Los Angeles – September 11, 2026 -- Azuki Labs will release the first chapter of its original manga series AZUKI for free on Azuki.com starting September 17 at 9:00 AM PDT, with new chapters arriving on the third Thursday of every month at no cost to readers.
Former Overwatch art director creates the series
Arnold Tsang, who served as Character Art Director for Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch and helped shape the game's hero roster and lore, wrote and illustrated AZUKI. It marks his first original serialized manga and his first return to comics since working on Udon's Street Fighter series.
Story follows two sisters torn apart by mysterious Gates
The plot centers on Shao, who searches for her missing sister Rei after Rei disappears beyond a set of ancient Gates. The search draws Shao into a conflict threatening both worlds, forcing her to confront buried secrets and difficult choices tied to family and destiny.
Launch trailer debuts alongside Chapter 1
A cinematic trailer introducing the AZUKI world will release alongside the first chapter on September 17. Azuki Labs CEO Alex Q. Xu said the manga brings the characters and world together as a story, and that making it free lets anyone start with Chapter 1.
Tsang said he has wanted to tell this story for years and, as a lifelong manga fan, always envisioned manga as the medium to bring these characters to life.
Series already previewed at Anime Expo 2026
AZUKI had its world premiere at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles, where attendees could read the first chapter ahead of the public launch. Tsang also held live drawing sessions and met fans throughout the event.
The manga follows the earlier launch of Azuki's trading card game this year, part of the company's broader push into manga, games, and collectibles built around a single interconnected universe.