William Moo-
July 3, 2026
J-Novel Clubhas announced the license acquisition of ninenew manga and light novel seriesto its digital catalog during its industry panel at Anime Expo 2026. Additionally, the publisher revealedadditional print releasesfor more series and announced the third edition of its JNC Original Light Novel contest.
The new licenses from J-Novel Club consist of seven light novel titles and two manga series that are now available to read on its website.
Light Novels
Sorry, Darling, but You Won’t Kill Me Again!
Story:Tsuta Sonehara
Illustrations:Lemon Natsume
A J-Novel Heart title. The first two parts of Volume 1 are now available.
Synopsis:
It should’ve been the end for the young Queen Etoile. When her beloved husband, Isar, cuts her down as the enemy invades, it seems she is destined for a miserably short reign. Instead, she awakens five years in the past. Armed with knowledge of what’s to come, she now has the ultimate opportunity: fix her mistakes, take back everything that was stolen from her, and enact sweet revenge on her would-be betrayers!
The powers that be won’t let an upstart royal act with impunity, however. Malicious forces attack from every angle, and it soon becomes clear that Etoile isn’t the only one that remembers the
past. Can Etoile tame the flow of time and find true happiness? Or is she doomed to the fate that has already once consumed her?
A Young Maiden’s Growing Pains: I Reincarnated and All I Got Was This 100X Stat Buff!
Story:Yuno Yozakura
Illustrations:Nimoshi
The first two parts of Volume 1 are now available.
Synopsis:
Saving a cat-shaped plastic bag from certain death was not how Saki Osanai thought she’d go out. At least she’s got a wish out of it, and this time around, she won’t spend her life being looked down on—literally or figuratively. She’ll take a body that could knock any man off his feet
The gods are happy to oblige
Reborn as petite as ever, Saki—now called Satie—quickly learns her power lies not in the toweringly tall beauty she longed to have but instead in a stat buff that can take any enemy out. Worst of all, the god of the underworld warns she’s under a curse of eternal youth, one she’ll never be free of so long as she continues to repeat the mistakes of her past life
If she wants to break the curse keeping her down (and short), she’ll need to put herself out there in a way she never dared try before. With a trusty hellhound to spoil, true love to find, and empires to conquer, this young maiden won’t let anyone stand in her way!
God Sleeps in Seafoam
Story:Nora Yasuda
Illustrations:Arutera
The first two parts of Volume 1 are now available.
Synopsis:
In a land of spirits, it is an unbearable shame to be born without one. Cast out from his noble birthplace, the spiritless Akira is forced to find a new life as a commoner, eking out a living by fighting the wild beasts that venture near the human lands—a far cry from the greatness he was supposedly destined for
However, Akira’s strange nature soon comes to light. His skill in amulet crafting and unprecedented resilience to miasma hint at the potential he conceals—potential soon to be tested when a slumbering god awakens to his presence
The fire god of the south does not awaken alone, for no sooner does Akira receive her blessings than an ancient evil rises, threatening to devour his new home
A Wicked Lady’s Guide to Accidentally Saving the Kingdom
Story:Manzi Mazi
Illustrations:Yuuya
The first two parts of Volume 1 are now available.
Synopsis:
Lady Lettie just wants to keep her subjects under her self-proclaimed “wicked” reign. Every day, she goes out to do the most evil biddings imaginable in her little countryside domain. What does she care if her exorbitant spending benefits the local economy, or if her special power to sound out others’ weaknesses helps them grow as people?
Then one day, a surprise comes knocking when her new subject shares a grand revelation: He’s actually the kingdom’s deposed prince, and he needs her help to retake the throne. Knowing she couldn’t live out her idyllic life of tyranny if the kingdom were to fall, she agrees—but only because he’d be helpless without her, of course!
She’ll do whatever it takes. She’ll say whatever needs to be said. To win back her peace, she’ll even go against her very nature and aid the wretched citizenry. And if this sweet-talking prince doesn’t stop prattling about her virtuous heart, she’ll show him just how wicked of a lady she can be too!
I’ll Become an Elegant Villainess! Time to Enjoy My Second Life to the Fullest
Story:Shusui Hazuki
Illustrations:kururi
A J-Novel Heart title. The first two parts of Volume 1 are now available.
Synopsis:
Mitia Lumiol is set to be another selfish jerk of a noble, one among many who elevate only those with pure bloodlines and great magic. Then, suddenly, she remembers her past life—a lonely, stifled one where her only solace was books and the characters who broke ground where the corrupt stood
Resolving to become just like her favorite villainess, Mitia targets the nobility who rule the land of Elmia with an iron fi st. She’ll meet kindness with mercy and meet cruelty with ruthlessness. And she isn’t going to let anything get in her way—not nobles, not rioters, and certainly not the fact that she can only perform “worthless” household magic
Mitia will show them all what true evil is. And who knows? A cool, elegant villainess might be just what Elmia needs
Father, Have You Sinned? An Assassin in Priest’s Robes
Story:Kennoji
Illustrations:Reita
The first two parts of Volume 1 are now available.
Synopsis:
Once feared as the kingdom’s legendary assassin, Zach “the Shadow” has abandoned his bloody past and now lives a quiet life as a priest of a rural church. There, he raises orphaned children and teaches them everything he knows: discipline, wisdom, and the combat skills to build a life outside the church walls
When one of his beloved students—Emilia—returns with burdens she can’t conceal, Zach knows he can no longer hide and wait. Stealth and shadow are familiar aides as he begins a secret investigation into the troubles that haunt her. But while Father Zach may be content to fade back into the shadows, Emilia has other plans for the humble priest. She won’t stop until she drags him into the light—and reveals just how respected he should be!
