Kaede Takamura's teenage life swerves to the brink of insanity when she comes face to face with her twin...or does she? Suzu is practically the mirror-image of Kaede - except for having cat ears and a tail and being far more well-endowed than Kaede thinks any teenager ought to be. But the Takamuras have no qualms about bringing this strange, happy-go-lucky catgirl into their home. With Suzu completely ignorant of the ways of modern society, it's going to be a very long year for poor Kaede.
From the illustrator of the Sword Art Online light novel series comes a collection of artwork featuring illustrations from the first nine volumes, magazines, posters, character designs for the anime, and more!
This second collection of gorgeously illustrated artworks highlights events from volumes 10 through 15 of the main story. The definitive edition also includes illustrations from volumes 1 through 3 of Sword Art Online: Progressive, as well as art from animated productions, games, and conventions. A must-have for SAO fans and abec fans alike!
The goddess Urd is in danger, and only Kirito and his friends can save her! The evil frost giants have invaded her homeland of Jotunheim, bringing death and destruction in their wake. The linchpin of it all is the frost giant king's sword-the legendary weapon Excalibur! If Kirito's crew can make it to the end of the dungeon and pull the sword from the stone, peace will be brought to the land once more!
Kirito, having explored the latest beta test, has a pretty good idea of what to expect from the newest SAO launch. With Asuna along, the pair hope to experience the official playthrough together, but there's something about the release that's a little different from before...Certain unexpected tweaks from the previous version have Kirito and Asuna tackling a flood of puzzles anew!
Asuna and Kirito have made it to Aincrad's sixth floor, where in the town of Stachion they find something very odd-puzzles everywhere they look. New mysteries and complex riddles await, many of which can't be solved with a sword...Fighting against the odds, the two will have to put their heads together if they want to make it out alive. But as they focus their attention on confronting the challenges ahead, will they be ready for the sinister forces that lie in wait?
Yuuki Asuna was a top student who spent her days studying at cram school and preparing for her high school entrance exams--but that was before she borrowed her brother's virtual reality game system and wound up trapped in Sword Art Online with ten thousand other frightened players. As time passes, Asuna fears what will become of her life outside the fantasy realm--the failure she might be seen as in the eyes of her peers and parents. Unwilling to wait on the sidelines for more experienced gamers to beat the game, Asuna employs her study habits to learn the mechanics of the game--and swordplay. Her swiftness impresses Kirito, a professional gamer who invites Asuna to join the best players on the front line. Is Asuna ready to swap class rankings for player rankings and join Kirito?
Nearly two months have passed since Kirito and Asuna found themselves trapped in the world of Aincrad. Kirito's experience with the beta version of the game has put him far ahead of the curve, but it has also attracted the attention of some dangerous players...For Asuna, his competence has been a god send in this harsh world, yet she can't help but feel like her overreliance on Kirito's skills is becoming an obstacleto their growing relationship. Even so, they'll have towork together to make it through the ancient ruins ofthe fifth floor, where all sorts of undead monsters-and player-killers-lurk in the shadows!
In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online - a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no other - debuts, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to completely immerse themselves in a wholly realistic gaming experience. But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG - a log-out button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, "Game Over" means certain death - both virtual and real...
Karen Kohiruimaki always felt out of place in the real world. Due to her extreme height, she found it hard to make friends with other girls her age. Everything changes when she's introduced to VR and Gun Gale Online. In GGO, Karen is free to play the cute, chibi avatar of her dreams! Can Karen find friendship in this bullet-ridden MMO...?
Kazuto Kirigaya (aka Kirito) has beaten Sword Art Online, a VRMMORPG that transformed into a literal game of death, and returned to the real world. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Asuna Yuuki (aka Asuna the Flash), the girl with whom Kirito fell in love in the virtual world of Aincrad but who has yet to awaken from her game-induced slumber. As his sister, Suguha, sadly looks on, Kazuto continues to visit Asuna in the hospital in the hope of finding answers. But when one day he meets a man claiming to be Asuna's fiance, Kazuto fears that Asuna may be lost to him forever... That is until a fellow survivor of SAO taken form the latest VRMMORPG sensation, ALfheim Online - a screenshot that features someone being held captive who looks entirely too much like Asuna! His hope renewed, Kirito dives headlong into an all-new virtual adventure, but can true love conquer the game?!
