Azuki (manga publisher) explained

Azuki
Screenshot Size:250px
Screenshot Alt:A screenshot of Azuki's app.
Type:Manga platform
Industry:Entertainment
Language:English
Current Status:Active
Parent:KiraKira Media, Inc.

Azuki is a digital manga publishing and distribution service that aggregates English-translated manga legally from publishers such as Kodansha, Futabasha, Coamix, and Kaiten Books for reading online. Content is made available to read on the Azuki website, iOS app, or Android app through a single linked account, and readers may either subscribe monthly for access to thousands of chapters, or unlock manga volumes via individual purchases. Azuki also translates manga in-house and publishes series exclusive to its service such as Natsume & Natsume and Turning the Tables on the Seatmate Killer.

History

KiraKira Media Inc., the company behind Azuki, was established in California in early 2020.[1] Three of the four founders are former Crunchyroll employees.[2] The Azuki service officially launched to the public on June 28, 2021.[3]

In March 2022, Azuki received a $500,000 investment from Y Combinator, and officially joined the Y Combinator W22 batch.[4]

In May 2022, Azuki announced that the company would begin licensing and translating series directly from Japan, with the very first exclusive manga license being Hikaru in the Light! by Mai Matsuda.[5] The first chapters of Hikaru in the Light! launched on the Azuki service in June 13, 2022, and serialized weekly until it ended at 4 volumes in December 2022. Later that year, Azuki licensed two new series, and Turning the Tables on the Seatmate Killer.[6]

In Jan 2023, Azuki announced that the service would no longer be publishing Kodansha's simulpubs in accordance with updated policy from Kodansha and that 13 simulpubs series from Kodansha would be removed from the Azuki catalog. The same simulpub series were removed from all other manga publishing platforms at the same time.[7] Around the same time, Azuki acquired the license for I Fell for a Fujoshi, which began serializing in February.[8]

In March 2023, Azuki began distributing downloadable, DRM-free ebooks of its exclusive series.[9]

During the remainder of 2023, Azuki obtained four more exclusive licenses: Crescent Moon Marching,[10] Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms,[11] Our Aimless Nights, and You're So Sloppy, Hotta-sensei.[12] Azuki also finalized deals with publishers MediaDo International and Medibang! to add over 150 new series to its catalog.[13]

Titles

Manga

Published by Azuki

Early Access on Azuki

Licensed to read on Azuki

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: KiraKira Media Inc. (branch). Mar 24, 2024.
  2. News: Justin. September 10, 2021. Interview: The Azuki Team Talk Launch Day, Immediate Challenges, and Digital Manga Availability. TheOASG. Mar 24, 2024.
  3. News: Mateo. Alex. June 17, 2021. Digital Manga Service Azuki Launches on June 28. Anime News Network. March 24, 2024.
  4. News: . March 10, 2022. Digital Manga Subscription Service Azuki Receives $500,000 Investment from Y Combinator. Anime News Network. Mar 24, 2024.
  5. News: Azuki to Release Idol Manga Hikaru in the Light! In June . Crunchyroll News. May 28, 2022. Saabedra. Humberto. March 24, 2024.
  6. News: Anime News Network. Azuki Licenses Three New Series: 'Turning the Tables on the Seatmate Killer!,' My Dear Detective: Mitsuko's Case Files, and Invisible Parade . July 5, 2022. March 24, 2024. .
  7. News: Kodansha Ends Simulpub Manga Distribution on Digital Service Azuki, Other Platforms . March 24, 2024. January 12, 2023. Mateo. Alex. Anime News Network.
  8. News: I Fell for a Fujoshi Shojo Comedy Manga Joins Azuki Lineup. January 19, 2023. Luster. Joseph. Crunchyroll News. March 24, 2024.
  9. News: Azuki Offers Manga Fans New Digital Reading Options. March 10, 2023. Forbes. March 24, 2024. Salkowitz. Rob.
  10. News: Azuki to Release Marching Band Manga Crescent Moon Marching on March 16. February 28, 2023. Moo. William. Anime Trending. March 24, 2024.
  11. News: Azuki Licenses Sci-Fi Action Manga Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms for English Release on July 2, 2023. Symchuk. Adam. June 22, 2023. March 24, 2023.
  12. News: Azuki Licenses Our Aimless Nights and You're So Sloppy, Hotta-sensei Manga Series. Asian Movie Pulse. Symchuk. Adam. November 2023. March 24, 2024.
  13. News: Azuki Licenses Over 150 Manga Titles, Will Launch New Series Monthly. Moo. William. Anime Trending. April 20, 2023. March 24, 2024.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Azuki (manga publisher)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.