Yen Press Launches Avocado House Imprint for International Translated Fiction

Yen Press launched a new translation imprint called Avocado House, focused on international authors in English translation, with a Fall 2026 debut slate led by Keigo Higashino's science-fiction mystery Laplace's Witch. Publisher and editor-in-chief JuYoun Lee is the creator and curator of the line, which will release approximately 12 titles per year.

The Imprint's Scope

Avocado House is Yen Press's first imprint targeted specifically at translated literature rather than manga or graphic novels. The line covers fiction from Japan, Korea, and other non-English-language markets, routing titles that Yen Press had previously considered outside its core publishing programme into a dedicated home. Lee describes the imprint as dedicated to translating and curating a library of exceptional and inclusive literature from around the world.

The imprint operates inside the same corporate structure as Yen Press, which is majority-owned by Kadokawa Corporation through its subsidiary Kadokawa World Entertainment. That ownership gives Avocado House direct access to Kadokawa's Japanese-language fiction catalogue, including Higashino's and other major authors published by the parent's domestic imprints.

The Fall 2026 Slate

Laplace's Witch by Keigo Higashino a science-fiction mystery adapted into a Japanese film, translated by Stephen Paul. The Higashino placement is the marquee title for the imprint's launch and reflects the author's established English-language sales through prior publishers.

Sickness unto Love by Yūki Shasendō, a psychological thriller set in Japan, translated by Michael Blaskowsky, scheduled for November 2026.

1,000 Words Left to Live by Gyatei Murasaki, a short-story collection, translated by Matt Treyvaud, scheduled for December 2026.

The 2027 extension adds The Curse Called Mother, the Prison Called Daughter by Aya Saitō and The Place of the Flamingo by Haeyeon Jeong, the first Korean-language title on the imprint's roster.

What's Different From Yen On

Yen Press's existing Yen On imprint handles light novels, which are genre-specific and fan-driven. Avocado House operates in the general-interest fiction lane instead, with a release schedule that slots its titles into literary-publication calendars rather than the anime-and-manga tie-in windows that dominate light novel releases. The two imprints do not overlap on author catalogue, though both fall under the same editorial leadership.

The 12-title-per-year cadence is substantially slower than Yen Press's manga schedule, which runs into the hundreds of titles annually. That slower rhythm gives Avocado House more editorial time per book and matches how other translated-fiction imprints in the English-language market have been set up.

Indian Distribution

Avocado House titles will release through Yen Press's existing English-language distribution, which covers India through major online retailers and physical bookshops that stock Yen Press manga already. The imprint has not announced a separate Indian launch window, but the parent distribution partnerships mean the Fall 2026 slate will be orderable from Indian online retailers at or near the U.S. street date.

The Launch Question

Yen Press's entry into the general-interest translated-fiction space is the company's most direct move outside manga to date. Whether Avocado House builds a sustainable subscriber base for Japanese and Korean fiction categories other English-language publishers have struggled to scale will show up in the renewal decisions for the 2028 slate.