Azuki Drops Manga Bomb at Anime NYC 2023: Let’s Break Down the Deets!

With ten new series announced, Azuki, the burgeoning manga subscription service, made waves at Anime NYC 2023. The announcement at their panel brought forth exclusive additions, partnerships, and a diverse array of genres for manga enthusiasts to explore.

Azuki’s exclusives, Our Aimless Nights by Mori Kou and You’re So Sloppy, Hotta-sensei by Mao Nakada are set to debut in early 2024. The former promises a slow-burn teen romance, chronicling the unique connection between a cheerful high school girl and a reserved boy meeting every Wednesday night. The latter, a teacher-student comedy, follows the adventures of a high schooler turned housekeeper dealing with the unexpected and messy side of his popular and gorgeous teacher, Hotta-sensei.

In addition to these exclusives, Azuki expanded its catalog with eight series and one-shots from Media Do International Inc., MediBang!, and Star Fruit Books. Among the noteworthy additions are A Devotion That Changes Worlds by Mizue Odawara, exploring themes of love and contradiction, and My Sadistic Boyfriend by Yuna Anisaki and Momoshiro, offering a unique twist on the classic boarding school narrative.

Check out the comprehensive list and synopsis:

• Our Aimless Nights by Koumori: Cheerful, energetic high school girl Chika and shy, reserved boy Kazuya couldn’t be more different. But they have a secret: every Wednesday after 9 PM they meet outside the convenience store where Kazuya works. Bit by bit, under the light of the moon, a unique connection begins to blossom in this enchanting coming-of-age love story!

Currently serialized in Futabasha’s Web Action in Japan under the name 夜のまにまに or “Yoru no Manimani.” Coming in early 2024.

• You’re So Sloppy, Hotta-sensei by Mao Nakada: Makoto Kuribayashi is your typical high schooler with a not-so-typical after-school gig as a housekeeper. His latest client? None other than his school’s most popular teacher, the gorgeous Rumiko Hotta. But Hotta-sensei is hiding a dirty little secret: she’s a total slob, the polar opposite of her flawless public image! Now, Makoto’s got the unenviable task of cleaning up after her mess. Will his admiration for Hotta-sensei survive a dose of harsh reality in this irreverent comedy?

Currently serialized in Futabasha’s Manga Action magazine in Japan under the name だらしないです堀田先生！ or “Darashinai desu Hotta-sensei!” Coming in early 2024.

• A Devotion That Changes Worlds by Mizue Odawara, published by Futabasha and distributed by MD-i: “All men are wolves! They’re aiming to eat girls! If I’m going to get eaten, then I’d rather get eaten by a cool wolf!!” Yoh, who believes that all men are terrible beasts, one day meets her perfectly ideal man, a working adult who goes by “Tono”. The instant they meet, Yoh decides to confess her feelings…!! Due to a past trauma, Yoh is plagued by her phobia of men and she publicly announces her hatred for the other gender. She may hate them, but at the same time, she wants to experience love. Her love itself is a contradiction, yet the two strangers begin to close their distance. This is a story packed with dangerous romantic comedy centering around a double-edged love!

• My Sadistic Boyfriend with Art by Yuna Anisaki and story by Momoshiro, published by Futabasha and distributed by MD-i: Chiaki have been admitted to the high school of her dreams: the prestigious boarding school Otomegawa Academy. Through an unexpected turn of events, she ends up becoming roommates with Katsuho — the grandson of the academy’s director, and prince of the school. On the surface Katsuho is attractive, academically brilliant, and kind, appearing to live up to his prince-like reputation. But when he’s alone with Chiaki, his true, sadistic personality shines through. How will Chiaki juggle her new school life while fending off the advances of this sadistic prince? This series has been published in Japan since 2008 with the Japanese title “S Kareshi Joujou.”

• Who Wants to Play by Tsuyoshi Osumi, distributed by MediBang: Japan’s favorite child celebrity, Ena Fujie, is busy with her entertainment gig! Except for Tashiro, Ena’s clumsy manager, the adults around her have not realized that behind her cute and captivating performance, she is a very ambitious kid who calculates every move to win everyone’s heart! What kind of shenanigans will she pull out today? Let’s play with Ena in “Who Wants to Play?”!

• Garuda by Haguro, distributed by MediBang: A human can’t choose their ideal body. A memory that had been carved in the flesh would not vanish no matter how much we tried to alter it. A newcomer thus arrived in the town, bringing a gun that could swap people’s bodies. The fierce but smiling adventurer walks on a secret quest—to find the original body that was taken by his wife.

•  I’ll Quit Travelling… by Konoha Kizima, published by Star Fruit Books: A short story about a young girl who has been a traveler since birth and her wish to end her journey.

• Three short manga: Immoral by Lin Yi, A Long Stay by VIEW, and Split Story by   Kata Katoh, all distributed by MediBang.

Azuki’s extensive library now boasts 300 series,  featuring international hits like Attack on Titan and Fire Force, along with new releases such as Natsume & Natsume, My Dear Detective: Mitsuko’s Case Files, and Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms with weekly new chapter updates are available exclusively on the Azuki App. The platform caters to both free users, supported by advertisements, and Premium members, who enjoy access to thousands of chapters for $4.99 per month. Premium subscribers also receive a 20% discount on direct volume sales.

Azuki is available on the web at www.azuki.co and the Aziki App in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. Follow Azuki for the latest updates at x.com/ReadAzuki, facebook.com/ReadAzuki, and instagram.com/readazuki.

As Azuki continues to evolve the manga landscape, readers can anticipate a diverse and engaging reading experience.