Pioneer of Japanese Shojo Manga, Masako Watanabe, Passes Away at 97

Legendary master of the Japanese shojo manga world, Masako Watanabe (わたなべまさこ), passed away peacefully at 00:38 on October 3rd, at the age of 97. The news was officially confirmed on the 13th. Along with the official announcement, a will left by Watanabe before her passing was also revealed. She bid a stylish farewell to her fans and loved ones, humorously writing: "When you feel lonely, just pretend I'm in Paris. Goodbye." Born in Tokyo in 1929, Watanabe was inspired by the works of Osamu Tezuka after her marriage, which led her to aspire to become a manga artist. She debuted with illustrations for "The Little Prince" in 1952. In the 1960s and 70s, she established her popularity with suspenseful works like "Glass no Shiro" (City of Glass) and "St. Rosalind," which depicted the schemes and intense emotions of young girls. In 1971, she won the 16th Shogakukan Manga Award for "Glass no Shiro." Her creative scope wasn't limited to shojo manga; she also adapted the classic Chinese novel "Jin Ping Mei" into a manga. In 2002, she received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award from the Japan Cartoonists Association, and in 2006, she became the first female manga artist to be awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. What's particularly admirable is that at the age of 91, Masako Watanabe began a weekly serialization of her new work, "Himegoto―Secrets―" on a manga platform, continuing to draw as the "world's oldest active manga artist" until her passing at 97. The official statement mentioned that they will continue to introduce her precious original artwork and unpublished works, allowing her passion for creation to live on. I don't really know this artist, but seeing that she was drawing into her 90s is incredibly admirable. 👏 A great figure who dedicated her life to manga. R.I.P 🙏