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J-Novel Club

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J-Novel Club
StatusActive
Founded2016
FounderSam Pinansky
Country of originUnited States
Headquarters locationSan Antonio,Texas
Distribution
Publication typesBooks (digital and print)
Imprints
  • J-Novel Club
  • J-Novel Heart
  • J-Novel Pulp
Owner(s)Kadokawa Corporation
Official websitej-novel.club

J-Novel Clubis a publishing company specializing in the translation of Japaneselight novelsinto English. It streams light novels andmangain regular installments before publishing finalized e-books. As of August 2021, J-Novel Club has licensed over 150 light novel and manga series and have published more than 800 e-books.[1]It has licensed titles from many Japanese publishers, includingHobby Japan,Overlap,Kodansha,Drecom,Earth Star Entertainment,Kadokawa Corporation,Micro Magazine, Shufunotomo, andSoftbank Creative.It was acquired by Kadokawa Corporation on April 28, 2021.

History[edit]

After coming to the conclusion that "there was a whole universe of content out there in Japan that's hardly available in the west at all,"[2]Sam Pinansky began working on the business model for J-Novel Club in 2015 and "took inspiration from what the fans had started to do on their own, as well as the more traditional models for book publishing."[3]J-Novel Club's overall purpose was "to create and grow a worldwide market for Japanese light novels translated into English."[4]The original name for the project was "K-Novel" because "kei" is Japanese for "light" (as in the K fromK-On!), but before launch the "K" was changed to "J" (for Japanese) to avoid confusion with Korean novels. "Club" was added when it was noticed that the.clubtop-level domainname was available.[5]

J-Novel Club was founded in 2016 by Sam Pinansky and announced they would release light novels in weekly installments for their members before releasing the finalized books one-bookformat. It launched with the titlesOccultic;Nine,Brave Chronicle: The Ruinmaker,My Big Sister Lives in a Fantasy World,andMy Little Sister Can Read Kanji.[6]Shortly after they announced two more light novels:Grimgar of Fantasy and AshandI Saved Too Many Girls and Caused the Apocalypse.[7]

On January 19, 2017, J-Novel Club announced it would be collaborating with manga and light novel localization companySeven Seas Entertainment,who would publish print editions of two of J-Novel Club's light novels:Grimgar of Fantasy and AshandOccultic;Nine.[8]On July 3, 2017, Seven Seas announced they would be publishing print editions of two more J-Novel Club light novels:Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's StrongestandClockwork Planet.[9]

On July 5, 2018, J-Novel Club announced it would be printing physical versions of some of its light novel series.[10]After launching its print line withIn Another World With My Smartphone,as of August 2021, J-Novel Club has 25 light novel and manga series in print.

On November 20, 2018, J-Novel Club launched an online manga reader with five launch titles:[11]A Very Fairy Apartment,Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles,Infinite Dendrogram,How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom,andAscendance of a Bookworm.

On October 7, 2019, J-Novel Club launched aKickstarterproject forInvaders of the Rokujouma!?print edition and successfully funded it with more than $100,000 over its initial goal.[12][13]

On November 16, 2019, J-Novel Club announced the new J-Novel Heart imprint focusing onshojotitles.[14]

On April 2, 2021, the J-Novel Pulp imprint was announced with the titlesJohn Sinclair: Demon Hunter,Jessica Bannister,andPerry Rhodan NEO.[15]This imprint focuses on translating and publishing German-language pulp fiction into English.[citation needed]

On April 28, 2021,Kadokawa Corporationannounced they acquired the company.[16]

During their panel atAnime NYC2022, J-Novel Club announced a new collaboration withYen Pressto publish their titles in print. The titles announced for a print release wereHell Modelight novel,The Misfit of Demon King Academylight novel, and theMy Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me!light novel and manga adaptation.[17]J-Novel Club also announced that it is partnering withRBMediaand Podium to produce audiobook versions of their titles.[18]

