User:Afrono/Light novel

History
In recent times, there has been a venture to publish more light novels in the west. The leader of this publisher, Yen Press, is a join venture between Hachette and Japanese publisher Kadokawa. Other publishers such as Seven Seas, Viz media, Vertical Inc., One Peace Books, J-Novel Club, Cross Infinite Worlds, Sol Press have all been making an effort to publish more light novels in English. Additionally, light novel authors and authors have been starting to make guest appearances overseas at anime conventions. Last year at Anime Expo, one of the biggest Anime conventions of the year, featured creators such as Kumo Kagyu, author of Goblin Slayer, and Fujino Omori, the author of Is It Wrong to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon?.

One popular genre in the light novel category is Isekai (異世界) or "different world" stories. In these stories usually feature an ordinary person that is transported from a modern city life to world of fantasy and adventure. Sword Art Online, a web novel initially published as a web novel in 2002, contributed to the popularization of 'Isekai' as a genre. This web novel became extremely popular, forming various adaptations such as an anime, manga, and even various movies and spinoff series. Because of the success of Sword Art Online, other novels such as KonoSuba, Overlord and Re:Zero became increasingly more popular. The success of Sword Art Online and 'isekai' as a whole contributed to the creation of write-your-own fiction websites in Japan and increasing popularity of light novels in the west as well. .