J-Novel Club Unveils Anime Expo 2024 Licenses, Contest Winners

J-Novel Club revealed a new slate of licenses at this year’s Anime Expo. With 7 J-Novel Heart titles, shojo fans are in for a good one. The new light novel licenses include:

• The Boy Who Ruled the Monsters By Sin Guilty with Illustrations by NAKAMURA 8
• The Legendary Witch Is Reborn as an Oppressed Princess By Touko Amekawa with Illustrations by Kuroyuki – A J-Novel Heart Title
• Lacey Longs for Freedom: The Dawn Witch’s Low-Key Life after Defeating the Demon King By Hyogo Amagasa with Illustrations by Kyouichi – A J-Novel Heart Title
• Duchess in the Attic By Mori with Illustrations by Huyuko Aoi and Yasuyuki Syuri –  A J-Novel Heart Title
• EXP Is Golden By Harajun with Illustrations by fixro2n
• 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 –  A J-Novel Heart Title
• From Desk Job to Death Beam: In Another World with My Almighty Lasers By Nekomata Nuko with Illustrations by Cut
• No One Gets Past This Gatekeeper: The Unwanted Warrior Guards His New Post By Kametsu Tomobashi with Illustrations by HEIRO

The manga lineup of the J-Novel Club licenses was somewhat smaller but still includes some unique titles:

• Safe & Sound in the Arms of an Elite Knight (Manga) By Yuyu Kouhara with Original Work by Fuyu Aoki – A J-Novel Heart Title
• The Troubles of Miss Nicola the Exorcist (Manga) By Rukako with Original Work by Ito Iino – A J-Novel Heart Title
• Accidentally in Love: The Witch, the Knight, and the Love Potion Slipup (Manga) By Itsuki Azumaya with Original Work by Harunadon – A J-Novel Heart Title
• Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter (Manga) By Tamura Muto with Original Work by Riku Nanano

JNC Original Light Novel Contest – Winners

In addition to new licenses, J-Novel Club revealed the winners of its first-ever JNC Original Light Novel Contest, announced at last year’s Anime Expo. Out of more than 450 submitted works, nine were chosen as winners:

• GRAND PRIZE WINNER: ATLAS: Her, the Combatant, and Him, the Hero By John W. Rohman
  When”Hero” is just another job, who fights for those who can’t pay up? For those of the Substrata, born beneath the notice of the well-to-do, there’s only one place that’s always hiring. Welcome to Secret Society ATLAS, Combatants. Try not to die.
• FIRST PRIZE WINNERS:
  • Beautiful Daydream By Quadrilian
    I am me. I love girls. Maybe that’s a weird way to start things off, but it’s core to my identity. It’s who I am. There’s no better place to start if you’re talking about my story.A story about stories. A story about a single step.
  • An Unruly Summon By Cathfach
    An embattled king summons anotherworldly hero to defend his starving kingdom from a demonic invasion. Alas for him, the summoned hero seems rather determined to ignore his carefully prepared script, spoiling the plans of humans and demons alike.
  • Clockwork Clues: When Death Comes Ticking By Laura M. Drake
    Kyra can Slip through time but can’t escape her controlling father and arranged marriage. After discovering a murder, she defies her upbringing and uses her power to solve the mystery alongside a dashing detective and a socially inept server bot
• BOOK☆WALKER PRIZE WINNER:
  • The Adorable Dungeon Master By Hunger
    Lucia Morales is 22 years old. One day a turf war between rival gangs brings tragedy, but that’s only the beginning. Lucia is reborn in another world as a character she created in a game, and she’s super cute!
• RUNNER-UP PRIZE WINNERS:
  • Promised to a Dragon By Selena Pigoni
    Princess Rhiannon flees her new fiancé after her father breaks her previous engagement to a dragon. Along the way, she meets a bard who shows her a world of magic. He wins her heart, but can he save her from the dragon’s wrath and the jealous fiancé?
  • The Young Lady is the Substitute Harvest Goddess By Gabihime
    Demeter Serraffield is dreading her apprenticeship to a lecherous nobleman. One night, she is summoned by a harvest goddess from another world… but not to become a farmer, or even a hero. She has to be a harvest goddess too!
  • It’s Tough Being a Necromancer By Jan Olexa
    Edgar is an apprentice necromancer whose life is about to turn upside down. Join him as he faces horrors from this world and beyond– from bargaining with the dead to fleeing from the Church– all to fulfill his master’s ever so unreasonable demands.
  • The Dragon and the Blade Saint: This Isn’t Where We End by garry
    Kill the Blade Saint, save her clan. This is the only thought in Mitaelshuroxa’s mind as she travels back in time to prevent the slaughter of the elder dragons at his hand. However, she’ll quickly find that nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

Source: Press Release