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    Anime Expo 2024: J-Novel Club Announces 12 New Licenses

    By
    J-Novel

    It wouldn’t be a week without some J-Novel Club announcements and they used their industry panel at Anime Expo to unveil 12 new licenses in the form of 8 light novels and 4 manga!

    Below are the titles announced:

    The Boy Who Ruled the Monsters  

    by Sin Guilty with Illustrations by NAKAMURA 8

    Synopsis:

    Sol Rock plays the role of support in Black Tiger, an up-and-coming party of prodigies known as the Miracle Children. His party sees him as deadweight and he’s expelled by the leader, but the truth is that he has a special talent that gives him the godlike power to bestow incredibly OP skills and stats upon his companions!

    Only two members of his party, “Iron Wall” Reen and “Saint of Healing” Julia, realize that Sol is the source of their amazing powers, and they choose to leave with him. With no one holding him back, Sol can finally unleash his true potential, and

    he decides to use it to create the world’s most powerful party. When Sol is offered five cards, each depicting a monster powerful enough to take on the world on its own, he begins a journey to gather them all to his side and fulfill his dream!

    The Legendary Witch Is Reborn as an Oppressed Princess

    by Touko Amekawa with Illustrations by Kuroyuki

    Synopsis:

    The moment her uncle pushed her out of a window but failed to kill her, six-year-old Princess Claudia remembered everything. In her past life, she was a legendary witch who commanded a veritable army of magicians. She possesses a magic that can leave the world at her mercy!

    Never mind her cold reception in this life! Claudia decides to live free of worldly worries. She makes a servant of a handsome but unfriendly boy, Noah, and sets out to do whatever she pleases by using the advanced magic that once shook the world, sweeping away her opposition in the process!

    Unfortunately, using so much power makes her so sleepy… Zzz… Claudia rests easy in the arms of her unwilling servant after using too much magic.

    Here begins the story of a legendary witch ready for a comfortable, leisurely life with her grumpy, raven-haired servant!

    Lacey Longs for Freedom: The Dawn Witch’s Low-Key Life after Defeating the Demon King 

    by Hyogo Amagasa with Illustrations by Kyouichi

    Synopsis:

    Now that she’s defeated the Demon King and become the country’s greatest mage, Lacey has officially fulfilled her life’s purpose. All that’s left is to spend the rest of her days in a loveless political marriage. But when her engagement is broken off, Lacey realizes that all she wants is to live freely. Her wish is granted, and she moves into an empty mansion near a sleepy village.

    Settling in is hard for her; shy and self-effacing, Lacey doesn’t know anything about living on her own! She can fry legions of monsters, but frying up a meal? She’d rather starve. Luckily, her friends have her back; with the support of the community, her former party member Wayne, and a monster pet, Lacey slowly learns to take care of herself and come out of her shell.

    Meanwhile, Lacey’s worth becomes clear to the townspeople when she solves their problems with magic that’s both unconventional and spectacular. So begins Lacey’s newfound calling as a magical handywoman!

    Duchess in the Attic 

    by Mori with Illustrations by Huyuko Aoi and Yasuyuki Syuri

    Synopsis:

    Opal Holloway is a determined young lady whose ambition makes her stand out among her peers. When her entire life is seemingly changed overnight, she’s left without a man to marry. However, she couldn’t be more relieved, since she’s been secretly in love with her childhood friend Claude. Opal hoped that she wouldn’t be forced to marry a noble other than her childhood friend, but bad news arrives. Wed to a childish duke, whose servants refuse to treat her well, Opal feels like the whole world has turned against her.

    But Opal isn’t one to take things lying down. She decides to use her wealth to steal Duke McLeod’s land and manor away! Now in charge, will she

    be able to transform the servants and the duke? And will she ever be able to forget her first love?

    EXP Is Golden 

    by Harajun with Illustrations by fixro2n

    Synopsis:

    The long-awaited launch day for the VRMMORPG Boot Hour, Shoot Curse has finally arrived! As a dedicated VR gamer, Leah eagerly rolls up her character, excited to make her mark on the grand tapestry of this virtual world. A chance encounter at the start of the game leads Leah to a fateful discovery: a hidden skill called Retainer allows her to tame any NPC in the game and pool their experience points with her own!

    Combining Retainer with her powerful enchantment spells, Leah steadily builds an army of retainers made up of formidable unique boss NPCs from the game. With the

    experience points pouring in, Leah establishes herself as a force to be reckoned with…only to be branded a living natural disaster!

    The Reincarnator and the Goblin Maiden’s Happily Ever After: Using a Past Life to Keep a Joyful Wife 

    by Shinten-Shinchi with Illustrations by Tokima

    Synopsis:

    Ginorious Adolni has but one goal after reincarnating into a new world—find and marry someone he can grow old with. After living for close to a century without ever having a single relationship due to his hideous appearance, Ginorious wishes for companionship from the depths of his heart.

    The opportunity presents itself one day when he receives an offer to marry the daughter of the premier duke. It’s a shocking proposal for the son of a simple viscount, until he learns that all their attempts to arrange courtships with higher nobles have already failed, and for one simple reason: the daughter’s

    appearance, which has earned her the epithet of the Goblin Maiden. But Ginorious sees his past self in her, and soon learns that she has a genuinely beautiful soul. Ginorious resolves to use everything at his disposal, including knowledge from his past life, to make her happy.

