Art Show: AZUKI - the Manga Art of Kofi Bazzell-Smith
Location
West Bridge Lounge
Event Website
https://www.kofimanga.com/
Start Date
26-9-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
16-9-2026 4:00 PM
Description
This exhibition presents artwork from AZUKI, the upcoming graphic novel by EIU alum Kofi Bazzell‑Smith. AZUKI is a wacky action‑comedy set in a world where Rock, Paper, Scissors is a full‑fledged martial art, complete with over‑the‑top techniques and ridiculous battles.
Drawing from Kofi’s background in manga and martial arts, the project mixes sharp action, big humor, and a blend of Black and East Asian cultural influences that shape Azuki’s world. On display are pages and behind‑the‑scenes process sketches that show how the story and visual style of AZUKI are coming together.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Art Show: AZUKI - the Manga Art of Kofi Bazzell-Smith
West Bridge Lounge
This exhibition presents artwork from AZUKI, the upcoming graphic novel by EIU alum Kofi Bazzell‑Smith. AZUKI is a wacky action‑comedy set in a world where Rock, Paper, Scissors is a full‑fledged martial art, complete with over‑the‑top techniques and ridiculous battles.
Drawing from Kofi’s background in manga and martial arts, the project mixes sharp action, big humor, and a blend of Black and East Asian cultural influences that shape Azuki’s world. On display are pages and behind‑the‑scenes process sketches that show how the story and visual style of AZUKI are coming together.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/eiu_comic_fest/comic_fest_2026/comic_fest_2026/2
Comments
Kofi Bazzell-Smith
Kofi Bazzell‑Smith is an artist, educator, martial artist, and former professional boxer specializing in Japanese manga. He is the first professor of Japanese manga practice in the United States, teaching at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Trained in Japan and fluent in the language, Bazzell‑Smith creates bilingual, cross‑cultural manga and is represented by Writers House Literary Agency for his upcoming graphic novel AZUKI- a martial arts parody set in a world where Rock‑Paper‑Scissors is a serious combat discipline. Drawing from his background in martial arts and professional boxing, the project blends manga sensibilities, Japanese aesthetics, Chinese Kungfu tropes, and Black diasporic history.
Bazzell‑Smith serves on the board of directors for the United States–Japan Bridging Foundation and is a 2025–26 delegate to the US–Japan Leadership Program. His work has been featured on ABEMA News, NHK Global, and Fuji TV, and he has given talks at institutions including Princeton, UCLA, Middlebury College, UT Austin, The Asia Society, and the International House of Japan.