Light novel

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Light Novel ( Japanese ラ イ ト ノ ベ ル , raito noberu , short: ラ ノ ベ , Ranobe, and ラ イ ノ ベ, Rainobe) describes Japanese novels that mostly have manga-style illustrations and are aimed primarily at younger adults. The term "light novel" is a Wasei-eigo , a term made up of English words, but only exists in this form in Japan. The paperback book format used is Bunkobon , i. H. DIN A6 .

There are comparatively few licensed English or German translations of light novels, as the demand is too low and the translation effort is much higher than for manga.

publication

Although often associated with anime or manga, light novels are prose . In addition to their main publication as paperback ( bunko ), they are often also found in literary magazines such as Kōdanshas Faust , Fujimi Shobōs Gekkan Dragon Magazine , Kadokawa Shotens The Sneaker or ASCII Media Works ' Dengeki hp as well as media franchise magazines such as Kadokawa Shotens Comptiq or ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine published in individual chapters over several issues.

In the past few years, many of these stories have been used as the basis for anime productions and mangas.

Well-known publishing imprints for light novels are:

The individual publishers organize annual literary prize competitions to search for young authors , of which the Dengeki Shōsetsu Taishō, with 6500 submissions in 2013, is the largest. The winners will receive prize money and the opportunity to publish their work. A publisher's editor is assigned to them, with whom the plot of the first three volumes is worked out, which means that light novels are usually designed as series.

success

The Japanese market for light novels in 2007 was around 20 billion yen (about € 128 million) with 30 million books sold. In 2009 this rose to 30 billion yen, which is about 20% of all paperbacks in Japan. While paperback sales are generally declining, light novels are seeing the opposite trend. The Kadokawa Group , which includes Kadokawa Shoten, ASCII Media Works, Enterbrain and Fujimi Shobō, has a ninety percent market share of light novels targeting boys.

Since 2004 the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! one of the top 10 most popular light novels of the previous year. The individual winners were 2005 Nagaru Tanigawa's Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu , 2006 Nisio Isin's Zaregoto Series , 2007 Isuna Hasekura's Ōkami to Kōshinryō , 2008 Shoji Gatoh's Full Metal Panic! , 2009 Mizuki Nomuras Bungaku Shōjo , 2010 Kenji Inoues Baka to Test to Shōkanjū , 2011 Kazuma Kamachis To Aru Majutsu no Index , 2012 and 2013 Reki Kawaharas Sword Art Online and 2014 and 2015 Wataru Wataris Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru. .

Characteristics

Target group of the light novel are teenagers and young adults, which is reflected in a reader-friendly style with a high use of furigana as a reading notes for Kanji reflected. The works are mostly very dialog-heavy with a strong focus on the characters, which can often be characterized as Moe . Thematically, a broad spectrum is covered, ranging from everyday school life to science fiction and fantasy. Overall, there is a great similarity to manga, which is also reflected in the manga-style illustrations that can be found on the cover and often inside the book.

Distribution in the German-speaking area

The first German translation of a light novel was published by Egmont vgs in 2003 with Love Hina . Inuyasha followed in 2005 . Due to the failure, Egmont refrained from further publications.

In 2006 Tokyopop began publishing light novels. Early releases included The Twelve Kingdoms , Kinos Reise and Roses under Mary's care .

Since spring 2008, light novels that are published by Carlsen Verlag can also be found under the label Nippon Novel . This includes titles like Demon King Now! and the light novels of the .hack // franchise (.hack // AI BUSTER and .hack // ANOTHER BIRTH).

In September 2018 the publisher Altraverse published with Gamers! his first light novel - followed by Goblin Slayer from May 2019.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Yusuke Takatsu, Shigeyori Miyamoto: Publishing heavyweights see light in growing 'light novel' market. (No longer available online.) November 30, 2011, archived from the original on December 15, 2013 ; accessed on August 31, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / ajw.asahi.com
  2. ↑ 電 撃 大 賞 (小説 ・ イ ラ ス ト 公募 企 画) . ASCII Media Works, 2013, accessed August 31, 2013 (Japanese).
  3. ^ Light Reading. Comic-Like Novels Are All the Rage. In: Web Japan. Japan Echo, February 28, 2007, accessed November 27, 2008 .
  4. ↑ Chat log with Georg Tempel. December 18, 2006, accessed on July 2, 2008 (see statement by Georg Tempel (efwe)).
  5. ↑ The TOKYOPOP News. 04.10.2006 Ai documentary - Enjoy reading! In: Tokyopop. Tokyopop GmbH, October 2006, archived from the original on May 28, 2008 ; Retrieved January 23, 2012 .
  6. ↑ Light Novels - AI DOKU. In: Light Novels. Tokyopop GmbH, accessed January 23, 2012 .
  7. ^ Nippon Novel. In: Carlsen Manga! Carlsen Verlag GmbH, accessed on August 31, 2013 .