Yaku Yuki has officially introduced Soshite Makise Ririko wa Akaunto o Keshita (そうして牧瀬凛々子はアカウントを消した), a new novel scheduled for publication by SB Creative under its SB Bunko imprint on October 22, 2026. Yaku describes the book as his first attempt at writing a bungei shosetsu, or literary fiction novel.
The latest announcement also reveals the cover artwork by rising illustrator Shiteharu (してはる). Behind an image of a character seemingly disappearing into an urban landscape, the official premise centers on the mystery of missing streamer Makise Ririko and three “antis” whose lives begin to intersect after her disappearance.
Quick Summary
- Title used here: Soshite Makise Ririko wa Akaunto o Keshita
- Japanese title: そうして牧瀬凛々子はアカウントを消した
- Editorial romanization: Soshite Makise Ririko wa Akaunto o Keshita
- Format: bunko novel
- Publisher category: general books / SB Bunko
- Type described by the author: bungei shosetsu / literary fiction
- Author: Yaku Yuki
- Cover artwork: Shiteharu
- Publisher: SB Creative
- Imprint: SB Bunko
- Latest cover announcement: September 1, 2026
- Japanese release date: October 22, 2026
- Status: preorder / not yet released
- Official price: ¥990 including tax
- Pre-tax price: ¥900
- Physical format: bunko
- Page count: 320 pages
- ISBN-13: 978-4-8156-4716-2
- ISBN-10: 4-8156-4716-X
- Position in Yaku's career: the first bungei novel he has publicly described as a new writing challenge
- Character at the center of the mystery: Makise Ririko
- Ririko's role: streamer / content creator who disappeared
- Ririko's current status: whereabouts unknown
- Alive or dead: unknown in the official premise
- Story structure: ensemble drama
- Number of figures identified in the premise: three “antis”
- Their connection: their stories intersect around the missing streamer
- Full identities of the three antis: not yet detailed in the short official description
- Further story details: still being withheld ahead of publication
- SB Bunko launch date: October 22, 2026
- Novel's position: one of SB Bunko's inaugural titles
- Number of inaugural SB Bunko titles: eight works
- Label concept: entertainment literature
- Regular SB Bunko schedule: every fourth Thursday of the month
- Label genre range: youth, romance, mystery, suspense, horror, workplace stories and other entertainment fiction
- Launch campaign: three consecutive months across October, November and December 2026
Cover and Novel Announcement
Yaku Yuki Takes on Bungei Fiction for the First Time
The most notable part of Yaku's announcement is not simply that he has another book coming. He directly describes Soshite Makise Ririko wa Akaunto o Keshita as the first time he has challenged himself to write a bungei shosetsu.
That positions the project differently from the work most strongly associated with his name, including the Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki light novel series. SB Creative itself places the new book under general books and SB Bunko, while the new imprint is designed around a broader entertainment-literature range.
The shift does not mean leaving behind themes of character identity and digital culture. Based on the initial synopsis, social media and the uncertain identity of a person who once existed publicly online are central to the mystery.
Makise Ririko Disappears Without an Answer
The official description opens with the story's core uncertainty: by now, nobody even knows whether Ririko is alive or dead.
Ririko is identified as a streamer who has disappeared. SB Creative has not yet explained exactly when she vanished, why her account disappeared, or what ultimately happened to her.
That uncertainty forms the foundation of the novel. The title speaks of Ririko “deleting her account,” but the publisher's premise makes clear that the mystery extends beyond simply leaving social media.
Three Antis Intersect Around the Missing Streamer
Rather than following only one person searching for Ririko, the novel is described as an ensemble drama in which three “antis” intersect around the vanished streamer.
The term “anti” is one of the most distinctive pieces of the early premise. They are not introduced as fans mourning a favorite creator, but as people positioned negatively or antagonistically toward Ririko as an online figure.
Who they are, why each became an anti and how they connect to Ririko's disappearance have not been explained in the brief official synopsis. That structure gives the story room to examine the same online personality through multiple conflicting viewpoints without revealing its answer up front.
Shiteharu Handles the Cover Artwork
The novel's cover artwork is created by Shiteharu, whom Yaku introduces as a rising illustrator.
The cover places a woman in an urban street while parts of her figure appear to fragment or disappear into the surrounding darkness. Visually, the approach closely complements the disappearance motif already embedded in the title and premise.
For now, the September 1 announcement is centered on the cover itself. No new trailer, PV or promotional video is part of this specific news context, making the book artwork the main visual material revealed.
One of Eight Inaugural SB Bunko Titles
Soshite Makise Ririko wa Akaunto o Keshita also carries significance beyond being a new Yaku Yuki release. It is one of eight works forming SB Bunko's inaugural lineup.
SB Creative will formally launch the imprint on October 22, 2026, the same day Yaku's novel goes on sale. All eight inaugural works are scheduled together as the October lineup.
