We have some exciting news right before Anime Expo 2023: the debut of TOKYOPOP’s new romance imprint, LoveLove, focusing on shojo, josei, girls love, boys love manga, and Western romance graphic novels.
There are already several previously published titles already listed on TOKYOPOP’s LoveLove landing page, like February 2023’s Why I Adopted My Husband by Yuta Yagi, a nonfiction manga about a gay couple seeking legal recognition in Japan where gay marriage is not yet legal, and May 2023’s At 30, I Realized I Had No Gender by Shou Arai, a nonfiction manga about growing up in a society where everything is strongly segregated by gender. In addition, the imprint announced new manga titles beginning in the fall of 2023, bringing even more TOKYOPOP to the legions of readers lusting for romance fiction.
In case you were wondering, there are legions of romance readers. According to Book Ad Report, romance novels generate over $1.44 billion in sales annually, making romance the bestselling genre of fiction, nearly double the next highest genre of crime/mystery at $728.2 million. From 2022 to 2023, romance novel sales soared, with a surge of about 52 percent, according to Publishers Weekly.
“LoveLove is founded on a core TOKYOPOP company belief that ‘love is love‘ and all types of romance deserve to be celebrated,” says Lena Atanassova, LoveLove Brand Editor of TOKYOPOP. “Given the strong global market for manga and romance content, there are substantial opportunities to bring these titles to existing fans as well as traditional romance readers eager to explore the genre in a new way.”
Titles that LoveLove will be debuting this fall will include:
THE BLACK CAT & THE VAMPIRE, Vol. 1, by Nikke Taino · Print SRP: 15.99 · 226 pages · ISBN – 978-1-4278-7434-4 · Available October 10th
Blanc College is a prestigious all-boys boarding school where the sons of leading families from all over the world study and learn to be independent. Yuki, a freshman attending Blanc College on a scholarship, is the perfect student: at the top of his class, quiet and polite. He’s a loner, keeping others at arm’s length — except Jean, the devastatingly charming Head Boy, who seems entirely immune to Yuki’s aloof attitude. Their school days are peaceful until, one day, a student gets attacked and ends up with a wound on his neck that looks suspiciously like a vampire bite! Yuki doesn’t have time for this nonsense. And besides, vampires aren’t even real… right?
THE BLACK CAT & THE VAMPIRE is a two-volume, supernatural BL manga set in a magical boarding high school. The digital edition comes with exclusive full-color bonus art pages. For older teen readers (16+).
UNDEAD: FINDING LOVE IN THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, Vol. 1, by Fumi Tsuyuhisa · Print SRP: 13.99 · 178 pages · ISBN – 978-1-4278-7422-1 · Available October 24th
Which will you find in this devastated world — love or despair? Nineteen-year-old Hikaru Asahina lost everything the day the world ended. Everything, that is, except his childhood friend Ai Kosaka, who has always taken care of him. Now the two of them, along with other survivors, struggle to stay alive in a post-apocalyptic world filled with man-eating zombies. And when Ai confesses to feeling something more for Hikaru, it changes everything. After all, the more precious someone is to you, the harder it is to lose them. In a world like theirs, is something like love even possible?
UNDEAD presents a unique premise blending boys love and horror genres. A compelling read for fans of dystopian fiction and romance. A mature-themed title for older readers (18+).
SATING THE WOLF, by Troy Arukuno · Print SRP: 13.99 · 192 pages · ISBN – 978-1-4278-7510-5 · Available October 24th
Noah, a wolf with no family, was banished from his beloved pack after presenting as an Omega. While wandering alone in a village of herbivores, he meets Henri, a rabbit who lives alone with his little brothers. In a town where carnivores are feared, Henri bravely takes Noah in and offers him a job. When Noah accidentally goes into heat, it suddenly awakens Henri’s Alpha instincts.
Will a world divided between carnivores and herbivores accept the relationship between a little Alpha rabbit and a big Omega wolf?
SATING THE WOLF is a mature-themed (18+), standalone manga featuring anthropomorphic characters that is set within the “Omegaverse,” a complex setting founded on BDSM and werewolf-like themes, which are very popular among romance and BL fans. The story is a great fit for readers who enjoy strongly defined interpersonal dynamics in their romance.
LULLABY OF THE DAWN, Vol. 1, by Ichika Yuno · Print SRP: 13.99 · 208 pages · ISBN – 978-1-4278-7349-1 · Available November 14th
Night after night, Elva steps forth into the black sea, sword in hand, to drive back the creatures that surge from the waves. Elva is one of the ‘kannagi,’ warrior priests chosen by the divine to protect the island. With his snow-white hair, unaging youth, and black-stained limbs — proof of the corruption that gradually takes the life of every kannagi — the local people fear and shun him… at least until his path crosses with that of a boy named Alto. Enraptured by Elva’s strength and lonely soul, Alto swears to serve him and free him from his cursed fate.
After eight long years, Alto has grown into a capable and fearless young man, unwavering in his devotion to his kannagi. Elva had long ago resigned himself to an early death — but somehow, Alto’s presence seems to be gradually healing him of the black sea’s corruption…
LULLABY OF THE DAWN won first place in the Best Comic category in the 2022 Chill Chill BL Awards. This story (for Older Teens 16+) of a romance between a shaman and a loyal villager is based in an original fantasy world with unique elements and settings.
Check out the LoveLove website for more information!
