Ooku: The Inner Chambers

Ooku is set in an alternate-history Edo-period Japan where a mysterious plague has drastically reduced the male population, leading women to assume positions of power including the shogunate. The 'Ooku' refers to the inner chambers of Edo Castle, which in this reality are filled with handsome male concubines serving the female shogun.

The series was created by Fumi Yoshinaga, an acclaimed manga artist also known for works like Antique Bakery and Yoshida-kun to Atashi. The series began serialization in 2005 in the manga magazine Melody.

Yes, Ooku was adapted into an anime series released on Netflix. The anime adapts the early arcs of the manga, focusing on the origins of the female shogunate and the establishment of the male concubine system within Edo Castle.

Ooku won the grand prize of the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2009, one of the most prestigious awards in Japanese manga. The series was also recognized by the American Library Association as a notable graphic novel for adults.