The novel therefore helps establish the identity of the new imprint from day one. Yaku's own announcement similarly presents it as part of SB Bunko's first wave, matching the publisher's official lineup.
SB Bunko Focuses on Entertainment Literature
SB Creative describes SB Bunko as a new entertainment literature imprint with regular releases on the fourth Thursday of every month.
Its intended range is deliberately broad. The publisher names youth stories, romance, mystery, suspense, horror and workplace fiction among the genres it plans to deliver.
The rollout also extends beyond the first month. SB Creative has announced a three-month launch campaign covering October, November and December, with additional information to be revealed progressively through SB Bunko's official website and X account.
October 22 Release With 320 Pages
SB Creative's current official product page lists the book at ¥990 including tax, or ¥900 before tax. The physical release uses a bunko format and contains 320 pages.
Its registered ISBN-13 is 978-4-8156-4716-2, with ISBN-10 4-8156-4716-X. Japanese retailers have already begun accepting preorders ahead of publication.
More detailed information about the three antis, the novel's full narrative structure and the answer to Ririko's disappearance has not yet been revealed through the initial product information.
Why This Matters
1) Yaku Yuki is moving into bungei fiction
Yaku himself describes this as his first attempt at a bungei novel, distinguishing it from the light novel work for which he is best known.
2) Its mystery is built around digital identity
A streamer disappears so completely that even whether she is alive remains unknown, turning online existence into a central part of the conflict.
3) The viewpoint comes from three “antis”
The premise follows neither fans nor a single investigator, but three people explicitly defined as antis toward the missing figure.
4) The novel helps define SB Bunko from day one
It is one of eight books releasing with SB Creative's new entertainment-literature imprint on its launch date.
Novel Information
For now, the additional important information currently known includes:
- Soshite Makise Ririko wa Akaunto o Keshita is a new standalone novel announced by Yaku Yuki
- its official Japanese title is そうして牧瀬凛々子はアカウントを消した
- the romanization Soshite Makise Ririko wa Akaunto o Keshita is used in this article because no Latin-script global title was shown in the official material reviewed
- the book is scheduled for October 22, 2026
- it is published by SB Creative
- its imprint is SB Bunko
- Yaku Yuki describes it as the first bungei shosetsu he has attempted
- the cover artwork is by Shiteharu
- SB Creative's product page places it under general books / SB Bunko
- the publisher's current official price is ¥990 including tax
- the pre-tax price is ¥900
- the book uses a bunko format
- the official page count is 320
- its ISBN-13 is 978-4-8156-4716-2
- its ISBN-10 is 4-8156-4716-X
- preorders are already available through multiple Japanese retailers
- the official premise centers on Makise Ririko, a streamer who has disappeared
- it is unknown whether Ririko is still alive
- the story is structured as an ensemble drama
- three “antis” become the figures whose stories intersect around her disappearance
- the identities, backgrounds and complete relationships of those three antis have not been detailed in the publisher's short synopsis
- the actual reason behind Ririko's disappearance also remains unrevealed
- SB Bunko officially launches on the same date, October 22, 2026
- its inaugural lineup consists of eight works
- SB Bunko focuses on entertainment literature
- the imprint plans regular releases every fourth Thursday
- publisher-listed genres include youth, romance, mystery, suspense, horror and workplace stories
- SB Bunko's launch campaign runs from October through December 2026
- no new promotional video accompanies the September 1 cover announcement
- official book information is available through the SB Creative Official Book Page
- the latest announcement is available through the Yaku Yuki Official X Post
- author updates are available through Yaku Yuki Official X
- imprint information is available through the SB Bunko Official Website
- label updates are available through SB Bunko Official X
- the complete inaugural lineup is available through the SB Bunko October 2026 Lineup
- retailer preorders are also available through Gamers
Closing
Soshite Makise Ririko wa Akaunto o Keshita opens a new lane for Yaku Yuki with a bungei story centered on a missing streamer and three antis whose lives begin to intersect. Shiteharu's newly revealed cover is currently the primary visual material ahead of publication.
The novel launches in Japan on October 22, 2026 as one of SB Bunko's eight inaugural titles. The identities of the three antis, the reason Ririko vanished and the truth of what ultimately happened to her all remain unrevealed pending further information or the novel's release.
- Yaku Yuki Official X — Official Novel Announcement, Literary Fiction Debut, Cover Artist, and Release Date
- SB Creative — Official Book Page, Premise, Price, ISBN, Format, and Page Count
- SB Creative — Official SB Bunko Launch Date, Label Concept, Release Schedule, and Genres
- SB Creative — Official October 2026 Lineup and Eight Inaugural SB Bunko Titles
- Shogakukan — Official Yaku Yuki Works Listing and Author Context
- Gamers — Official Retail Listing, Current Price, Release Date, and Preorder Status
