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Section 1 Prologue: Monumental Works in Shojo Manga History

This section brings together a collection of timeless masterpieces that have left a mark on the history of shojo manga (girls’ manga).

The Poe Clan (1972–76 / New Series: 2015–present), Moto Hagio’s lifework. The Heart of Thomas (1974), created during the same period. And Mesh (1980–84), her defining work of the 1980s,

Arabesque (Part 1: 1971–73 / Part 2: 1974–75), an authentic ballet manga representing Ryoko Yamagishi’s early career, and her sensational historical drama, Emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun (1980–84).

Haikara-san: Here Comes Miss Modern (1975–77), a tumultuous romantic comedy by Waki Yamato, and Dreams at Dawn (1979–93), a complete manga adaptation of the classic Japanese epic, The Tale of Genji.

These works have quickened the heart with every turn of the page and allowed readers to share in their characters’ feelings. We invite you to reawaken those memories as you experience the rich yet delicate colors that can only be appreciated in these original illustrations.

Moto Hagio’s Works

The Poe Clan

Shogakukan, Bessatsu Shōjo Comic, March 1972 - June 1976 / New Series: Shogakukan, Monthly Flowers, July 2016 - Ongoing

An omnibus series told from various eras and perspectives, centered on Edgar, a boy destined to live forever as a Vampanella. A total of 15 short and medium-length stories were published in the 1970s. In 2016, more than forty years later, a new series titled The Poe Clan/ Spring Dream began serialization, surprising many fans. This work could be considered a symbol of the fictional world to which Hagio has devoted her career.

The Heart of Thomas

Shogakukan, Weekly Shōjo Comic, May 5, No. 19 - December 12, 1974, No. 52

One morning, at the end of winter, Thomas Werner falls from an overpass and dies. He leaves behind a letter addressed to Juli, an older boy he had admired. Amidst this, a transfer student named Erich — who looks exactly like Thomas — appears, and Juli’s heart is thrown into turmoil. Set in a German boarding school, this is a story of love woven by sensitive, emotionally complex boys.

Mesh

Shogakukan, Petit Flower, 1980, Summer Issue - June 1984

By a twist of fate, “Mesh,” an androgynous and beautiful young man with blond, silver-streaked hair, ends up staying with Milon, a painter living in Paris. Though he finds himself entangled in the complicated family circumstances and conspiracies surrounding him, Mesh gradually comes to terms with himself through his life with Milon. A defining work of Hagio’s output during the 1980s, and a masterpiece of the coming-of-age Bildungsroman genre.

Ryoko Yamagishi’s Works

Arabesque

Part 1: SHUEISHA, RIBON, October 1971 - April 1973

Part 2: HAKUSENSHA, Hana to Yume, June 1974 (First Issue) - November 5, 1975, No. 22

Nonna, who attends ballet school in Soviet-era Kiev, is troubled by her tall stature and suffers from low self-esteem. After a fateful encounter with Yuri Mironov, however, her innate talent begins to blossom. This authentic ballet manga charts Nonna’s progress as she races down the path to becoming a prima ballerina, torn between fierce competition and her passion for art.

Emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun

HAKUSENSHA, LaLa, April 1980 - June 1984

A historical drama depicting the early life of Prince Umayado (later Prince Shotoku). Known as a wise figure who contributed to the creation of a centralized state, he also actively promoted Buddhist culture during the Asuka period. Readers at the time were enthralled by Umayado’s political savvy, as he overwhelmed others with his beauty and superhuman abilities, as well as by the fate of his love-hate relationship with his close aide, Soga no Emishi.

Waki Yamato’s Works

Haikara-san: Here Comes Miss Modern

KODANSHA, Weekly Shōjo Friend, April 5 1975, No. 7 - April 5 1977, No. 7

Benio Hanamura is a spirited, tomboyish student. Although she initially resists their parents’ choice of fiancé — Second Lieutenant Shinobu Ijūin — she gradually finds herself drawn to him... Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous Taisho era, this eventful romantic comedy depicts a protagonist who gives her all to both love and her career, living her life with resilience. A masterpiece that balances the portrait of an independent woman — a recurring theme in Yamato’s work — with humor.

Dreams at Dawn

KODANSHA, mimi, December 1979 - July 25, 1986, No. 14

KODANSHA, mimi Excellent, 1986, No.1-1993, No. 27

Taking its title from a verse of the “Iroha Song,” believed to have been composed during the Heian period, this is a manga adaptation of one of Japan’s best-known stories and its old and longest narrative work, Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji. It tells a mature love story that Yamato, after producing numerous romance works in the 1970s, finally felt ready to tackle. With meticulous background illustrations based on precise historical research, she completed the entire Genji series, including the final “Uji Jūjō” chapters. It continues to be read in high schools and other educational settings as a “reference book” for the study of classical literature.