New obsession, light novels

1. I love novels.
2. I love anime and manga.
3. What if someone put those things together?

So, I had heard of “light novels” before, but hadn’t realized until this weekend that many are available in English. I’ve picked up a new obsession.

The term “light novel” was coined as a substitute for young adult novels since not everyone who reads them is a “young” adult. Some are old weirdos like me. They’re Japanese novels, usually written in series, that include some illustrations in the manga style. The kanji used are usually simpler and will include furigana (pronunciation guides) which makes them a lighter read.

They are heavily influenced by pop-culture and can be self-aware.

IP media mix

Many successful light novels end up generating IP spinoffs, including manga, anime and merch. In fact, many light novels themselves start off as web novels. If there’s one thing Japan does right, it’s creating pools of talent where niche ideas can gain popularity and then can easily get adapted into more widespread forms of entertainment.

I feel like Western media creates an environment that smothers new talent and ideas. Even when a property becomes successful, the adaptation rights might get sold but never be realized.

I’ve started reading Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll Stop at Nothing to Become a Librarian and Reborn As A Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon.

Can you imagine any of the Big 5 publishers ever taking a chance on those titles?

And yet, Ascendance of a Bookworm has 29 (going on 30) published volumes, a manga series, and anime, all of which are now available in English. I’m almost done with the first book, and while I find the book charming, I would never have bet on it ever becoming popular. This first book is literally the story of a five-year old girl trying to make paper from materials found in the forest.

I’ll probably read the whole series.

Gatekeepers

In the US, the books that children read are usually selected for them by parents, teachers, and librarians. Awards are given out by adults who slap gold stickers on book covers. Publishers and writers know they are creating books for two audiences: the children who read the books, and the adults who purchase or recommend them.

Guess which audience they care about more?

The publishers themselves are risk averse. Even if someone writes a popular novel, the publisher will cap the number and frequency of new books. If you were twelve when the first Percy Jackson book came out, you would have been sixteen when the fifth book came out.

I can imagine a savvy Japanese publisher of light novels chuckling at that idea. The first five books of Ascendance of a Bookworm came out in ONE YEAR.

Light novels are written for the audiences who read the books. They’re made to be consumed. They’re heavily influenced by other things that kids consume, like video games, animation, and manga. The kids who read light novels might start writing light novels as they mature into young adults.

I have a lot to learn from light novels about writing for an audience.