Genius in the Library: This Bookish Rookie Will Save the Day!
Story:Misa Aoi
Illustrations:Yoh Hihara
The first two parts of Volume 1 are now available.
Synopsis:
Meet Martina, a brilliant young girl with one all-consuming obsession: books. She’s already devoured every last volume in the commoners’ library, and the last place left with unread material is the royal library inside the palace itself. There’s just one tiny problem…only civil servants are allowed inside
Naturally, she does the only logical thing: aces the civil service exam and lands herself a job at the palace!
But Martina’s dream of open access to books galore won’t come so easily. An unusual surge of monster attacks is threatening the kingdom, and the General Affairs Office where civil servants work stands at the epicenter of the resultant chaos. Loving the written word won’t be enough—this rookie will have to use her book smarts to travel the world and defeat powerful enemies if she wants a quiet life of reading. With a photographic memory and a brain like no other, Martina might just be the key to saving them all.
Manga
Last Summer Sparkle
Story and Art:Long Utsumi
A J-Novel Knight title. The first chapter of Volume 1 is now available.
Synopsis:
It’s the last summer before the end of high school, and Kyohei Kashiro feels lost. Should he get a job or apply to college? Live locally or move to the big city? Be the swim star everyone wants him to be or never swim again? The questions feel too big for Kyohei to handle. It’s better to shut them out and not think about them
It’s the last summer before the end of high school, and Eiji Honda feels lost. Should he ask out his crush and best friend, Kyohei? What if he scares Kyohei off or ruins their friendship? Or most terrifyingly of all, what if Kyohei says yes? The questions feel too big for Eiji to hold in. It’s time to confess to the guy who stole his heart all those years ago
It’s the last summer before the end of high school, and Kyohei’s and Eiji’s lives are about to change forever. Change is abrupt. Change is scary. But most of all, change is magical. In navigating the roadblocks of adolescence, Kyohei and Eiji find love, find themselves, and discover that last summer sparkle
Reset / Reboot
Story and Art:Ichi Ichikawa
A J-Novel Knight title with the first chapter is now available.
Synopsis:
Touma and Sou have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Now in high school and playing on the same basketball team, their bond is stronger than ever. So when Sou breaks down after yet another painful heartbreak, Touma seizes the moment of vulnerability to confess his feelings
What begins as a secret relationship quickly spirals into something far more complicated. As their time together feeds Sou’s possessive codependency, Touma comes to realize why all of Sou’s past relationships ended in failure. Is what Sou feels really love, or is it just another passing obsession?
Torn between his own feelings and the growing sense that something isn’t quite right, Touma confides in his teammate Maki. But once those doubts are brought to light, good intentions alone may not be enough to mend the cracks in their relationship
Print Light Novels & Manga
Thirteen print editions of select titles are also scheduled for release throughout late 2026 and early 2027
- • It’s Tough Being a NecromancerByJan Olexawith illustrations bySouichi Itou— A J-Novel Club Original Light Novel Contest Runner-Up — Volume 1 will be available in November 2026.
- • From Villainess to Healer(Manga) ByKatamura Namura, Original Work byPunichan— Releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in November 2026.
- • Min-Maxing My TRPG Build in Another WorldBySchuldwith illustrations by Lansane — Releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in November 2026.
- • A Livid Lady’s Guide to Getting Even: How I Crushed My Homeland with My Mighty GrimoiresByHagure Metabowith illustrations bymasami— Releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in November 2026.
- • From Villainess to HealerByPunichanwith illustrations byYoh Hihara— Releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in December 2026.
- • The Despicable Duke Settles His AffairsByMiori Kayamotowith illustrations byKaratsuyu— A J-Novel Knight title that will be available in December 2026.
- • Haibara’s Teenage New Game+ByKazuki Amamiyawith illustrations byGin— Releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in December 2026.
- • The Frontier Lord Begins with Zero Subjects: Tales of Blue Dias and the Onikin Alna(Manga) ByYumbo, Original Work byFuurou— Releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in January 2027.
- • What’s with the Bag, Kamiyama-san?ByPochi Edoya, Original Work byAbyss Enoshima— Releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in January 2027.
- • A Cave King’s Road to Paradise: Climbing to the Top with My Almighty Mining Skills!(Manga) ByTakao Demise, Original Work byHajime Naehara— Releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in January 2027.
- • Now I’m a Demon Lord! Happily Ever After with Monster Girls in My Dungeon(Manga) ByNote Tono, Original Work byRyuyu— Releasing as 2-in-1 omnibus volumes — Omnibus Volume 1 will be available in February 2027.
- • All Eyes on Nekoyashiki-kun! Notice Me, Not My CharactersByKazuki Minamoto— A J-Novel Knight title releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in February 2027.
- • D-Genesis: Three Years after the Dungeons AppearedByKONO Tsuranoriwith illustrations byttl— Releasing as single volumes — Volume 1 will be available in February 2027.
The 3rd JNC Original Light Novel contest will run from September 1, 2026 to December 30, 2026.
The prize details are as follows:
- • Grand Prize — one winner
- ○ US$15,000 + Publication on J-Novel Club and in Japanese by KADOKAWA
- • First Prizes — Up to five winners
- ○ US$3,000 and Publication on J-Novel Club
- • Runner Up Prizes — Up to five winners
- ○ US$1,000 and Publication on J-Novel Club
- • BOOKWALKER Prize — one winner
- ○ US$2,500, Publication on JNC, plus a special additional chapter + illustration for exclusive publication on BookWalker Global
There will also be a “KADOKAWA Comicalization Prize.” Any and all prize winners will be eligible for review by the KADOKAWA Comic’s team for a possible add-on prize of a “comicalization” by KADOKAWA
Source: press release
