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Los Angeles, CA—At their Anime Expo 2023 panel, manga subscription service Azuki celebrated the launch of their latest exclusive manga series, Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms by Yoshino Koyoka and TriF, and announced new manga licenses, upcoming volume releases, and a beta feature allowing fans to download eBooks directly from the Azuki website.

Azuki is adding 10 series from Media Do International, Inc., MediBang!, and Star Fruit Books to their Azuki Premium membership. Series include Itazurana Kiss, Wonder House of Horrors, and four series from legendary josei manga artist Moyocco Anno. Most are available to read right now. The full list is below:

Itazurana Kiss

by Kaoru Tada

Distributed by MD-i

A high school girl named Kotoko Aihara's love letter has been rejected by her crush, a genius with an Iq of 200 and a sports champion who's popular with all the girls — Naoki Irie.

As if Kotoko's luck wasn't bad enough, shortly...

Based on the homonymous manga by Moyoco Anno and with a script by Yuki Tanada, the story takes place in 18th century Edo, in the red-light district of Yoshiwara. In that district, the most prestigious category of courtesans is called “Oiran”, and a whole protocol is established just for someone to meet them. The film revolves around Kiyoha, who is sold in one of the most renowned “houses” of the area. The girl stands apart from the beginning due to her bad manners, her disregard for rules and her overwhelming ambition. The script follows her ascent from an ugly kid to the most famous Oiran of Yoshiwara.

Read Panos Kotzathanasis’ review for Amp here and why this movie is on our list of 50+1 Great Asian Movies Based on Manga/Anime.

From her debut, Mika Ninagawa implemented a distinct style of her own, which focused on image even more than context, bolstering intense colors and impressive set designs and costumes, to the point that almost each frame looks like a painting or a photograph, with the latter actually being her main profession. And while her later movies also entail this style, “Sakuran” remains the one where this approach finds its apogee.

Sakuran is screening at Japan Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fnSUUGfD0s&feature=emb_title&ab_channel=JapanSocietyNYC

Based on the homonymous manga by Moyoco Anno and with a script by Yuki Tanada, the story takes place in 18th century Edo, in the red-light district of Yoshiwara. In that district, the most prestigious category of courtesans is called “Oiran”, and a whole protocol is established just for someone to meet them. The film revolves around Kiyoha, who is...

Looking back on this still-young century makes clear that 2007 was a major time for cinematic happenings — and, on the basis of this retrospective, one we’re not quite through with ten years on. One’s mind might quickly flash to a few big titles that will be represented, but it is the plurality of both festival and theatrical premieres that truly surprises: late works from old masters, debuts from filmmakers who’ve since become some of our most-respected artists, and mid-career turning points that didn’t necessarily announce themselves as such at the time. Join us as an assembled team, many of whom were coming of age that year, takes on their favorites.

In the world of Japanese pop auteurs, there are few rising stars as unpredictably eclectic, temperamental, and consistently fascinating as Hideaki Anno. Anno began his professional life in the early 1980s as a young animator working literally...

Comic-Con International has announced the nominations for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards for 2015. The nominees, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges, highlight the wide range of material being published in comics and graphic novel form today, from companies big and small, in print and on line. The awards will be given out during a gala ceremony on Friday, July 10 during Comic-Con International: San Diego.

Best Short Story

“Beginning’s End,” by Rina Ayuyang, muthamagazine.com

“Corpse on the Imjin!” by Peter Kuper, in Masterful Marks: Cartoonists Who Changed the World (Simon & Schuster)

“,” by Lee Bermejo, in Batman Black and White #3 (DC)

“,” by Max Landis & Jock, in Adventures of Superman #14 (DC)

“When the Darkness Presses,” by Emily Carroll, http://emcarroll.com/comics/darkness/

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)

Astro City #16: “Wish I May” by Kurt Busiek & Brent Anderson (Vertigo/DC)

Beasts of Burden: Hunters and Gatherers, by Evan Dorkin...