First original art exhibition for Marionette, Ai Mayumi's gothic classic, opens

This October 28, the first original art exhibition for Marionette, the most representative work by Ai Mayumi, opens in Tokyo. The Vanilla Gallery, in the Kyōbashi district, hosts the show until November 8 with around 70 pieces, including manga manuscripts and color illustrations.

The exhibition comes decades after the impact the series had in the eighties. Marionette ran in Hakusensha's Hana to Yume magazine during the golden age of shōjo and won over readers with a story that mixed love, hate, desire, and a fate impossible to escape.

The protagonist is Daniel, a boy born into a family of counts who sees his life shatter with his father's new marriage. From there, a stepmother who is after the family fortune and a sister trapped in a forbidden love enter the scene. All with that elegant, murky gothic air that defines the manga.

Marionette illustration with a blond character wearing gloves, trees, and a black horse.jiji.com

The show brings together material that rarely sees the light of day: original serial pages and color originals that reflect Mayumi's fine, ornate linework. There will also be reproductions and exclusive merchandise, such as a set of five B6-size illustration cards for 2,200 yen and an acrylic stand for 2,640 yen, tax included.

Hours, admission, and days with the author

Admission costs 1,000 yen and is cash only at the door, although cards are accepted inside the venue. On weekdays it opens from 12:00 to 19:00, and on weekends and holidays it closes earlier, at 17:00. Last entry is half an hour before closing, and there are no days off during the exhibition.

Ai Mayumi will be at the gallery on several days: October 28 and 29, and November 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8. The organizers warn that those dates may change. The gallery is in basement 2 of the Tōsei building, at Ginza 8-10-7, and the exhibition occupies room B, although room A can also be visited.

Design of an angel with wings and a starry background related to Marionette.jiji.com

The bunkoban edition of Marionette came out in 2015 through Hakusensha's store, so the manga is still available for anyone who wants to read it before or after visiting the show. That said, there is no news yet of this exhibition leaving Japan.

Would you like to see something like this at a convention or a museum in your country? Tell us in the comments if you already knew Marionette or if this kind of classic shōjo exhibition appeals to you.