Shogakukan to Launch App for Novels with AI Translation
Japanese publisher Shogakukan is set to launch an app that will allow users to read light novels translated by AI, a technology already widely used for manga translation. Light novels, while popular, are typically more difficult to export from Japan compared to manga, even though many famous anime originate from this medium.
Shogakukan to Launch App for Novels with AI Translation
Shogakukan is partnering with Mantra for the app launch. We have previously mentioned Mantra; they are the developers of the AI translation program that many Japanese publishers are using. The app, called Novelous, will be released later this year in the United States and Canada.
The goal is to bring at least 400 light novels to English over the next two years. Planned titles include the novel Too Many Losing Heroines, whose anime is currently airing, and the spin-off novel of Frieren.
Shogakukan, along with three other Japanese publishers, invested over $5.1 million in Mantra for the development of AI translation. According to reports, Mantra helps Shogakukan cut translation costs by half and speeds up production.
The expectation is that the new novel reading app will reach 1 million users and generate millions of dollars in profit in the fiscal year 2027. Additionally, the Novelous app will feature a vertical reading format, instead of separating the novel by pages like e-book readers.
As a curiosity, in Japan, digital sales of light novels have surpassed physical sales, accounting for 60% of the profits from novels.
Source: Nikkei
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