AI localization company Orange Inc. revealed on Friday that it is adding the following manga to its e-bookstore service "emaqi:"
Title: Ikki Tousen
Creator: Yuji Shiozaki
Publisher: Shonengahosha
Synopsis: Hakufu Sonsaku is a busty high-school girl who transferred to Nanyo Academy after being ordered by her mother. Despite her goofy attitude, Hakufu's strength and raw potential are immeasurable! Hakufu's strong desire to fight goes against her mother's wishes for her to live a quiet life. While struggling to follow her mother's order, Hakufu suddenly discovers that someone is trying to eliminate her. Can she fight off the numerous assassins sent to take her life?!
Yuji Shiozaki's original Ikki Tousen debuted in April 2000. Tokyopop previously released the manga under the name Battle Vixens. The main manga has inspired four previous television anime and five previous OVAs.
Title: Bye Bye, Earth
Creators: Ryū Asahi, Tow Ubukata (story)
Publisher: Shonengahosha
Synopsis: Living requires a reason. In a world inhabited by demi-humans who take on various animal forms, Belle—a girl born as a plain "human" without any special traits—sets out on a journey to find others like herself... A unique take on the "Isekai reincarnation" genre by acclaimed author Tow Ubukata! Includes an exclusive bonus chapter novel!
Asahi launched a manga adaptation of Ubukata's novels in Shonengahosha's Young King Ours magazine in January 2020, and ended it in July 2022.
Ubukata's Bye Bye, Earth fantasy novel first shipped in two volumes in December 2000 with art by Yoshitaka Amano. The work then received a new four-volume edition from 2007 to 2008 with illustrations by Hyung-Tae Kim.
The series inspired a television anime in July 2024. The anime got a second season on April 4.
Title: Hyakumanjō Labyrinth
Artist: Takamichi
Publisher: Shonengahosha
Synopsis: Reika, a socially awkward college girl working part-time as a game bug tester, finds herself trapped in a mysterious maze that resembles traditional Japanese housing with her roommate Yoko. A thrilling mystery fantasy begins!
The manga debuted in Shonengahosha's Young Comic in May 2013, and ended in March 2015.
Orange launched the emaqi service in the United States and Canada in September 2024. The emaqi platform featured about 6,000 volumes of manga from 13 publishers in its launch, with plans to add at least one new title previously unpublished in English every week. Orange Inc. announced that it has secured translation, publishing, and distribution rights from publishers including Shonengahosha, Futabasha, and Akita Publishing. The company also acquired distribution rights from Kodansha USA Publishing.
emaqi launched an app version in the United States and Canada last May. emaqi has stated that its goal is to add 100 manga that have previously never had an English release by the end of this year.
Source: Email correspondence