On October 15, 2023, J-Novel Club announced that it is launching a subsidiary called "J-Novel Club Nina" for the European market. It will, at first, launch in French and German languages.[19]

On March 6, 2024, J-Novel Club announced that it had signed a print distribution deal withHachette Book GroupandDiamond Book Distributorsfor North American and international releases respectively.[20]

Titles[edit]

Main article:List of J-Novel Club titles

Audiobook titles[edit]

Manga titles[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"J-Novel Club".j-novel.club.RetrievedAugust 4,2021.
  2. ^"FEATURE: Found in Translation - An Exclusive Interview with J-Novel Club".Crunchyroll.RetrievedAugust 3,2017.
  3. ^"An Interview with Sam Pinansky, Founder and President of New Light Novel Streaming Service J-Novel Club".Taykobon.RetrievedAugust 3,2017.
  4. ^"Saturday AM #58".sellfy.com.RetrievedAugust 3,2017.
  5. ^"I'm Sam Pinansky (aka Quarkboy), founder and President of J-Novel Club! Ask Me Anything! • r/LightNovels".reddit.February 18, 2017.RetrievedAugust 3,2017.
  6. ^"J-Novel Club Publisher Launches to Release Light Novels in English Digitally".Anime News Network.RetrievedJuly 5,2017.
  7. ^"J-Novel Club Licenses Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, I Saved Too Many Girls and Caused the Apocalypse Light Novels".Anime News Network.RetrievedJuly 5,2017.
  8. ^"Seven Seas Collaborates with J-Novel Club to Bring Light Novels to Print | Seven Seas Entertainment".RetrievedJuly 5,2017.
  9. ^"Seven Seas Licenses Made in Abyss, Nameless Asterism, Soul Liquid Chambers, Getter Robo Devolution Manga (Updated)".Anime News Network.RetrievedJuly 5,2017.
  10. ^"J-Novel Club Announces Print Publishing Line With In Another World With My Smartphone Novels".Anime News Network.RetrievedAugust 4,2021.
  11. ^Ressler, Karen (November 20, 2018)."J-Novel Club Launches Online Manga Reader, Licenses 5 Manga Titles".Anime News Network.RetrievedJune 5,2020.
  12. ^Mateo, Alex (September 16, 2019)."J-Novel Club to Launch Kickstarter for Invaders of the Rokujouma!? Light Novels' Physical Release".Anime News Network.RetrievedDecember 13,2019.
  13. ^"Invaders of the Rokujouma!? Print Edition".Kickstarter.RetrievedDecember 13,2019.
  14. ^Sherman, Jennifer (November 16, 2019)."J-Novel Club Licenses 13 Light Novel Series, Reveals Print Editions for Sexiled, My Next Life as a Villainess".Anime News Network.RetrievedDecember 13,2019.
  15. ^"J-Novel Club Announces the Launch of J-Novel Pulp Imprint with Three New Licenses – English Light Novels".englishlightnovels.com.April 2, 2021.RetrievedJune 28,2021.
  16. ^"KADOKAWA Announces Acquisition of J-Novel Club"(PDF).Kadokawa Corporation.April 28, 2021.RetrievedApril 28,2021.
  17. ^Hodgkins, Crystalyn (November 19, 2022)."J-Novel Club Announces Print Publishing Partnership with Yen Press".Anime News Network.RetrievedNovember 20,2022.
  18. ^Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 19, 2022)."J-Novel Club Produces 9 Audiobook Versions of Licensed Titles".Anime News Network.RetrievedNovember 20,2022.
  19. ^Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 15, 2023)."J-Novel Club Expands into Europe With JNC Nina Subsidiary for Light Novel Releases in French, German".Anime News Network.RetrievedOctober 15,2023.
  20. ^Tai, Anita (March 6, 2024)."J-Novel Club Joins Hachette Book Group, Diamond Book Distributors in New Print Deal via Yen Press".Anime News Network.RetrievedMarch 6,2024.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=J-Novel_Club&oldid=1233037278"