date A Live is simply built differently especially compared to current light novels. The very idea that Date A Live is out of time works in its favor by serving as greater juxtaposition to what gives the franchise its identity.
― Date A Live is the girl-dating, world-saving light novel series that resulted in over twenty volumes, four anime seasons, three films, and four video games. For many people...
Alex Dudok de Wit, Author of BFI Classics: Grave of the Fireflies
Dudok de Wit delves into Grave of the Fireflies' production, the modification of Akiyuki Nosaka original story, and whether the film reflects a mentality that Japan was the "victim" in World War II.
― Alex Dudok de Wit's new book study of Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies is published in the British Film Institute's BFI Film Classics range, and offers a fresh appraisal of one of the most acclaim...
Why Seven Seas Altered Its Light Novels
The recent discoveries of omitted paragraphs and rewrites in Seven Seas' light novel releases reignites censorship fears in the fandom community. What led to the changes and why was the negative reaction so strong?
― Back in January, light novel fans on Reddit pointed out something disquieting about Seven Seas Entertainment's English version of Classroom of the Elite volume 7: Entire paragraphs from ...
Mushoku Tensei Is Not the Pioneer of Isekai Web Novels, But...
In this article, I'm going to tell the story behind not just Mushoku Tensei but of the community of readers and writers that make up Narō, so that you can understand why I personally consider it "the ultimate Narō novel."
― So, Mushoku Tensei. If you've heard of the series, you may also be familiar with its reputation as the "pioneer" or "progenitor" of the modern isekai ("other world") web/light nov...
2020: A Turning Point For Light Novels
In this year of big upheavals, as various industries scramble to adapt to lifestyles that have fundamentally changed, how has the light novel industry fared?
― 2020 was... a tumultuous year, to put it mildly. The effects of the coronavirus pandemic reached every single person on this planet. In this year of big upheavals, as various industries scramble to adapt to lifestyles that have fundamentally c...
The Fall 2020 Light Novel Guide
Rebecca Silverman stares down nearly a dozen new light novels, including the highly anticipated High School DxD and I'm in Love with the Villainess!
― The months we're covering in this Guide don't have an enormous amount of new light novel series debuting. There are still a good amount, but some of them came out as digital-first titles in the late summer, so they won't feel quite as shiny and new if ...
Interview: Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina Author Jougi Shiraishi
Jougi Shiraishi shares his journey from amateur writer to pro and weighs in on Elaina's divisive personality.
― Wandering Witch - The Journey of Elaina tells the story of a traveling witch named Elaina, who experiences new sights and wonders in every country she travels to. The novels recently inspired a popular anime series. Anime News Network spoke to author Jougi Shiraishi about his humble origins...
Interview: Re:ZERO Creator Tappei Nagatsuki and Illustrator Shinichirou Otsuka
In anticipation of the Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne multi-console game, we interviewed series creator Tappei Nagatsuki and novel illustrator Shinichirou Otsuka.
― The Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne game for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam will release in North America on January 29 and in Europe on Februa...
So I'm a Spider, So What? Creator Okina Baba and Illustrator Tsukasa Kiryu
The creators of the original series discuss the strengths and weaknesses of an anime starring a much-reviled critter ahead of the January 2021 anime.
― Ever wonder what it's like to wake up as the weakest monster in the world? No? Thankfully you can live vicariously through the main character of So I'm a Spider, So What? The isekai light novel began in 2015 and now has an anime coming in January 2021...
What's the Point of Isekai? The Cultural Implications of the Genre
Fiction doesn't exist in a vacuum. Writer NineOuh digs into the rapid growth of isekai stories and what its popularity says about current otaku culture.
― Fiction reflects nature. It's a way to contextualize the world around us with the tools at our disposal, be it through painting, literature, or film. There's always an underlying struggle going on in fields of art critique about the purpose of sai...
The Spring 2020 Light Novel Guide Part II
The final half of the light novel guide is here with six more books! Find out how to survive when you're BUCK NAKED IN ANOTHER WORLD & the first entry in the hit series RASCAL DOES NOT DREAM OF BUNNY GIRL SENPAI!
― Light novel titles have almost become a joke unto themselves. For every The Engagement of
Marielle Clarac (simple, to the point) we have something far more out there, like Yen On's July
r...
Welcome to the Isekai, Otome Game Villainesses
It's Catarina's personality that makes the difference, because unlike so many male protagonists who are (let's face it) flavorless potatoes baked into human form, Catarina is funny and endearing.
― Are you watching the My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! anime? I hope you are - the show is an utter delight. The concept behind it is simple but effective: Our heroine Catarina has bee...
The Spring 2020 Light Novel Guide Part I
The light novel library continues to grow with more variety than ever before. Rebecca Silverman takes a look at Bibliophile Princess, At Night, I Become a Monster, Adachi and Shimamura and more in the first half of the Light Novel Guide!
― While the field of light novels has always been decently expansive in Japan, there has been somewhat less breadth to what got translated into English. That's real...
Interview: The Night is Short, Walk On Girl Author Tomihiko Morimi
The author behind the novel adapted by Masaaki Yuasa's acclaimed film goes in-depth on what it's like to be a novelist in Japan.
