Tag Archives: audiobooks

Yen Audio Releasing Ishura, Vol. 1 for the first time in English!

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Yen Audio has announced the audiobook cast for Ishura, Vol 1. Available on 10/10/2023, the recording will feature Chris Guerro and Emily Bauer, both American voice actors who have previously voiced other anime series.

Ishura is a Japanese light novel series written by Keiso, with illustrations by Kureta. The series began publication on September 17, 2019 by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki no Shin Bungei publishing imprint. Ishura has been licensed for its first ever English release by Yen Press.

In a world where the Demon King has died, a host of demigods capable of felling him have inherited the world. They include a master fencer who can figure out how to take out their opponents with a single glance; a lancer so swift they can break the sound barrier; a wyvern rogue who fights with three legendary weapons at once; an all-powerful wizard who can speak thoughts into being; an angelic assassin who deals instant death. Eager to attain the title of “True Hero,” these champions each pursue challenges against formidable foes and spark conflicts among themselves. The battle to determine the mightiest of the mighty begins.

Chris Guerrero will be voicing all the male characters; a total of 15 characters. Chris is an American voice actor working for FUNimation Entertainment/Crunchyroll, Sound Cadence Studios, OkraTron 5000 and NYAV Post. He is best known for voicing Momonga/Ains Ooal Gown in Overlord, Gecko Moria in One Piece, Marcus Pietoras in Thermae Romae, Albert James Moriarty in Moriarty the Patriot, Maiharu Gansoku in Golden Kamuy and Impey Barbicane in Code:Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~.

Whereas Emily Bauer will be voicing all the female characters; a total of 11 characters. Emily is an American voice and stage actress. She has worked in several English language dubs of Japanese anime shows including Shinobu in Ninja Nonsense, Megumi Morisato in Ah! My Goddess, Dawn from the Pokémon anime and Lastelle in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

Ishura Vol. 1 Audiobook Cover

Anime Expo 2023: Yen Audio Spicing Up its Lineup with Five New Audiobooks

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At the Yen Press Industry Panel at Anime Expo 2023, Yen Audio announced the upcoming release of five new audiobook adaptations of Yen On novels (Yami-hara, Goblin Slayer, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level,and The Executioner and Her Way of Life). Already known for audiobook adaptations of hit series, such as Solo Leveling and Overlord, Yen Audio adds a significant amount of new content to an already impressive catalog of titles with this latest slate of announcements.

Yami-hara

The strange kid at school, the odd woman in the apartment building, the troublesome man at work. Such people exist everywhere, in everyone’s lives. All it takes is a word for it to start. An unsettling question, a bizarre remark, or even a kind apology. Once their hooks sink in, the cracks form. Darkness floods into the recesses until nothing else remains, and then…Sirens, screaming, dull thuds on the pavement. They have always existed. They just are. And when they show up, people die.

Yami-hara is a horror mystery novel by famed author Mizuki Tsujimura, the creator of Lonely Castle in the Mirror and the writer of the manga series A School Frozen in Time. This audiobook is set to release November 2023, and it will be the first horror audiobook released under Yen Audio.

Yami-hara

Goblin Slayer

A young Priestess joins her first adventuring party, but blind to the dangers, they almost immediately find themselves in trouble. It’s Goblin Slayer who comes to their rescue—a man who has dedicated his life to the extermination of all goblins by any means necessary. A dangerous, dirty, and thankless job, but he does it better than anyone. And when rumors of his feats begin to circulate, there’s no telling who might come calling next…

Filled with brutal action and a heavy dose of RPG references, Goblin Slayer is one of today’s most popular fantasy light novel, manga, and anime franchises. The anime debuted in fall 2018 and airs on Crunchyroll. The audiobook edition is set to release November 2023.

Goblin Slayer

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?

