Kugane Maruyama, the creator of the Japanese light novel series Overlord, informed fans that the next volume of the dark fantasy will be split in two.
As reported by Anime News Network, Maruyama took to Twitter to say that, because the manuscript for the upcoming volume has exceeded 700 pages, some of volume 15's content will be rolled into volume 16. Maruyama's tweet wishes fans happiness in the new year, promising that he and his team are working hard to release the new volume as soon as possible. Maruyama also expressed the hope that fans will be patient for the next instalment in the saga.
あけましておめでとうございます。
— 丸山くがねちゃん（11歳） (@maruyama_kugane) January 4, 2022
零稿が700ページを超えました。なので、上下（15＆16）巻となります。出来るだけ近い間隔で出すために鋭意努力中。もう少……結構待ってくれると嬉しいです。
Overlord's story takes place inside a popular online role playing game called YGGDRASIL, which is about to be shut down. Protagonist Momonga decides to stay logged in as long as possible. When the servers are shut down, however, Momonga is surprised to discover that the game is still intact, with its NPCs beginning to become sentient. Finding himself trapped in this new world, Momonga takes on the name 'Ainz Ooal Gown' and traverses the game in order to find someone or something that can help him unravel the mystery.
Overlord enjoyed immense popularity since it began its serialization online on the novel publishing website Arcadia in 2010. Publisher Enterbrain then acquired the series and has released 14 volumes of Overlord physically in Japan to date. Yen Press subsequently obtained the rights to publish the series in English in 2015, with has since released the first 13 volumes of the story. Overlord was the top-selling light novel series in 2015, and the light novel and its manga adaptation have achieved a combined total of over 7 million copies in print as of April 2018. Maruyama previously informed fans that the series will conclude with the release of volume 17.
The light novels have also been adapted into an anime series of the same name produced by studio Madhouse (Hunter x Hunter (2011)). Its Japanese voice cast features talent such as Satoshi Hino (Haikyuu!!), Mamoru Miyano (Death Note) and Masayuki Katou (Naruto: Shippuden). Three seasons totalling 39 episodes have currently aired of the anime, with a fourth season to premiere in 2022. An anime film was also announced alongside the new season which will adapt Overlord's Holy Kingdom Arc.
Release dates for season 4 and the film have yet to be announced. Overlord's first three seasons are available on Funimation and Crunchyroll.
Source: Twitter via Anime News Network
