Legacy Authors and Their Works

You think you know a person and then bam! They hit you with a fun fact about themselves that makes you think you never really knew them at all.

The same can be said about creators, especially those who have established themselves in a specific genre; you might have read everything under the sun by them, have your username named after your favorite character in their series, attended signings just to get your copy autographed, and then discover that actually, you haven’t read all their works.

And then you ask, “There’s more?” followed by, “Do I actually want to read this?”

Almost always, the answer is yes, but for those who might be indecisive, especially if there is quite a jump in genre between works, let us convince you that Yes, you definitely want to check this out.

Farewell, Daisy: Jun Mayuzuki Short Story Collection

By Jun Mayuzuki

Just because you can’t use magic doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy. Laugh and cry along with the young women featured in this big collection of touching short stories from the early career of Jun Mayuzuki, author of Kowloon Generic Romance.

This spring, many fell in love with the anime adaptation of Kowloon Generic Romance, a not-quite-mystery, not-quite-fantasy, not-quite-romance tale set in a reimagined Kowloon, China’s famous lost walled city. Exploring themes like nostalgia, sexuality, and memory, this series stands out to be Jun Mayuzuki’s pièce de résistance. And now, this summer, we are releasing the early works of this incredible mangaka with Farewell, Daisy: Jun Mayuzuki Short Story Collection. For those who have already picked up their copy of Kowloon Generic Romance, you will find that this short story collection echoes the same themes that occur throughout the series; still, there is a rawness and sexuality in these short stories that have been polished, or mellowed out, in Mayuzuki’s later work that really brings out a different aspect of this mangaka.

Futari Switch

By Akira Hiramoto

Shinichi and Ichigo are childhood friends in their first year of high school. Both have someone they’re interested in but can’t seem to find a way to get closer to that special person. However, everything changes one summer day, when the power of…a (magical?!) bitter melon switches their bodies!! The two aren’t complaining, though, because this is their chance to get closer to their crushes. Just how will the wacky duo manage to do so?

In our book, Akira Hiramoto is synonymous with “sexy girls in weird situations.” Just think about his works: Prison School, RaW Hero, and most recently Super Ball Girls, which we published this past March. And true to that definition, Futari Switch is all about a weird gender mix-up with plenty of salacious comedy that will have readers raising their eyebrows in either disgust or approval. (There’s a specific scene set in the school’s bathroom involving toilets that will most likely be a deal-breaker for a lot of readers.) If you can get past the absurdity of a walking bitter melon that acts as a catalyst for a genuinely intriguing comedic love story, then you will find Futari Switch a must-read new entry in this prolific author’s repertoire.

Common-Sense Monster

By Warugi Wanai, (Art) Shinobu Shinotsuki

Socially awkward teenager Itou is jealous of her kind, unassuming classmate Takahashi, who gets along with everyone. One day, however, she witnesses Takahashi…devour someone whole. It turns out the girl’s actually a monster—and one who can blend in with humans, no less! Full of admiration, Itou really, really wants to be her friend. Takahashi begins to teach her how to act “normally,” but…will Itou succeed? And what is Takahashi truly after?

Who says an artist known for one of the weirdest and grittiest takes on WWI cannot illustrate an equally tragic Girls Love manga? If you are familiar with Shinobu Shinotsuki, you might also know that this artist’s most influential work is the manga adaptation of The Saga of Tanya the Evil—a historical fantasy manga told from the perspective of a reincarnated-into-a-young-orphan salaryman who ruthlessly rises among the ranks of what essentially is Germany’s Imperial Army. However, gritty art doesn’t have to stop at depictions of war zones; instead, it can also be applied to love stories, especially if they involve man-eating creatures and a female love interest who has more resemblance with a parasitic worm than your average Japanese schoolgirl. While Common-Sense Monster might be a deviation for this artist, we cannot help but still recommend it to fans of The Saga of Tanya the Evil: You might find that there isn’t much difference between facing an enemy’s muzzle and the lips of a hungry girl.

So I'm a Spider, So What? Ex

By Okina Baba, (Illustrations) Tsukasa Kiryu

A volume packed with spoilers and behind-the-scenes extras, including over 30 original stories and side stories written for past promotions, over 30 character designs by artist Tsukasa Kiryu complete with rough drafts and detailed notes, 5 color illustrations, and in-depth information about the other reincarnated classmates’ skills!

Okina Baba’s So I’m a Spider, So What? is easily one of the most recognized light novels around. Boasting multiple anime seasons, a manga adaptation, and even an audio adaptation, this light novel series has become a household staple for fantasy and isekai enjoyers. An adorable spider critter trying their best to survive in a dungeon filled with monsters 1000 times their size? One has to wonder how Okina Baba came up with this concept, because we cannot get enough! And now, two years after we released the last volume of this epic series, we are releasing So I’m a Spider, So What? Ex, a spin-off and guide to this beloved property. If you aren’t ready yet to let go of this gem and its characters, then you don’t have to despair—Volume 1 releases this December, just in time to devour each short story during your winter break!

It's not unusual to see a well-established mangaka’s name pop up whenever discussing a specific genre—take, for example, Akira Hiramoto, who has made his name with scandalously delicious series. But what happens when these creators decide to branch out into something their readers might not be overly familiar with?

You take the plunge.

Branching off in a different direction (or going back to your roots) isn’t so bad after all. Who knows—you might even discover that you do have a soft spot for romance!