Riyoko Ikeda Fan Site English: All manga

Riyoko Ikeda born on 18 December 1947 in Osaka (Japan), unlike many other her mangakas’ colleagues she has never done secret of her age, but rather, she has delivered her strong point. Since young she manifests immediately a particular interest for the art, the culture and the history.

Her debut in the world of manga happened when she was 20 years, in 1967 with the publication of the short story "Bara Yahiski no Shōjo" (The girl of House’s Rose), whose title refers to a work of Osamu Tezuka, "Bara Yashiki no Nazo" (The mystery of the house of roses). The author admits she has decided to take her career of mangaka reading the work of Tezuka. Even the style of design, at least at the beginning, reminds a lot Tezuka.

Osamu Tezuka is known for works as "Black Jack", "The history of the three Adolf", etc, and he is considered the striker of shōjo manga with his work "Sapphire Princess", but Ikeda is the first mangaka to make a real revolution in the world of shōjo and to create a style that would have done school, with her elegant and simple characters designed to pleasure to for a predominantly female audience. Riyoko Ikeda for this she isn’t only considered the first major author of Shōjo in Japan, but also as the "Teacher of Shōjo".

The first work is followed to the others more or less important and varied length, but never more than two volumes. The years go on and Ikeda’ style changes and becomes increasingly personal and it arrive 1972 when the publication of the work that made and makes her the more famous and loved throughout all the world starts, "VERSAILLE NO BARA" (The roses of Versailles).

Riyoko Ikeda, who was only 24 years, wanted to create a manga about the future queen of France, Marie Antoinette, and to tell her story in a biographical way, but for her publishers an historical shōjo manga, which until then it was never written, would finished to bored the readers.

Despite the "green light" the work wasn’t easy, and for the amount of work to deal, because at that time also she attended university courses, either because she knew the Publishing House were very attentive to the reaction of the public and at the first sign of disinterest or complaint the history would have been immediately closed.

The first episode of "Versailles no Bara" appeared in May 1972 on the number 21 of the WEEKLY MARGARETH and later episode were published a rhythm of one per week without any interruption until its conclusion in 1973.

Against all expectations of the mangaka this manga came to a finish, and became the first Best-Seller, coming to sell only between 1972 and 1974 15 millions of copies!

To date (2007) it’s estimated in these 35 years of publication there isn’t Japanese woman who hasn’t read the this manga of Ikeda.

“Versailles no bara” became a social phenomenon, the manga for girls bought their dignity until that moment it wasn’t recognized. Incredibly increased requests for travel to Paris or for French language courses.

During that period, dedicating only about her work "Versailles no Bara", Ikeda decided to leave her studies at the University, this was a decision not really difficult for her because her training course had been obliged by her parents. Her dream was to be able to study opera and not philosophy.

In 1974 the Ikeda begins the serialization of "Onisiame e…." (Dear brother) From this manga will be realized in 1991 an animated series and with "Versailles no Bara" for now they remain the only two mangas of Ikeda to have a transposition in anime.

The following year to start the publication of that it is still regarded the manga more arduous and long of Ikeda, "Orpheus no Mado" (The window of Orpheus). It is a manga choir, this history in 1981 was awarded the LOWEST EVER SCREENPLAY WRITTEN FOR A MANGA. After "Orpheus Mado no" followed a number of other manga including one even made on the text of Shakespeare's Otello.

In 1982, Ikeda came back to look the history and she made "Jotei Ekaterina" (The empress Ekaterina), in this manga Ikeda finally comes to her final style, with which once again she will influence other authors of shōjo manga.

The attention to details is meticulous, almost manic but always elegance and originaly. In this manga she tells us the life of the Cathetine Empress of Russia.

In 1987 came a surprise for all Japanese fans of "Versailles no Bara": "Eikou Naporeon: “Eroica!" (The glory of Napoleon: Eroica!).
Designed after 15 years from "Versailles no Bara" the Eroika’s story begins where the Versailles was concluded.

In the last pages of "Versailles no Bara” Oscar’gaze crosse to Napoleon’s. This provides the ikeda an opportunity to tell the story and the life of the future Emperor French. References to "Versailles no Bara" continue with the protagonists of history, old acquaintances for who know and have read the story of Lady Oscar, Bernard, Rosalie and Alain (he becomes the protagonist of the story). There are some flash-back where Oscar appear, her ghost is still stirred in the hearts of some characters. Alain isn’t a impulsive young boy, now he’s an adult man, who made his career in the army, and he represents the bridge between the past and present.

END OF THE FIRST PART