Three shōjo legends come together at the National Art Center, Tokyo

Hagio Moto, Yamagishi Ryōko and Yamato Waki star in the first major shōjo manga exhibition at a Japanese national museum.

Mariana García 27 October 2026

The National Art Center, Tokyo, in Roppongi, opens its doors to an exhibition bringing together three essential shōjo manga authors: Hagio Moto, Yamagishi Ryōko and Yamato Waki. The show is called Shōjo Manga Infinity and starts on October 28, 2026.

The three debuted in the second half of the sixties and have been active for nearly six decades. Each built her own territory: Hagio with her fantasy stories and razor-sharp psychological portrayal, Yamagishi exploring the human psyche and the body, and Yamato with elegant worlds rooted in history and culture.

Gallery space of the Shōjo Manga Infinity exhibition at the National Art Center, Tokyo.

The exhibition traces their work from the early years to the present with original manuscripts, color illustrations and archival materials. More than 800 pieces are on display, including monochrome and color originals, reflecting the narrative, composition, color and character building that shōjo has cultivated over time.

Representative works and piece rotation

Among the titles included are Hagio's Poe no Ichizoku, Yamagishi's Hi Izuru Tokoro no Tenshi, Yōsei Ō and Terupushikōra/Maihime, and Yamato's Haikara-san ga Tōru and Asaki Yume Mishi. The color works are divided into two periods, and pieces will be rotated between the first and second half of the show.

View of the gallery space of the Shōjo Manga Infinity exhibition at the National Art Center, Tokyo.

The title Infinity condenses what these authors opened up: inner turmoil, relationships with others, women's autonomy, diverse ways of being, history and culture, imagination toward other worlds, and an increasingly complex page layout.

This is the first large-scale exhibition dedicated to shōjo manga to be held at a Japanese national museum.

General admission costs 2,200 yen. The exhibition will be open until February 8, 2027, so there is time to plan a visit if you are in Japan in the coming months.