Yen Press Announces 'Avocado House', a New Imprint Focusing on International Works
In an exciting expansion within the publishing world, Yen Press has announced its new imprint, Avocado House, dedicated entirely to international translated works. With this new move, the giant of the manga and light novel world is incorporating not only works from Japan but also literary fiction and non-fiction from South Korea and beyond. Curated by publisher and editor-in-chief JuYoun Lee, this new imprint aims to publish approximately 12 titles per year.
The brand's first announced list has already excited fans of crime and mystery. Leading the list is Laplace's Witch (Laplace no Majo), a blend of science fiction and mystery by one of Japan's most famous authors, Keigo Higashino. Expected on shelves in October 2026, this book will be followed by Yuki Shasendo's dark coming-of-age story Sickness unto Love in November, and Gyatei Murasaki's short story anthology 1,000 Words Left to Live in December. Notably, Laplace's Witch was adapted into a film in 2018 by renowned director Takashi Miike.
This new entity was born as an extension of Yen Press's existing prose imprint, Yen On. Founded in 2006 as a joint venture between Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group, Yen Press has maintained its leadership in the manga and light novel market to date. However, Avocado House aims to give translated works a more distinct identity. In a statement, JuYoun Lee emphasized that books are a bridge between cultures, saying, "Avocado House aims to be a true home where authors' voices can transcend borders and language barriers to reach readers."
Plans for 2027 are already in place. The Curse Called Mother, the Prison Called Daughter by Aya Saito, which covers a real-life matricide case in Japan, and the thriller The Place of the Flamingo by Korean author Haeyeon Jeong are among the imprint's ambitious future projects. This move proves Yen Press's vision of evolving from just a 'manga publisher' into a global literary platform. For us fans, this means access to more quality stories and diverse cultural perspectives.