In Orario, fearless adventurers band together in search of fame and fortune within the monstrous underground labyrinth known as Dungeon. But while riches and renown are incentive enough for most, Bell Cranel, would-be hero extraordinaire, has bigger plans. He wants to pick up girls. Is it wrong to face the perils of Dungeon alone, in a single-member guild blessed by a failed goddess? Maybe. Is it wrong to dream of playing hero to hapless maidens in Dungeon? Maybe not. After one misguided adventure, Bell quickly discovers that anything can happen in the labyrinth—even chance encounters with beautiful women. The only problem? He’s the one who winds up the damsel in distress!

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? is an iconic comedy adventure story with manga, light novels, and spin-offs being published by Yen Press. It also has an anime adaptation with four seasons available to stream on HIDIVE. The audiobook series is set to release November 2023.

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?

I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level

After living a painful life as an office worker, Azusa ended her short life by dying from overworking. So when she found herself reincarnated as an undying, unaging witch in a new world, she vows to spend her days stress free and as pleasantly as possible. She ekes out a living by hunting down the easiest targets—the slimes! But after centuries of doing this simple job, she has ended up with insane powers… How will she maintain her low-key life now?!

I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level is a comedic fantasy featuring a female protagonist. The original light novel, manga adaptations, and spin-off series are being published by Yen Press, and the 2021 anime series is available to stream on Crunchyroll. The audiobook series is set to release December 2023.

I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level

The Executioner and Her Way of Life

The “lost ones” are wanderers who stumble onto this planet from “Japan,” a country in some distant world, seemingly bringing disaster and calamity in their wake. The role of exterminating Otherworlders falls to Menou, a young Executioner always on the prowl for these forbidden interlopers. When she meets Akari, it seems like just another job…until she discovers the girl is impossible to kill. Menou schemes to lure her target out of the city, and Akari is more than happy to tag along! So beings a journey that will change Menou’s life forever…

The Executioner and Her Way of Life is a popular light novel series published by Yen Press, featuring expansive world-building and a compelling storyline. An anime adaptation of this girls’ love title debuted in April 2022 on HIDIVE. The audiobook series is set to release December 2023.

The Executioner and Her Way of Life

RBmedia’s GraphicAudio announces three Hellboy Universe Audiobook Original Series

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RBmedia has announced that its GraphicAudio brand is releasing three original Hellboy Universe audiobooks written by bestselling author Christopher Golden. The first audiobook in the series will be released in July.

Written exclusively for GraphicAudio and produced with a full cast of actors, sound effects, and cinematic music, this audio-first series provides an immersive story set in the Hellboy Universe created by legendary cartoonist Mike Mignola. Each audiobook will be accompanied by cover artwork by Mignola and award-winning colorist Dave Stewart. The first of the audio projects, titled Hellboy: A Plague Of Wasps, continues the story from the fan favorite Hellboy in Love comic books.

The first three original Hellboy audiobooks include:

  • Hellboy: A Plague of Wasps. Things turn strange and dangerous when Hellboy accompanies his girlfriend, Anastasia Bransfield, on a trip to Brazil. They venture into the rainforest to stop an evil force from spreading.  This first audiobook in the series will be available on July 31, 2023 wherever audiobooks are sold.
  • Lobster Johnson: The Proteus Club. Set in 1933, reporter Cynthia Tynan finds herself drawn into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of several prominent New Yorkers and seeks the aid of Hellboy’s childhood hero the Lobster.  They must confront German spies, religious lunatics, and monstrously transformed people who have been subjected to hideous experimentation. The Lobster Johnson audiobook will debut in October.
  • Hellboy and the BPRD: The Goddess of Manhattan. Hellboy, Liz Sherman, and Abe Sapien are drawn into a bizarre case linked both to Hellboy’s adventure with Anastasia in Brazil and to Lobster Johnson.   Co-authored by Young Hellboy writer Thomas E. Sniegoski, the third audiobook in the series will be released in November.

Yen Audio adds Two Titles to its Audiobook Roster

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Yen Audio will be releasing two new audiobook adaptations of Yen On novels: The Samurai and the Prisoner and Ishura.