The virtual world of ALfheim Online might not be literally deadly, but there's still plenty of tough adventuring to be had. The trio of Liz, Silica, and Leafa set out on a quest for a magical ring but immediately run into monsters tougher than they expected. A certain black-clothed swordsman comes to their rescue--but it's not Kirito?! It seems the "game of death" has had lingering emotional effects on everyone, and even the survivors bear scars. But the trio have gotten through tough times before, and they're not gonna let a buffed boss stand between them and their goal! Even if they succeed in finishing the quest, though, will they be able to heal the mysterious sword-wielder's broken heart...? Join Liz, Silica, and Leafa on a new adventure that's all their own!
A few months after escaping from Sword Art Online, Kirito is ready to dive into a brand-new VRMMO--Sword Art: Origin. This game promises to have all of the base features from Aincrad without any of the bad. When Kirito meets a mysterious girl in need of his help, that theory will be put to the test...
Kirito and Sinon's battle with Death Gun is over, but mere weeks later, something strange is afoot in the next-generation VRMMO ALfheim Online. A new duelist with a custom sword skill is defeating all comers--including Kirito! But when Asuna goes to face this duelist, she receives something she never expected: an invitation to an exclusive guild! But what is their aim? The Mother's Rosario arc begins!
A year after Kazuto and Asuna escaped from Aincrad, the deadly setting of Sword Art Online, they're still coping with the aftermath as they try to recover from the harrowing experience. Meanwhile, there's a new VRMMO game sweeping the world's gamers--Gun Gale Online. When a mysterious player who calls himself "Death Gun" claims to be responsible for real-world deaths, Kazuto (aka Kirito) is recruited to enter the game to investigate, bringing an end to his hard-won peace!
"This might be a game, but it's not something you play." - Akihiko Kayaba, Sword Art Online programmer With no memory of how he got there, Kirito wakes up in a mysterious virtual world, and it's up to him to find a way back home. But with no way to log out and no idea what kind of land he's found himself in, he's going to need allies! As a new tale unfolds, Kirito's journey through the Underworld begins!
By all accounts, middle schooler Seigi is pretty unremarkable except for his martial arts prowess and a desire to protect the weak. But when his good intentions are put to the test by saving an old homeless man from some street thugs, the mysterious man shows his gratitude by...burning a tattoo onto Seigi's palm?! It turns out, the tattoo is a powerful secret weapon that everyone--including a formidable girl with a tattoo of her own--is after. With his life on the line and his martial arts skills alone no match against super-powered foes, will Seigi be able to unlock the latent potential of his tattoo and live to fight another day?!
Based on the short story by Hugo Award-winning author Cixin Liu!
One mysterious day, over twenty thousand otherworldly spaceships settle into stable orbit around Earth. Six months later, in a certain Asian village, a young girl named Zhihan discovers an old man who fell from the sky...but the strangeness doesn't end there. Soon, many more elderly drifters in peculiar outfits begin descending all over the world, claiming they created human civilization. Now it's humanity's turn to take care of their Progenitors-but as Zhihan will soon learn, accepting God into your home isn't such a simple matter...
After a night of serious boozing, a jilted young man named Ryuka speaks his wish for true love atop a starlit hill. His words reach the ears of Ixto, the spirit of the last quarter moon, who decides to grant Ryuka's wish. Unfortunately for Ryuka, Ixto's handpicked selections to be the young man's lover are all men themselves! And when his rejection of these choices leads to an unexpected night of passion that casts a spell on him, will Ryuka give in to his enchanted body's urge to chase after Ixto and journey through worlds unknown, or will his mind win over his heart? Critically-acclaimed boys' love mangaka Hyouta Fujiyama lends her copious talents to this wacky, role-playing fantasy-romance that will tickle your funny bone and tug at your heart!
Purple-eyed Adarte, blue-eyed Adolte. One enveloped in light-the graceful son-and one shrouded in darkness-the prisoner. Even as their souls are drawn together, destiny would tear them apart. Elsewhere in the kingdom, a heroic king is served by an enigmatic aide from a faraway land. His path has torn him from his dearest kin and placed him in the halls of power-to what end...?
The first of Asumiko Nakamura's beautifully wrought tales set in a fantastic kingdom of intrigue and heartache...
