[Beware: Some of the links contain NSFW content]

The English-language eroge/visual novel scene is really heating up, as higher-profile titles are finally making their way overseas, where previously only manga or anime adaptations would manage the journey.

The digital distribution outfit MangaGamer looks to be on the forefront of that. Having brought Shuffle! over to us filthy gaijin, they went and licensed the original "sound novel" installments of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (aka When They Cry). And now we have a firm(er) release date!

A post on the MangaGamer forums brought some "updates from the meeting room" listing tentative release dates for a selection of upcoming titles to be localized, among them the first four installments of Higurashi, due December 15th, with part five and beyond set for February 2010. That's in just a month, which is great news for folks who missed the manga and won't watch the anime for fear of the dreaded "QUALITY cabbage" (see below).

Other titles listed included sequels to KiraKira and Da Capo, and some new titles like Edelweiss Eiden Fantasia, Soul Link and the fabled Romance of the Three Kingdoms-based eroge Koihime Musou. A few unnamed adult titles from developer NEXTON were also mentioned. Good news for fans of eroge, eh?