The Samurai and the Prisoner

The winter of 1578, four years prior to the Honno-ji Incident. Araki Murashige has betrayed his ally Oda Nobunaga and holed himself up in Arioka Castle—but a string of unsettling incidents within the castle walls has him at his wit’s end. The desperate warlord’s only hope for solving these mysteries is imprisoned in the castle’s dungeon: a man named Kuroda Kanbei, one of Oda’s most gifted strategists. When all the conflict and intrigue come to a close, what will these two men have gained…and lost? Award-winning author Honobu Yonezawa’s English-language debut is a page-turning blend of historical and detective fiction.

The Samurai and the Prisoner is the latest novel by prolific mystery writer Honobu Yonezawa and his first work to be translated into English. Throughout his two decades in publication, Honobu Yonezawa has received numerous awards, such as the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize for his short story collection Mangan and the Mystery Writers of Japan Award for Best Novel for his book Oreta Ryūkotsu. The Samurai and the Prisoner has earned Honbu Yonezawa two more prestigious awards to add to his list of accolades:the Yamada Fūtarō Prize and the Naoki Prize. The English edition of the novel will be released in June 2023.

The Samurai and the Prisoner

Ishura

In a world where the Demon King has died, a host of demigods capable of felling him have inherited the world. A master fencer who can figure out how to take out their opponents with a single glance; a lancer so swift they can break the sound barrier; a wyvern rogue who fights with three legendary weapons at once; an all-powerful wizard who can speak thoughts into being; an angelic assassin who deals instant death. Eager to attain the title of “True Hero,” these champions each pursue challenges against formidable foes and spark conflicts among themselves. The battle to determine the mightiest of the mighty begins.

In the 2021 edition of Takarajimasha’s This Light Novel Is Amazing! (Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!) guidebook, Ishura topped the tankōbon, novel, and new title categories with the most votes recorded in its history. Earlier this year, it was announced that this popular fantasy novel would be receiving an anime adaptation to be streamed worldwide exclusively on Disney+. Ishura, Vol. 4 is set to release July 2023.

Ishura

The Samurai and the Prisoner audiobook is scheduled to debut September 2023, and the Ishura audiobook is scheduled to debut October 2023. Voice actors will be announced at a later date.

Yen Audio Announces Three Future Audiobook Series

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For the first time since the news of the Yen Audio imprint was shared with the world, Yen Press has announced new audiobook series at the Yen Audio Panel at Anime NYC. Three fan-favorite Yen On series will have full audiobook adaptations in 2022—Spice & Wolf (March 2022), So I’m a Spider, So What? (April 2022), and Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (June 2022). Voice actors for the three upcoming audiobook series will be announced at a later date.

Spice and Wolf

Story by Isuna Hasekura

The life of a traveling merchant is a lonely one, a fact with which Kraft Lawrence is well acquainted. Wandering from town to town with just his horse, cart, and whatever wares have come his way, the peddler has pretty well settled into his routine—that is, until the night Lawrence finds a wolf goddess asleep in his cart. Taking the form of a fetching girl with wolf ears and a tail, Holo has wearied of tending to harvests in the countryside and strikes up a bargain with the merchant to lend him the cunning of “Holo the Wisewolf” to increase his profits in exchange for taking her along on his travels. What kind of businessman could turn down such an offer? Lawrence soon learns, though, that having an ancient goddess as a traveling companion can be a bit of a mixed blessing. Will this wolf girl turn out to be too wild to tame?

Spice and Wolf stands out as one of the most iconic light novel series to make its way to the Western world—a Yen Press classic that is remembered as one of the first light novels released by the prolific publisher. The audiobook adaptation of Spice and Wolf is scheduled to debut on March 15, 2022.

Spice and Wolf

So I’m a Spider, So What?

Story by Okina Baba

I used to be a normal high school girl but in the blink of an eye, I woke up in a place I’ve never seen before and—and I was reborn as a spider?! How could something that’s nothing more than a tiny spider (that’s me) possibly survive in literally the worst dungeon ever? Are there no rules? There should be some rules! Who the hell is responsible for this? SHOW YOUR FACE!