    From Desk Job to Death Beam: In Another World with My Almighty Lasers 

    by Nekomata Nuko with Illustrations by Cut

    Synopsis:

    Kaito Irie—an unremarkable young man without even hobbies to speak of—has been killed thanks to a goddess’s careless mistake. As recompense, he is offered the chance to continue living in a new world with not just one newfound passion to guide and fulfill him, but three: “Collection,” “Animal Ears,” and “Laser Beams.” But with everything looking too good to be true, Kaito can’t help but wonder…is there a catch?

    Using his new god-given power to fire a beam powerful enough to smite any foe and precise enough to replace any tool, Kaito becomes an adventurer in search of riches and glory.

    Along the way, he tirelessly helps the oppressed, half-animal, half-human hybrids that inhabit his new home. Is it out of the goodness of his heart…or out of a desire to get closer to their irresistibly adorable animal ears?! Here unfolds the epic tale of a typical, run-of-the-mill guy who just happens to wield a peerless beam of death!

    No One Gets Past This Gatekeeper: The Unwanted Warrior Guards His New Post 

    by Kametsu Tomobashi with Illustrations by HEIRO

    Synopsis:

    Sieg’s defensive power is through the roof, and he’s proven himself to be a rock-solid foundation for a heavy-hitting party, holding every last ounce of monster aggro. But that’s not enough to prevent his party from kicking him right out the door!

    Who needs defense when you’ve got devastating attacks, right? Them, apparently—without their tank, the losses keep piling up! Sieg, on the other hand, lands a job as a gatekeeper at the royal capital and starts rising quickly through the ranks. Can he defend against the hordes of attackers, earn the trust of

    his squadron and the lovely but quirky ladies within, and untwist the problems of the besieged city—all at the same time?

    Safe & Sound in the Arms of an Elite Knight 

    by Yuyu Kouhara with Original Work by Fuyu Aoki

    Synopsis:

    Haruyoshi Kuga’s power as the strongest exorcist is all for naught when he is betrayed by his closest ally. With his dying breath, he casts the secret Spell of Reincarnation—when he next opens his eyes, he finds himself in a different world altogether, reincarnated as Seika Lamprogue, the son of a family of magic scholars!

    He quickly learns that the magic in this new world is quite unlike the sorcery he learned in his past life and that he can’t use it. Fortunately for him, with his mastery of curses and the hordes of youkai at his disposal, he doesn’t need to.

    Haruyoshi (now Seika) is determined not to repeat his past mistakes in his second life by smartly laying low and avoiding flaunting his power. Yet accomplishing his goals and without drawing attention to himself proves to be easier said than done—will his powers be enough to live a happy life?!

    The Troubles of Miss Nicola the Exorcist 

    by Rukako with Original Work by Ito Iino

    Synopsis:

    Prince Callus Leditzweissen is a Taboo Being, an unfortunate soul born with a deadly curse that causes him constant suffering. With no known cure, the doctors say Callus only has six months left to live. But a magician named Gourley gives the boy a sliver of hope when he demonstrates the healing power of light magic. Callus is determined to learn how to use light magic in time to save himself, hoping to live longer to repay all the kindness he’s been shown throughout his life.

    Accidentally in Love: The Witch, the Knight, and the Love Potion Slipup 

    by Itsuki Azumaya with Original Work by Harunadon

    Synopsis:

    Selene Vixent has died nine times. Each time, she’s betrayed and dumped by her fiancé, is abused by her noble family, and meets an untimely end—all because she doesn’t awaken to the power of Sun, the so-called power of protection inherited by those in her family. Selene is determined to escape this cursed time loop, and after nine deaths, she abandons all attempts to be the perfect fiancée and daughter. She instead awakens to the power of Shadow—seen to be an ominous portent of misfortune—and fully embraces her new life as a villainess.

    However, everything changes when Dier Veldt, the former crown prince of the kingdom of Werkst, tells Selene he knows all about her time loops. He offers to help her under one condition: she kills him.

    Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter

    by Tamura Muto with Original Work by Riku Nanano

    J-Novel Club

    Synopsis:

    Falsely accused of plotting to assassinate the Saint, Lady Alphina finds her engagement to the frigid prince called off and her head under the guillotine. Time rewinds upon her death, but despite all efforts to stave off her fate, she faces the same end 99 times over.

    Just when all hope seems lost, she awakens a new power during her 100th loop. She can now hear the thoughts of those around her, and it turns out her accusers were a lot more enamored of her than she thought! Can she use this newfound ability to turn her fortunes around? The 100th time’s the charm!

    Source: Crunchyroll

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    Josh has been an anime fan for nearly twenty years. In addition, he is a light novel author with over 25 books published as well as the owner of Meteora Press, his personal publishing label. Anime and otaku culture isn't Josh's only area of expertise. He also has a Bachelor of Arts in Game Design and has created a handful of independent games along with a deep working knowledge of the gaming industry.