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

Posted on October 7, 2023 by Graphic Policy Team

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.

Manga and Anime

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

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Graphic Policy Team

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

RBmedia’s GraphicAudio announces three Hellboy Universe Audiobook Original Series

Posted on July 2, 2023 by Graphic Policy Team

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.

Podcasts

Yen Audio Announces Three Spring 2023 Audiobook Series

Posted on December 13, 2022 by Graphic Policy Team

Yen Audio is expanding its lineup with the release of three new audiobook adaptations of Yen On novels: Even If This Love Disappears Tonight (March 2023), Tezcatlipoca (April 2023), and Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! (June 2023). In addition to light novels, Yen On is quickly becoming the home for critically acclaimed works of literary and genre fiction, and the immense popularity of its titles have led to highly anticipated audiobook adaptations produced by Yen Audio, such as the November 2022 release of The Miracles of the Namiya General Store audiobook. Voice actors for the three upcoming audiobooks will be announced at a later date.

Even If This Love Disappears Tonight

Story by Misaki Ichijo

When Tooru Kamiya is pushed into falsely confessing his love to Maori Hino, she tells him they can date on three conditions: 1. Don’t talk to her until after school. 2. Keep any communication between them short. 3. Don’t truly fall in love with her. Unfortunately, Tooru finds he cannot adhere to the last rule. When he finally tells her how he feels, Maori reveals she has an illness—she’s unable to remember anything that happened the day before. Nevertheless, Tooru is determined to build a relationship with her one day at a time…

Even If This Love Disappears Tonight is a critically acclaimed Japanese novel that has made its way to the Western world. A beloved tale of love and loss that was adapted to a live-action film, this title has captured attention and acclaim for its beautiful yet heartbreaking story of a complicated love from a boy who falls for a girl with memory issues. The audiobook adaptation of Even If This Love Disappears Tonight is scheduled to debut on March 14, 2023.

Tezcatlipoca

Story by Kiwamu Sato

In the wake of a brutal war with a rival cartel, a certain drug lord flees Mexico and ends up halfway around the world, where he runs into a Japanese organ broker doing business in Jakarta. After their fateful meeting, the two of them travel to Japan to establish a new business in the organ trade. There, the former cartel leader takes a young, lonely boy under his wing. These three lives gradually become inextricably entangled in a web of crime, violence, and human flesh…

Kiwamu Sato’s Tezcatlipoca is a brilliant and compelling crime novel that won the 165th Naoki Prize as well as the 34th Yamamoto Shugoro Prize. This prestigious novel has received critical acclaim from other lauded Japanese authors, such as Miyuki Miyabe (Brave Story, All She Was Worth) and Shion Miura (The Great Passage, The Easy Life in Kamusari), as well as celebrated figures in the world of Japanese media, such as Mamoru Oshii (director of Ghost in the Shell) and Paru Itagaki (mangaka of BEASTARS). The audiobook adaptation of Tezcatlipoca is scheduled to debut on April 18, 2023.

Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!

Story by Natsume Akatsuki

Game-loving shut-in Kazuma Sato’s life as a young schoolboy in Japan abruptly comes to an early end…or at least it was supposed to. When he opens his eyes, he sees a beautiful goddess that offers him a once-in-an-afterlifetime chance to be reborn in a parallel world. The catch is that the world is violent and threatened by a growing evil! Fortunately, he can choose one thing to bring with him. So he chooses the goddess, Aqua! And his adventure with his gorgeous companion begins—if he can just get enough money and food to survive, keep his goddess out of trouble, and avoid grabbing the attention of the Demon King’s army!

Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! is a staple comedy series in the world of light novels and was one of the earliest isekai properties to reach mainstream heights. The iconic anime adaptation debuted in 2016, which propelled the original light novel released by Yen On in 2017 to become a bestseller in the category. The audiobook adaptation of Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! is scheduled to debut on June 20, 2023.

Books

Yen Audio Announces Narrators for Upcoming Yen Audiobook Titles

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Graphic Policy Team

Following the November 2021 announcement of upcoming releases from Yen Audio at Anime NYC, Yen Press has announced the narrators for these new audiobook adaptations of beloved light novel series.

Spice and Wolf Vol. 1 will be narrated by J. Michael Tatum. J. Michael Tatum is an actor, writer, ADR director, and adaptive scriptwriter. Nurtured by anime classics, Tatum has lent his voice to several popular anime franchises over the years. After being cast as Rikichi in 2005’s Samurai 7, Tatum was able to attain a slew of dream roles, most notably Kyoya Ootori in Ouran High School Host Club, suave, demonic Sebastian Michaelis in Black Butler, France in the Hetalia franchise, Tomoe in Kamisama Kiss, and the equal parts maniacal and vulnerable Rintarou Okabe from Steins;Gate. Recently, he can be heard in the epic My Hero Academia as Tenya Iida. Most relevantly, he also played Kraft Lawrence in the 2009 anime adaptation of Spice and Wolf. The Spice and Wolf Vol. 1 audiobook is scheduled to release on March 15, 2022.

Fans of the iconic light novel series are sure to be thrilled with this casting, especially on the heels of the recent announcement by creator Isuna Hasekura of a new Spice and Wolf anime after nearly thirteen years since the airing of Spice and Wolf Season 2.

So I’m a Spider, So What! Vol. 1 will be narrated by Caitlin Kelly. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Caitlin Kelly got started in voice acting in Tokyo, Japan. She fell in love with narrating audiobooks in New York. She has recorded over 250 titles and won Earphone Awards, SOVAS, and Audie nominations for her work. Kelly loves working in all genres but usually finds herself in fantasy worlds, notably narrating Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series. Caitlin currently lives in Tokyo with her husband and daughter. The So I’m a Spider, So What! Vol.1 audiobook is scheduled to release on April 12, 2022.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai Vol. 1 will be narrated by Andrew Grace. Andrew Grace is a Los Angeles–based, multi-racial, SAG-AFTRA actor. He recently completed work on an upcoming series for Showtime and another for the CW. He has lent his voice to The Summit of the Gods and The Journalist on Netflix, as well as other exciting projects premiering mid-2022. On stage he played the lead role in Cupid and the End of Love,his original stage play, which ran for over six months including at the Hollywood Fringe Festival (2019). Grace can also be seen in numerous commercials for brands such as Apple, Verizon, and Intel. In his free time, Grace enjoys writing stage plays and indie folk records, and shooting abstract photography. Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai Vol. 1 is scheduled to release on June 14, 2022.

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?

So I’m a Spider, So What!

Story by Okina Baba and Tsukasa Kiryu

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!

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.