So you’ve got the Eldant Empire, a fantasy world somehow connected to Japan by a mysterious “hole.” And you’ve got Kanou Shinichi, general manager of Amutech, a company whose whole purpose is to promote cultural exchange with this new land—using otaku stuff! Shinichi’s father is a master at churning out popular light novels, but then word reaches Shinichi that his dad’s series has been put on indefinite hiatus. Shinichi may have kept his family at arm’s length in his days as a shut-in, but he can’t ignore this, and makes plans for a visit home. His Eldant friends, worried that this is another ploy on the part of the Japanese government, convince the JSDF to let them send Myusel and Elvia along as bodyguards. Call it the first Eldant embassy to Japan—and they have a lot to learn. An unexpected interloper, a series of accidents, and more international [interdimensional?] intrigue are waiting in the wings for Shinichi and his friends!

DECISIONS, DECISIONS The nation of Japan is connected via wormhole to a place called the Holy Eldant Empire in a parallel fantasy world. It had been Japan’s little (or big) secret, but after an aircraft carrier got caught in the time slip, the Americans know about it, too. The Americans have an extralegal idea for how to get their hands on the extraordinary technology of the Eldant Empire—and their target is Petralka! Can Shinichi and his friends stand against the modern world’s most powerful military force? What waits beyond this final battle? Welcome to the final installment of Outbreak Company!

The year is 20XX, and Shinichi Kanou is a pretty typical otaku: he loves anime, manga, games, and light novels, but his devotion to the two-dimensional hasn't always made him the most popular guy around. What he doesn't know is that Japan has discovered a portal to another world in the vicinity of Mount Fuji. The people of the Eldant Empire, though, only have eyes for one of Japan's traditional exports: pop culture. Enter Amutech, a purveyor of "general entertainment" that's secretly run by the Japanese government. Shinichi lands a job as the company's general manager. Now he finally has a chance to put his nerd know-how to good use spreading the otaku gospel in the Eldant Empire. And wait... he has to work with a half-elf maid, an empress, AND a female soldier to get the job done?

THE NEW GIRL IN TOWN On the far side of a mysterious wormhole somewhere in Japan is a fantasy world, and in it, a country called the Holy Eldant Empire. Amutech is a company established to bring otaku culture to the people there (or maybe foist it on them), and now it’s getting a new staff member: Hikaru, who comes in as assistant to the general manager, Kanou Shinichi. She’s also strikingly beautiful, a heckuva communicator, and almost immediately a big hit at both the palace and the school. Eldant will only get even more otaku on her watch, but the beloved cultural export starts to show a dark side, too. At the same time, something is happening in the Eldant Empire, and Shinichi may be in danger (again). What can he do? Anything?!

Shortly after Shirayuki and Ryu’s arrival in Lilias, a mysterious ailment breaks out. Now the two herbalists find themselves in a race against time to find a cure for the illness before it spreads throughout the city. And what will Zen and friends do when they catch word of this outbreak while on their way to Wirant? -- VIZ Media

CAN YOU GO HOME AGAIN? So you’ve got the Eldant Empire, a fantasy world somehow connected to Japan by a mysterious “hole.” And you’ve got Kanou Shinichi, general manager of Amutech, a company whose whole purpose is to promote cultural exchange with this new land—using otaku stuff! Shinichi’s father is a master at churning out popular light novels, but when something happens to him, Shinichi rushes home. His Eldant friends, worried this is another ploy by the Japanese government, send Myusel and Elvia with him—and the Empress Petralka sneaks along for good measure. The Big Three—America, China, and Russia—know something’s up in Japan. That’s why the kids’ sightseeing jaunt to Akihabara turns into a war zone. That’s how Minori gets captured by the Russians. And that’s why Shinichi’s house is surrounded by a mysterious armed squadron. Can Shinichi and his friends rescue Minori and get back to Eldant, or does their journey end here?!

IS THAT REALLY A SPY?! It's already been a few months since Shinichi came to Eldant, where dragons are commonplace and magic is real. His job is simple: spread otaku culture to the masses of this other world. But of course, things aren't that easy (are they ever?). Eldant is in a state of war, and war includes espionage... so how will Shinichi and company deal with a spy in their midst? Add that to his growing suspicions about his own government's motives, and Shinichi definitely has his hands full. Heavy is the head that wears the otaku crown...

THE ARMOR THEY FALL... On the other side of a wormhole connected to Japan is a fantasy world called the Holy Eldant Empire. Shinichi, your average otaku, is General Manager of Amutech, a company established to foster cultural exchange (otaku culture, that is!) with said fantasy world. The whole setup seems pretty sweet, until Shinichi finds himself caught up in the Eldant Empire’s plan to develop a new weapon! In order to resist the mind-control magic the Kingdom of Zwelberich is so good at, the knight Garius digs deep in the forgotten chambers of Eldant Castle and brings forth something that hasn’t been seen in ages: the Forbidden Armor. He takes it to Shinichi’s mansion to get his opinion, but wouldn’t you know it? Myusel, Elvia, and Petralka all manage to get in trouble with the armor and call down the very worst of curses! Shinichi has seen a lot of craziness in his time in Eldant, but never anything quite like this! Can he possibly cope—let alone make things right? And hold on a second… Doesn’t that Forbidden Armor look strangely familiar?

Surface Detail is among Iain M. Banks' Culture novels, a breathtaking achievement from a writer whose body of work is without parallel in the modern history of science fiction. It begins in the realm of the Real, where matter still matters. It begins with a murder. And it will not end until the Culture has gone to war with death itself. Lededje Y'breq is one of the Intagliated, her marked body bearing witness to a family shame, her life belonging to a man whose lust for power is without limit. Prepared to risk everything for her freedom, her release, when it comes, is at a price, and to put things right she will need the help of the Culture. Benevolent, enlightened and almost infinitely resourceful though it may be, the Culture can only do so much for any individual. With the assistance of one of its most powerful -- and arguably deranged -- warships, Lededje finds herself heading into a combat zone not even sure which side the Culture is really on. A war -- brutal, far-reaching -- is already raging within the digital realms that store the souls of the dead, and it's about to erupt into reality. It started in the realm of the Real and that is where it will end. It will touch countless lives and affect entire civilizations, but at the center of it all is a young woman whose need for revenge masks another motive altogether. The Culture Series Consider Phlebas The Player of Games Use of Weapons The State of the Art Excession Inversions Look to Windward Matter Surface Detail The Hydrogen Sonata

 HOW DO YOU FIGURE? To everyone’s surprise, Japan turns out to be connected to a fantasy world called the Holy Eldant Empire via a mysterious warp hole. The Japanese government sets up a company called Amutech to facilitate cultural exchange with their new neighbors by creating a fresh market for otaku culture. Lately, magically-animated figures have been all the rage in the empire. Combined with some incredible stuff he sees at a dwarven workshop, Shinichi resolves to develop a brand-new, uber-otaku technology the likes of which Eldant has never seen, all for the Empress, Petralka. Meanwhile, the world’s elves and dwarves must confront a new danger!