Shoujo Manga: Major Exhibition Featuring Over 800 Originals

An exhibition titled "Shoujo Manga Infinity" has opened at the National Art Center in Tokyo, featuring more than 800 original drawings by Moto Hagio, Ryoko Yamagishi and Waki Yamato. The show, which began on October 28, 2026, runs until February 8, 2027, and is part of the museum's program marking its 20th anniversary. According to the museum, it is the first major shoujo manga exhibition held at a national art museum in Japan.

Three Artists and Six Decades of Manga History

The exhibition traces the development of the three artists from their beginnings in the 1960s to the present day. More than 800 black-and-white and color originals show not only finished images but also the linework and page layouts, which often look different in print.

Moto Hagio is represented with works including "The Poe Clan," "The Heart of Thomas" and "They Were Eleven." Her work ranges from psychological narratives to science fiction. Ryoko Yamagishi shaped different forms of historical and body-centered storytelling with "Arabesque," "Hi Izuru Tokoro no Tenshi" and "Telepsichora." Waki Yamato contributed works such as "Haikara-san ga Toru," "Yokohama Monogatari" and "Asaki Yumemishi" to the history of shoujo manga.

Similar insights into the creative process are offered by the announced retrospective of Chi. creator Uoto. A separate manga exhibition is also running for the completed series Honey Lemon Soda.

Rotating Originals, Audio Guide and Anniversary Campaign

The exhibition is divided into two sections. The first runs from October 28 to December 14, 2026, and the second from December 16, 2026, to February 8, 2027. Some color original drawings will be swapped between the two sections.

As Nijimen reports, the audio guide, narrated by former Takarazuka performer Rei Yuzuka, also includes personal messages from all three artists. The guide costs 700 yen and is used within the exhibition area via one's own smartphone.

To mark the museum's 20th anniversary on January 21, 2027, special stickers will be handed out to exhibition visitors from January 6 to 31, while supplies last.

Visiting the National Art Center

The show is on view in Exhibition Hall 2E in Roppongi. It is normally open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; last admission is 30 minutes before closing. Regular admission is 2,200 yen, 1,000 yen for students and 500 yen for high school students. Younger children and young people up to and including middle school age are admitted free.

The museum is normally closed on Tuesdays; individual closing days also apply, as well as the winter break from December 28 to January 5. Details about the works on display, exceptions and ticket purchases are available on the official museum website.