Random House Worlds imprint Inklore announced at Anime Expo 2026 that it has licensed Tomoko Yamashita’s Ikoku Nikki drama manga series for an English print release in summer 2027. Details on an exact release date and pre-order links will be revealed at a later date.
© Tomoko Yamashita, SHODENSHA Publishing Co., Ltd.
Yamashita debuted the manga series in Shodensha’s Feel Young joseimuke magazine on June 8, 2017, where it was serialized until June 8, 2023. Eleven total tankobon volumes were released in Japan. The manga placed first in the Book of the Year 2023 comic category of KADOKAWA’s Da Vinci magazine ranking.
It inspired a 13-episode TV anime adaptation from Shuka that aired in Japan from January 4, 2026 to March 29, 2026. Crunchyroll streamed the anime in select countries and territories under the English title Journal with Witch. A 2024 live-action movie adaptation was also produced.
©ヤマシタトモコ・祥伝社／アニメ「違国日記」製作委員会
Crunchyroll describes the anime’s main synopsis as:
Reclusive novelist Makio Koudai has always preferred the company of books—but when her sister and brother-in-law pass away, Makio unexpectedly becomes the guardian of her 15-year-old niece, Asa Takumi. As they navigate grief, clashing personalities, and the challenges of living together, the two slowly open their hearts to each other, discovering warmth, understanding, and the meaning of family.
Source: Inklore Official X/Twitter
