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MOTO HAGIO

Moto Hagio was born in 1949 in Fukuoka Prefecture, and debuted in 1969 with Lulu and Mimi. She has continued to produce manga characterized by vast fictional worlds, including the serial The Poe Clan (1972–76), featuring the main character Edgar, a “Vampanella” (vampire-like immortal being), and The Heart of Thomas (1974), acclaimed for its delicate portrayal of adolescent psychology. She has also produced numerous science fiction titles, such as They Were 11! (1975) and The Silver Triangle (1980). In 1997, Hagio received the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, Award for Excellence, for A Cruel God Reigns. In 2006, she won the Nihon SF Taisho (Japan Science Fiction Grand Prize) for Otherworld Barbara. In 2012, she became the first shojo (girls’) manga artist to receive the Medal with Purple Ribbon, and in 2019 she was named a Person of Cultural Merit. Internationally recognized for her achievements, she was inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame in 2022.

RYOKO YAMAGISHI

Ryoko Yamagishi was born in 1947 in Hokkaido, and debuted in 1969 with Left and Right. She rose to prominence with Arabesque (1971–75), which distinguished itself from earlier ballet manga through its extraordinary rendering of movement and the human body. She caused a sensation in the manga world with Emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun (1980–84), which depicted the young Prince Shotoku from an original perspective and earned her the 1983 KODANSHA Manga Award (shojo [girls’] category). Yamagishi has produced a diverse body of work, ranging from stories inspired by Eastern and Western myths and legends to fantasy, horror, and psychological thrillers. In 2000, she returned to ballet manga with Terpsichore (2000–10), and in 2007 she won the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize (Grand Prize).

WAKI YAMATO

Waki Yamato was born in 1948 in Hokkaido and debuted in 1966 with Angel the Thief. One of her landmark works, Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern (1975–77), is a tumultuous romantic drama set in the Taisho era (1912–26). It has been adapted for anime and the stage numerous times, and received the 1st KODANSHA Manga Award in the shojo (girls’) category. Yamato has continued to produce classic shojo manga depicting women who live with strength and resilience through times of social and historical change, including Yokohama Story (1981–83) and N.Y. Komachi (1985–88). Her adaptation of The Tale of Genji, Japan’s most celebrated work of fiction, titled Dreams at Dawn (1979–93), has earned high praise in educational settings and remains a beloved text widely read by students. In 2019, her work was featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition “The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated”.