Middle schooler Nishikata has had it with his classmate Takagi--the chronic teaser who sits nearby. Day in and day out, she comes after him with every sort of trick or prank. Even when he tries to get her back, she's always one step ahead. But rest assured, it's only the beginning. He's not about to give up that easily in this battle of cunning and youth!
With all its innovations, the kingdom of Tempest—founded by the demon lord Rimuru—is a veritable paradise for travelers such as Framea, the rabbitfolk chief's daughter. Framea has always had a nose for adventure, an inquisitive mind, and a knack for discovering and identifying the latest and greatest the world has to offer! Her notepad is open at all times, ready for any three-star delights she may encounter, so when Rimuru himself gives Framea a mission to catalog the area's attractions, she'll have her work cut out for her—and tons of stars to hand out!
After surviving a terrorist incident as a child, Shingo Shimazaki was forced to join the League for Economic Liberations' revolutionary army. Now, thirty years later, he's back in Japan and trying to assimilate to a normal life. His Japanese may be awkward, and his grasp of ordinary tasks a little weak, but he has all the combat and surveillance training of a green beret. There are many kindhearted souls who want to help him-and a few not so kind ones who will do anything to stop him.
Masami Yamome is a 39-year-old divorcee. He's just a typical middle-aged man with a typical office job. The young man he runs into one day is the unbelievably handsome Iha Nishijima. Ever since the first time they meet, Masami feels like he's been thrown into a whirlwind relationship. First, Iha tells him that he's into men and then asks him to marry him! Iha further suggests living together and trying to take their relationship to the next level and it's all too much for Masami!! Iha looks like a dashing gentleman and he has great business acumen, but everything he says and does is completely outrageous! A relationship that starts with one man asking a straight man to marry him!
Deep down inside, high school student Shun Takahata craves for some excitement in his boring life...but his teacher's head randomly exploding isn't exactly what he had in mind. And when some of his classmates suddenly suffer the same fate, he begins to realize he's been thrust into a series of deadly supernatural children's games. Shun and fellow survivors are completely in the dark, not knowing who's responsible, why it's happening, or when it will end. To have any hope of unraveling the mystery behind the gruesome games, they'll first have to outlast the games...and each other.
As a cat-that noblest of animals-the Count has high expectations for his human servants. Unfortunately for him, the Fujiwara sisters are about as dysfunctional as it gets! Shizuka is an extreme shut-in whose only contact with the outside world is her livestream. Yumeko, meanwhile, has a rather...extreme love-hate relationship with her big sis. Can Count Fujiwara handle these perplexing creatures, or will his meows fall on deaf ears?
Demon prince Koujirou Sakura comes to Earth, enrolling in high school, on a mission to find the human who will threaten the future of the demon realm...and steal their souls! But with no clue as to this human's identity, Koujirou is at a loss. To make matters worse, the boys' dorm at his new school is full, and he's forced to live off campus with a girl! Oh, the humanity...!
If you like Pandora Hearts, then you'll love Crimson-Shell, Jun Mochizuki-sensei's debut! Rescued from the darkness by Xeno, a mysterious swordsman, Claudia the Rose Witch is the foundation of the Crimson-Shell, a special division of the Red Rose-an organization aiming to capture the results of one mad scientist's experiments, the deadly Black Roses. But when Xeno's loyalties are called into question, will Claudia be strong enough to believe in her dearest friend? And what is the color of the rose blooming in Xeno's heart-a deep, passionate crimson...or a traitorous jet-black?
Da-Il has a new job working for a famous comic creator. It would be a great opportunity...if Da-Il had any artistic ability. Da-Il fears he'll never be able to create art, until he meets Mu-Huk, a ghost who takes form based on Da-Il's creativity. The budding artist soon learns he has the skills of a "Croquer," someone who has the ability to shape the stories vengeful ghosts by entering the "Dead Zone." It's a lot for a young man to absorb, especially when Da-Il learns he'll be the main character in his boss's new book - Croquis Pop!
Murry Summerfield, relentlessly decent son of the farmstead, meets Jacob Durris, charming but troubled new neighbor. When he discovers why Jacob has moved out to the countryside, Murry has his hands full keeping his friend happy and dealing with his own blossoming feelings.