So I’m a Spider, So What? has been the breakout Yen On hit of 2021, a light novel series that has become immensely popular following the success of the hit anime adaptation. This fan-favorite isekai filled with comedy, action, and a whole lot of surprises is one of the brightest stars in the current generation of light novels, and it’s on track to be a future Yen On classic. The audiobook adaptation of So I’m a Spider, So What? is scheduled to debut on April 12, 2022.

So I’m a Spider, So What?

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

Story by Hajime Kamoshida

Bunny girls do not live in libraries. This is simply common sense. And yet, that’s exactly where Sakuta finds one in the wild. More bewildering is who the bunny girl is: Mai Sakurajima, a girl one year older than Sakuta, famous at their school for her acting career even though she’s currently on break. To top it all off, it seems like no one else in the library can see Mai at all, no matter what she does or…wears. Wanting to find out more about this mystery and maybe get a little closer to this beautiful upperclassman in the process, Sakuta launches an investigation to discover why an unforgettable bunny girl keeps becoming totally invisible.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai stands out as one of this generation’s most beloved romance stories in the world of anime and light novels. This tale of attraction and magical realism took the anime world by storm when the show debuted in 2018, with the original light novel becoming equally popular in the English-speaking world following its Yen On release in 2020. The audiobook adaptation of Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is scheduled to debut on June 14, 2022.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

Get a Behind the Scenes Look at the Beyond Kuiper: The Galactic Star Alliance Audio Experience. Out Now in Book and Audio!

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Beyond Kuiper: The Galactic Star Alliance

While on loan to CERN, a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions leaves astrophysicist Bernard Hubert as the sole survivor. While the scientific community and world looks to him for answers, he states the unthinkable: “It has to be aliens.” Unacceptable to the world, the Hubert family is under investigation and their name tarnished. Disgraced and shunned, Bernard claws his way back into society with his new company C.O.R.E. where he works tirelessly to design an engine capable of interstellar travel. Follow Bernard on his road to redemption and discovery in this ensemble cast of futurism, space travel, and the fate of our species.

A thoughtful meditation on the human race’s place in the universe as well as an entertaining sci-fi adventure, Beyond Kuiper: The Galactic Star Alliance asks some important questions. Why hasn’t sentient life been discovered in our galaxy? If that life exists, why has no other life communicated with us? The answer is simple, no one wants to. Enter the Galactic Star Alliance, a union of species and planets that span the galaxy earth calls home. But while our galaxy has yet to speak to Earth there are some humans who believe it is out there. Not as science-fantasy but as science.

Beyond Kuiper: The Galactic Star Alliance is the first in a planned series of 10 epic sci-fi prose novels from authors Matthew Medney, Heavy Metal CEO, and Lockheed Martin Aerospace Engineer John Connelly.

The audio experience features the talent of actor and entrepreneur Dylan Sprouse (All-Wise Meadery & Sun Eater) voices Odian Spek and film/television director and producer George C. Romero (Romero Pictures) voices Tordok, as well as Kyle Perrin (Another Kingdom: Season 3 and The Cold War: What We Saw) who also sound designed, narrated the majority of the voices and book and scored the audiobook alongside Matt Medney.

Purchase: Audible [Audiobook] – Amazon – Kindle – Heavy Metal

Caliber Comics teams with Graphic Audio to adapt the Deadworld Comic Book Horror Saga

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Deadworld Volume 1: Requiem for the World

Caliber Comics has announced that it has teamed with Graphic Audio to adapt the critically acclaimed Deadworld comic book series into a set of fully immersive audiobook productions. Featuring a full voice-over cast, cinematic music, and special sound effects, fans will be able to uniquely experience the supernatural zombie horror saga that has entertained comic fans for close to 35 years.