― *This interview was originally published on Suumo Town as part of their series discussing the connection between place and creation with creators who chose somewhere other than Tokyo to live and work, Koko kara umidasu watashi-tachi. The interview was conducted by Kyoko S...
The Light Novels of 2019 Went Back to School
Kim Morrissy goes in-depth on the trends in Light Novel storytelling for the year of 2019 - and what that could mean for upcoming anime adaptations.
― Could the isekai boom finally be receding? That might seem hard to imagine right now given that it feels like there's half a dozen isekai anime per season, but when you look closer at the market trends from this year, the fantasy subgenre's overwhelmin...
The Fall 2019 Light Novel Guide
More light novels than ever are being published in English - here's your guide to what's out this season!
― Light novels may not necessarily be getting out of the isekai phase any time soon, but we're definitely
beginning to see a lot more variety in how they use it, not to mention an increase in the type of titles
translated into English. The releases for September through November give us a couple...
Interview: Ameko Kaeruda, Author of Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress!
The fantasy author behind the unapologetic light novel that follows a girl warrior who faces gender discrimination discusses her life's work and inspirations.
― The English translation of Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress! attracted attention when it was first announced due to its unapologetic girl power premise. The story, which was initially sel...
The Saga of Tanya the Evil Author Carlo Zen and English Translator Emily Balistrieri
The author - and the English-language translator - behind one of the light novel world's most wicked protagonists discuss their craft in-depth.
― One of the amusing ironies about The Saga of Tanya the Evil being sold as a “light novel” is that it is not particularly light in any sense of the word. The books are large and heavy, the story is about weighty subjects like war and politics, and the writin...
The Spring 2019 Light Novel Guide
The Spring 2019 Light Novel Guide is here! Reincarnation, campfire cooking, skeleton knights, the return of Mamoru Hosoda's Wolf Children and so much more. Happy reading!
― Looking over this batch of light novels, you could be forgiven for wondering if isekai will ever die. Not any time soon! The overwhelming majority of these titles fall under that heading, whether the protagonist is reborn, reinca...
The Fall 2018 Light Novel Guide
Prepare yourself for the relentless onslaught of new light novels this fall with our guide to the best, the brightest, the strangest and the most satisfying new reads to get you through the end of 2018.
― October and November are relatively light months in terms of new series debuting, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't enough to keep our review team busy reading! The offerings this time do vary...
The Best Light Novels Not Yet In English
Kim Morrissy runs down some of the most interesting light novels not yet in English, from the Dengeki Novel Prize winners' circle!
― If you're looking to get into some unique and interesting light novels, then it's worth keeping an eye on the Dengeki Novel Prize. It's the most prestigious prize for unpublished light novel authors; unlike other light novel contests, Dengeki Bunko has a reputation for ...
The Spring 2018 Light Novel Guide
Browse an incredible selection of this spring's biggest, best and most wildly creative light novels, from reincarnated vending machines to unwanted zombie heroes!
― While this list is far from exhaustive, here's a selection of new and notable light novels releasing this spring. Peruse our selections - and if you have recommendations of your own, we'd love to hear about them in the forums! April Infi...
How Keiichi Sigsawa Went From Writing Kino's Journey to Sword Art Online Alternative
How did Keiichi Sigsawa, who is best known for writing the classic road trip light novel Kino's Journey, end up writing a Sword Art Online spinoff? The answers lie within.
― When Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online was first announced, many Western anime fans responded with surprise and bemusement. How did Keiichi Sigsawa, who is best known for writing the classic road trip light novel Kino...
The Best (and worst) Isekai Light Novels
"Isekai" light novels are adapted en masse into anime every year - so which ones are actually worth reading? Kim Morrissy provides your guide to the genre - and which books will really transport you!
― An average person wakes up to find themself in a world unlike their own… and yet one that is also strangely familiar. Their new world is one of monsters and magic, usually inspired by medieval England,...
Shirow Shiratori, Author of The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!
The author of the #1 ranked light novel in Japan discusses his incredible success, his own skill at shogi, the anime adaptation airing this season and much more!
― Shirow Shiratori isn't a new face in the world of light novels. His previous series No-Rin was adapted into a popular anime series in 2014. The Ryuo's Work is Never Done! is his latest work. Ranked #1 by Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! in both ...
The Fall 2017 Light Novel Guide
Take a tour through the biggest light novel releases of the fall! Re:Zero, your name, Record of Lodoss War and some truly insane original stories!
― Light novel publication in English is far from slowing down, and with new players like Book Walker jumping in, there are more genres than ever available for your delectation. Of course, there's still a healthy (?) amount of isekai stories being brought ...
Spring 2017 Manga Guide: Light Novel Roundup
From Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash to Rokka, there are plenty of light novel series premiering this spring - here's a look at some of the most exciting new titles.
― Light novels, which are roughly equivalent to young adult fiction in the west, are increasingly being used as the basis for both manga and anime series. Luckily for us, there's been an interest in translating and publishing them for English...
Understanding Sword Art Online
The easiest way to comprehend the hugely popular Sword Art Online series - from its soaring highs to its widely-criticized lows - is by understanding the series' author, Reki Kawahara.
― Love it or hate it, Sword Art Online is arguably the most important light novel franchise of this decade. Over 19 million copies have been sold worldwide as of 2016, 6.5 million of those in translation, making it one...
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