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Azuki to Release Idol Manga 'Hikaru in the Light!' Worldwide in English Starting June 13, 2022

BOSTON, MA—At their Anime Boston industry panel, digital manga subscription service Azuki announced that they have licensed the manga series Hikaru in the Light! by Mai Matsuda for worldwide distribution (outside of Japan) in English. The series is currently published in Japan in Futabasha's Manga Action magazine. The official synopsis is below.

“In order to get up on stage, you need to be special.”

Hikaru Ogino spends her days singing oldies in her family's bathhouse, but when her best friend Ran — a former idol — invites her to try out for an “idol survival camp” together, it'll put her talents to the test. Can Hikaru outshine the competition and make her stage debut, or will she fall flat? Witness the birth of a new star in this exciting story about chasing your dreams!

A free preview of the first chapter is available right now on the web at www.azuki.co and in the Azuki iOS and Android apps. Chapter 1 will be available starting June 13, 2022 exclusively on Azuki, and new chapters will be released weekly until they are caught up with the original Japanese serialization. At that point, Azuki will release chapters as “simulpubs” twice a month, as soon as they come out in Japan.

Hikaru in the Light! is the first title Azuki has licensed directly from Japan, and we're excited to introduce fans around the world to Mai Matsuda's inspiring story and beautiful artwork,” said Azuki's Co-Founder and Marketing/Licensing Director Evan Minto. “This is just the beginning for us. We will continue to bring new stories to our members as Azuki grows.”

Azuki is available on the web at www.azuki.co, as well as in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. For free, fans can read select chapters from its catalog of over 200 series, including Hikaru in the Light!, hits like Four Knights of the Apocalypse, acclaimed new series like The Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting, and indie manga like Children of Mu-Town. Azuki makes the latest chapters of 18 series available as simulpubs as soon as they are published in Japan.

For just $4.99 per month fans can sign up for a Premium membership and read the entire catalog with no ads. A 30-day free trial and a discounted annual plan are also available. All titles are available worldwide (except Japan) in English. Readers can stay up to date on the latest announcements by following Azuki at twitter.com/ReadAzuki, facebook.com/ReadAzuki, and instagram.com/readazuki.

About Azuki and KiraKira Media Inc.

Azuki is created by KiraKira Media Inc., a proudly employee-owned company dedicated to improving access to legally licensed manga, led by a small team of passionate manga fans and tech experts in San Francisco, CA.

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