"My Margaret Exhibition: Margaret and Bessatsu Margaret: Half a Century of Girls' Manga" will be held at the Mori Arts Center Gallery in Roppongi Hills from September 20th.
This exhibition will showcase approximately 397 precious original drawings spanning the 50-year history of girls' comic magazines "Margaret" and "Bessatsu Margaret" (both published by Shueisha), which have been loved by girls of all ages since their launch in 1963.
The exhibition begins with the original video "100 Kisses...Love & Kiss Forever!". This beautiful 3-minute 45-second video, which depicts the complex changes in love and the young girl's heart like a kaleidoscope, features one love scene after another from classic manga that remain in people's memories, instantly transporting the viewer into the world of "girls' manga." The original artwork by approximately 70 artists is organized into 10 chapters. The first area features the first issues of Margaret and Bessatsu Margaret, works such as Masako Watanabe's "Glass Castle," which supported the magazine's early days, and Sanshiko Kimura's "My Wife is 18 Years Old." The second area, titled "From Sports Girls to Dancing Heroines: A Drama of Sweat, Tears, and Beauty," features Chikako Urano's "Attack No. 1" and Sumika Yamamoto's "Aim for the Ace!" The third area features horror manga by Shinichi Koga and others, and the fourth area features comedy manga such as Yu Azuki's "Igano Kabamaru." The fifth area features Taku Tsumugi, who worked on the films "Hot Road" and "Without Blinking," both released in August. Along with original artwork drawn with a distinctive, light touch, motorcycles and costumes from the film are also on display. The sixth area, "Sparkling Individuality - The Polyhedron of Girls' Manga," features a variety of unique works that transcend the theme of romance, such as Miyawaki Akiko's "The Detective Nurse's Office Lady" and Ozaki Minami's "Unrequited Love - 1989." Meanwhile, the seventh area, "LOVE, LOVE, LOVE - The Ultimate Love Collection," features original illustrations of "romance stories," such as Tada Kaoru's "Mischievous Kiss" and Sakisaka Io's "Strobe Edge." The eighth area displays Ikeda Riyoko's works from "The Rose of Versailles," "The Window of Orpheus," and "To My Dear Brother...," as well as costumes from the Takarazuka Revue's "The Rose of Versailles." The first-ever life-size figures of Oscar and Andre, created specifically for this exhibition, are incredibly detailed. Photography is permitted within the artwork. The eye-catching ninth area, "The Stage is School!! - Love and Friendship Always Starts Here," features original illustrations of school-themed works such as Yoko Kamio's "Boys Over Flowers" and Kazune Kawahara's "High School Debut." The final area, the tenth, showcases works by currently serialized artists, including Karuho Shiina's "Kimi ni Todoke." One of the highlights of the exhibition is the "Love Screen," featuring 10 popular artists, including Aruko, Ayuko Hatta, Natsumi Aida, and Nao Nanaji, each drawing their characters on a glass panel using only black marker. For fans, this spectacular collaboration is a dream come true. The press preview featured manga artist Riyoko Ikeda, who released her first new work in 40 years, "The Rose of Versailles," on August 25, along with actor Shosuke Tanihara, who serves as the exhibition's special supporter. Tanihara, who has been an avid reader of "Margaret" and "Bessatsu Margaret" since her upper elementary school years, began by saying, "I never thought I'd be able to read the new issue of 'The Rose of Versailles'!" When asked, "Has the public's view of manga changed between now and 40 years ago?" Ikeda replied, "The status of manga as a whole has risen, and it's now recognized as a cultural phenomenon." When asked by a reporter about the "heart-melting phrases you'd like to hear or say," Ikeda cited the "kabedon" (wall-don) technique rather than a simple phrase. "It's something girls always dream of," she said. "I want the teacher to show his feelings through actions rather than words," she said. "In fact, he even depicts it in 'The Rose of Versailles'." In addition to exclusive exhibition merchandise like eye masks and comic plates, Restaurant Mado Lounge will also be offering collaboration menus inspired by famous scenes and lines, such as "Attack No. 1: Mille-feuille on the Volleyball Court" and "Hiromi and Ochou-sama's Showdown: Sweets Plate." "I think the exhibition venue represents the culture of magazines themselves. I hope it will be an opportunity for people to rediscover the analog appeal of magazines," says Imai Takaaki, editor-in-chief of Margaret and Bessatsu Margaret, and the exhibition is designed to allow visitors to fully experience the world of shojo manga.


[Event Information]
My Margaret Exhibition --Margaret/Bessatsu Margaret: Half a Century of Shojo Manga--
Venue: Mori Arts Center Gallery
Address: Roppongi Hills Mori Tower 52F, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: September 20th to October 19th
Time: 10:00 to 20:00 (last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults 1,800 yen; University/vocational school students 1,400 yen; Junior and senior high school students 1,100 yen; 4 to elementary school students 800 yen; Children 3 and under free