When his parents are murdered by an intergalactic criminal, Daniel X vows to take on his father's role as Earth's sole Alien Hunter. Life isn't easy, though, when you're a young boy on your own, tracking down the galaxy's deadliest outlaws. Luckily, Daniel has a gift: the ability to create anything he can imagine - including his parents, his sister, and his best friends, who are there to help him along the way. But when Daniel decides to go up against the sixth-deadliest criminal on his hit list, he may find that even his awesome abilities just aren't up to the task!
Ariadna Lerg Illestri Pre Agrigent is no ordinary baby. She's the princess of an empire, she doesn't cry at all, and...she was born with memories of her previous life?! Not to mention her father's trying to kill her! Blessed with a chance to start over but cursed with a crazed tyrant as her father, Ria must navigate the chaos of growing up in the palace-conceited concubines, grand birthday celebrations, assassins in the night-while also avoiding being killed... But just how is she meant to escape death when she can't even walk?!
Kanade Sora has never been to a music festival before. But when her friend Otoha lures her along with the promise that her favorite band will be playing, she finds herself having more fun than she ever imagined. And if one small show is enough to hook her, what might a huge overnight event at a major venue be like? As Kanade dives into a whole new world of rocking out, will her life ever be the same?!
Ever since she was little, Mashiro has been able to see ghosts-of people, of animals, and of some strange creatures that don't seem to be either. For years, she's pretended not to see the eerie sights around her, but then a chance encounter plunges Mashiro into the world of the inhuman Nomans. An accidental kiss leaves Mashiro partnered with Bazu, a human-hating crow lady, as she joins the Boundary Preservation Society to help the dead that walk the earth move on...
Suzuki is a programmer in the midst of a death march-crunch time, when coders live on caffeine and pull twenty-hour days. He just needs a little nap...but then he has a dream. A dream where he's in another world, with RPG powers right out of his game. A dream where he calls down a great disaster. A dream that, suspiciously, just won't end...
Calling upon his former governess, William Jones, gentleman, is startled when his knock is answered by an uncommonly beautiful servant, the soft-spoken Emma. Throughout his visit, William's eyes drift to the maid whenever she enters the room, and he contrives to meet Emma socially as she goes about her errands. But London society is a web of strict codes and divisions. For the son of a wealthy merchant, seeking out a working-class girl is simply not done! William's father plans for his son to marry into the peerage and elevate the Jones family to greater heights, but although William says and does what is expected of him, he longs only for Emma's company...
Angels and demons aren't known for getting along, but their shared enthusiasm for designer labels and luxury items has drawn angel Eniale and demon Dewiela into a tempestuous friendship...which has a tendency to dissolve into conflict. With the powers of Heaven and Hell behind them, even a minor fashion disaster can have near-apocalyptic consequences for the people of Earth!
Twenty-nine-year-old Satoru Fujinuma is floundering through life. Amid his daily drudgery, he finds himself in the grip of an incredible, inexplicable, and uncontrollable phenomenon that rewinds time, a condition that seems to only make his drab life worse. But then, one day, everything changes. A terrible incident forever changes Satoru's life as he knows it...and with it, comes a "Revival" that sends Satoru eighteen years into the past!
In the body of his boyhood self, Satoru encounters sights he never imagined he would see again--the smile of his mother, alive and well, his old friends, and Kayo Hinazuki, the girl who was kidnapped and murdered when he was a boy the first time around. To return to the present and prevent the tragedy that brought him back to his childhood in the first place, Satoru begins plotting a way to change Hinazuki's fate...But up against the clock and a faceless evil, does eleven-year-old Satoru even stand a chance?
Yuugo Chayama is an unemployed high-school dropout renting a dirt-cheap apartment in a building nicknamed the "Loser Lodge." Everything is communal in this rickety seventy-year-old abode, from the bathrooms to the kitchen, but at least the rent is a mere five thousand yen! But then, one day, an angel named Hamuel descends with the heavens, having been given the hopeless mission of turning Yuugo's life around...! From the author of Heaven's Lost Property and Plunderer comes an all-new cohabitation comedy with a no-good cast!
Nio Nakatani, known for her delicate and heartwarming portrayal of girls' love, presents a marvelous collection of short stories that span her whole career. With works including her striking debut title Farewell to My Alter, enthralling tales from the Éclair anthologies, and a hauntingly captivating piece penned exclusively for this volume, Nakatani explores the deeper nuances of loss, identity, and matters of the heart.