"Kusanoki Mebuki is a Hero" novels star new team of heroes

Kadokawa's Dengeki G's Magazine launched a serialized illustrated novel titled Kusanoki Mebuki wa Yūsha de Aru (Kusanoki Mebuki is a Hero) in the August issue on June 30. The novel, a spinoff of the Yuki Yuna is a Hero franchise, is included in the magazine's "Dengeki G's Novel" pamphlet, and will have new chapters every month.

Aoi Akashiro ( Nogi Wakaba wa Yusha de Aru novels, Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Han Yui no Kirameki smartphone game) is writing the new series, and franchise character designer BUNBUN is providing the illustrations. Takahiro is credited with the original project. The story takes place two years after the events of the Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru novel and its anime adaptations, making it concurrent with the first Yuki Yuna is a Hero anime's story.

The new team of heroes includes (clockwise from top in image below): Mebuki Kusunoki, Shizuku Yamabushi, Yumiko Miroku, Suzume Kagajō, and Aya Kokudo.

The 12-episode Yuki Yuna is a Hero anime series premiered in October 2014, and Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in Japan. Ponycan USA released the anime on home video.

A second television anime season will premiere in October, and Pony Canyon will stream the series with English subtitles. The second season consists of two parts: the first six episodes, Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Washio Sumi no Shō, will adapt Takahiro's prequel novel Washio Sumi wa Yūsha de Aru , while the rest of the series, Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Yūsha no Shō , will be a direct sequel to the first season. Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Washio Sumi no Shō first debuted as three theatrical films in Japan in March, April, and July, and will be recut for the television anime version.

The first anime's story takes place in the era of the gods, year 300. Yūna Yūki lives an ordinary life as a second year middle school student, but she's also a member of the "Hero Club," where club activities involve dealing with a mysterious being called "Vertex."