A gateway has opened to the realm of the dead and caused a zombie apocalypse! Deadworld tells the story of a group of teenagers left to survive in a world where perhaps the only threat more deadly than the living dead are the actual living! Can they survive with no adults, little food or gasoline in a yellow school bus, while being hunted down by the leader of an ever growing zombie army? Meet the King Zombie; an intelligent, sarcastic, Harley-riding ass-kicker, with seemingly supernatural powers and the ability to control the “dead-head” horde. He is on a mission to dominate this world under his un-dead rule and unleash hell upon mankind.

The first audiobook is scheduled to be released November 19, 2020 and brings together the events from Volume 1: Requiem for the World and Volume 2: Welcome to the Slaughterhouse; both volumes written by Gary Reed. Within we shall witness the teens’ efforts to stay one step ahead of King Zombie and their journey to the community of Safe Haven where they will fall into the hands of a rogue scientist and learn of his plans to save the world.

Review: Molly Danger Audio Play

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molly-dangerTurning comics into radio plays or audio recordings seems to be a hot thing nowadays. AudioComics has released Molly Danger Episode One based on the comic series created by Jamal Igle and published by Action Lab Entertainment. This is the second release in AudioComics’ Kids line.

Molly is “the princess of finesse,” the most powerful ten-year old in the world. Protector of Coopersville, New York from the villainous Supermechs, including Two-Fisted Tommy and Lil’ Cavey, she has legions of devoted fans, movies and merchandise bearing her name, and more fame than anyone can fathom. But what she really wants more than anything…is a friend. A family. And a real life.

Meanwhile, the forces of evil are converging to rock Molly’s world. For 20 years she has been led to believe she’s an immortal alien whose family died when their ship crash-landed on Earth, genetically altered by the earth’s atmosphere. She also believes that she is the last of her people. She is wrong–very wrong…

I remember listening to audio plays when I was much younger, usually of some popular movie or book. Decades later, and the experience is much of what I remember.

It honestly took me a bit to get into the recording, it’s just not something I was used to at all. About 10 minutes into it though, I forgot about it all and was immersed in Molly’s world brought to spoken word.

It helped that I’ve read the source material, so knew the story before hand, and I’d imagine my experience mattered on that. So, keep all of that in mind if you decide to listen to it. I knew what was going on partially because I read the comic.

The audio itself reminded me of old-time recordings with cheesy sound fx and over the top readings. It was fun though, a nice, interesting, and different way to experience Igle’s story.

The voice cast was good with individuals taking on numerous roles and characters sounding age appropriate, important when your main character is supposed to be a little girl. My only issue was some voices sounded a bit distant as if in a room far away.

Overall, the recording was fun. I’d definitely get it for a kid to listen to during a road trip or other point their mp3 player needs to be filled up with some entertainment. Molly herself is fantastic for kids, so being able to experience her adventures in as many ways as possible is a good thing.

Overall Rating: 7.75

Civil War Gets an Audiobook

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Marvel Comics’ took their popular Civil War event story and adapted it into a prose novel. Now, that prose novel is being adapted again into an audiobook.  The Cutting Corporation and Marvel Entertainment have entered into a licensing agreement where four of Marvel’s prose novels will be released in the GraphicAudio®…A Movie in Your Mind® unique audiobook format.  GraphicAudio® audio productions are six hours on average of action packed audio entertainment with sound effects, cinematic music, narration and a full cast. Civil War was adapted by Stuart Moore and shook up the Marvel Universe.

In the wake of a tragedy, Capitol Hill proposes the Superhuman Registration Act, requiring all costumed heroes to unmask themselves before the government. Divided, the nation’s greatest champions must each decide how to react — but will you side with Iron Man or Captain America? And just which heroes will pay the ultimate price?”

Civil War, the Prose Novel was released in June 2012 and Civil War in GraphicAudio® will be released in March of 2013 and initially available at www.graphicaudio.net and www.graphicaudiointernational.net.  Two titles featuring The Ultimates and one title featuring a Spider-Man prose novel in GraphicAudio® will follow.

 

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