Wow, it’s really easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day happenings around here — especially since YEN PLUS started up — that you forget you have a direct link to talk to people about the latest goings on at Yen Press in semi-real time. So…just what is going on at Yen Press?

Well, the big news this weekend of course is the New York Anime Festival! (Hooray!) I dunno. As much as we love SDCC, I think we all really enjoy our “hometown” cons — NYCC and NYAF — in particular. Maybe it’s just because we don’t have to worry about our luggage being lost. It happened to poor Tania and myself last year at Anime Expo. I think it was the one show where I couldn’t in good conscience make snide comments about the progressively worsening odor in the hall that weekend. But I digress…

The big happenings for Yen this weekend at NYAF? Well, it you haven’t yet been introduced to our new monthly anthology, you’re in luck! We’re going to be giving away copies of the first issue to get people off on the right foot! Events? Sunday we have the Yen Press Panel at 12:30 in Room 1A24, and we’ve got a couple very cool licensing announcements planned that we think will make for some very happy fans! (I always love reading the speculation online about what people think we might announce. Last time, I think SOUL EATER was the big guess, and of course several people were correct!) I’m also on the State of the Manga industry panel Sunday morning. At least it’s not too early…

Now the really big question around our offices is whether or not intern Abby will complete the Maka costume she’s been working on so she can do a bit of cosplay at the booth. NYCC earlier this year was her big debut as Max from MAXIMUM RIDE, so of course we’re piling on the peer pressure to make her top herself. See, Abby? Now the pressure has gone public…

Beyond the con this weekend, there can of course be only one thing on the minds of the Yen Press folks in the immediate future: HARUHI!!! We’re counting down to the release of the first volume of the manga next month, and we couldn’t be more excited! The book is looking beautiful. As is our constant aim, we’re republishing the book with all of the original color pages from the Japanese tankobon intact, but as a special bonus to everyone eagerly awaiting the novels next Spring, we’re also inserting a sneak preview of the novel at the back of the manga. We really could not be more excited about finally making Haruhi available in print form to fans here, and we hope you’ll all turn out to support it!

That’s it for now. I’m off to confront the pile of books waiting on my desk, but if you’re attending NYAF this weekend, be sure to stop by the Yen booth and say hello!

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