Square Enix's often overlooked manga and book division is prepping more printed works for Final Fantasy and Nier fans, including the start of a two-part novel set for Nier Replicant.
The publisher announced some additions to its book lineup earlier today. The first to arrive will be Chocobo and the Airship: A Final Fantasy Picture Book. It promises a 40-page short story about Cid, the inventor who's perhaps best known for his part in Final Fantasy 14, and a Chocobo who "work together to build an airship to help save their home." Even the plot sounds oddly like the opening chapters of Final Fantasy 14, only with the Warrior of Light replaced with a Chocobo, which is honestly a respectable edit.
Illustrated by Toshiyuki Itahana, character designer on Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon, and written by Chocobo's Dungeon 2 director Kazuhiko Aoki, this "all ages" picture book certainly has some Chocobo pedigree behind it. It's out March 21, 2023 and costs $17.99 in hardback.
Square's also giving Nier Replicant the Nier Automata treatment with a pair of novels. The first part, titled *sigh* Nier Replicant Ver.1.22474487139: Project Gestalt Recollections - File 01, is out April 11, 2023. It was written by Jun Eishima, the author of previous (and actually pretty good) Nier Automata novels like Long Story Short, Short Story Long, and Yorha Boys, with "support" from eccentric series director Yoko Taro, who presumably had control of the book's title. It's $27.99 in hardback and $13.99 digital; part two, or rather File 02, is expected in late 2023.
Nier Replicant fans are getting a lavishly illustrated guide book, too. The Revised Edition of the Grimoire Nier art book is packing 272 pages of "illustrations and key concepts, story exploration and world lore, gameplay strategies, ending guides, and concept art" plus new extras like short stories and interviews. It's $44.99 in hardback and $25.99 digital.
Interestingly, Square's non-video game book lineup includes two manga: Daemons of the Shadow Realm is the next work from Fullmetal Alchemist creator Hiromu Arakawa, and My Clueless First Friend is a slice-of-life comedy about two school kids. Earlier this year, the publisher reported significant growth for its publication division on the back of the breakout hit My Dress-Up Darling, and it seems it will invest more into manga going forward.
Square Enix has launched a new community development project that lets fans play some new games ahead of launch.
