Writer Makoto Sanda reported on Saturday that he is now writing the 13th volume of the Lord El-Melloi II-sei no Bōken (The Adventures of Lord El-Melloi II) sequel series to the Lord El-Melloi II-sei no Jikenbo (Lord El-Melloi II’s Case Files) mystery novel spinoff. Sanda posted a photo of the volume’s draft that indicates that the series will end in that 13th volume.

Sanda also reported that Fate franchise creator Kinoko Nasu looked over the draft for the 12th volume, and thus, the writing process for that volume is now complete.

The novels center on the titular character Lord El-Melloi II, the adult Waver Velvet from Fate/Zero, and successor of Kayneth, as well as Lord El-Melloi II’s apprentice Gray. The story takes place in the Clock Tower, the Mage’s Association’s headquarters in England. There, Lord El-Melloi II and Gray solve various mysteries of a magical nature surrounding the Mage’s Association.

Sanda launched the sequel novel series with illustrations by Mineji Sakamoto in December 2020. Type-Moon shipped the 11th novel on December 31.

Sanda published the first novel of the original series in December 2014. Type-Moon shipped the 10th novel in May 2019. Tō Azuma launched a manga adaptation in Kadokawa‘s Young Ace magazine in 2017. Kadokawa shipped the 14th volume on April 10.

The television anime Lord El-Melloi II’s Case Files: Rail Zeppelin Grace note premiered in Japan in July 2019. Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in Japan. Funimation also streamed the anime. Anime Expo screened the U.S. premiere of the first two episodes in July 2019.

The anime received a special edition in December 2021.

Sanda published his Rental Magica light novel series from 2004 to 2013 in 24 volumes. He serialized the novel series in Kadokawa‘s The Sneaker light novel magazine before it ceased publication in 2011. A 24-episode television anime adaptation premiered in 2007. Right Stuf released the series on DVD in North America.

Sanda was the dungeon master for the “Red Dragon” tabletop role-playing session that inspired the Chaos Dragon television anime. Type-Moon co-founder and Fate/stay night writer Kinoko Nasu participated as player in the game, alongside Fate/Zero author Gen Urobuchi, and other Japanese authors.

Source: Makoto Sanda‘s X/Twitter account

Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.

Hiroki Miyashita reported on Friday that the Me and the Alien MuMu (Uchūjin MūMū) manga will end in the next issue of Shōnengahōsha‘s Young King Ours magazine on May 30.

Kodama Tales publishes the series in English and describes the story:

An alien named Mumu is a survivor of a civil war that saw the destruction of his planet’s scientists, leaving only its fools alive. In an attempt to understand the advanced technology his people left behind, he’s infiltrated earth, a planet with a lower level of civilization, to study their so-called “home appliances,” which contain facets of all technological knowledge. So begins the adventures of Sakurako, a university freshman and Mumu’s new and unexpected accomplice, as she navigates a wild and exciting campus life.

Miyashita began the manga as a one-shot story in Shōnengahōsha‘s Young King Ours magazine in April 2019, before launching its serialization two months later. Shōnengahōsha published the manga’s ninth compiled book volume on September 30.

The manga and alien character’s name is an apparent homage to Mū, the unorthodox magazine on paranormal matters that the Weathering With You film, the Occultic;Nine series, and other anime, manga, and games have referenced.

Me and the Alien MuMu, the television anime adaptation of the manga, premiered in April 2025. The anime’s second cours (quarters of a year) premiered in July 2025.

Miyashita and writer Takeshi Natsuhara launched the Yakuza Reincarnation (Ninkyō Tensei: Isekai no Yakuza Hime) manga in Shogakukan‘s Sunday GX magazine in July 2019. Shogakukan published the manga’s 20th volume on April 17. Seven Seas Entertainment is releasing the manga in English. The company released the 15th volume on April 28. It will publish the 16th volume on October 20.

Kodama Tales began publishing the first volume of Mitei Hattori‘s Smile! (Smiley) manga in English in January and Keisuke Itagaki‘s Baki The Grappler manga worldwide in English in 24 volumes starting in October. The new manga publisher previously teased future titles from Asahi Shimbun Publications, Coamix, Daiwa Shobo, Hero’s Inc., Nihonbungeisha, Shodensha, and Shōnengahōsha.

Source: Hiroki Miyashita‘s X/Twitter account

Minneapolis-based independent publisher Uncivilized Books announced on April 27 it has launched the new manga imprint Mangalith, which will launch with an English release of Hideko Mizuno‘s 1969 Fire! manga. The compiled book volume with 896 pages will ship on October 14 and will retail for US$49.99.

The publisher describes the story:

Fire! follows the meteoric rise and fall of Aaron Browning, a troubled and poor Ohio teenager. In juvenile detention, Aaron meets the magnetic delinquent Fire Wolf—a motorcycle-riding rebel with an extraordinary musical talent. Their intense bond awakens a fiery passion for music in Aaron.

Aaron moves to Detroit’s gritty factories and underground scene, where he forms the band Fire! to channel his emotions, rebellion, and raw energy. As fame explodes, he plunges into the era’s excesses—sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll, Vietnam-era shadows—embodying the intoxicating yet destructive pursuit of freedom.

Mizuno launched the manga in Shueisha‘s Seventeen fashion magazine in 1969 and ended it in 1971. The series won the 15th Shogakukan Manga Award in 1970.

Bungeishunjū published a reprint of the manga for the first time in 23 years in January 2023. The release was compiled across two volumes, each containing a short story that had never previously been released in tankōbon format: “Pink Floyd” in the first volume and “Keith Jarrett” in the second.

Also known for creating the classic shōjo manga Honey Honey no Suteki na Bōken, Hideko Mizuno won the Literary Giant Award at the 39th Japan Cartoonist Awards. She was a resident of Tokiwasō, an apartment building famous for housing some of Japan’s most renowned early manga artists, including Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy), Fujio Akatsuka (Tensai Bakabon), Fujiko Fujio (Doraemon) and Shōtarō Ishinomori (Kamen Rider).

Tom Kaczynski from Uncivilized Books and Sean Michael Robinson from Living the Line founded Mangalith in 2025. Mangalith’s production team was also behind Drawn & Quarterly‘s release of Sanpei Shirato‘s The Legend of Kamuy manga.

Thanks to Kim P. for the news tip.

Source: Uncivilized Books (Tom Kaczynski)