What Girls Want - The World of Shojo Manga (Girls' Comics)

Shojo Manga – often translated as ‘comics for girls’ – is a genre of Japanese comic books which has a history spanning many decades in Japan. Contrary to its male counterpart ‘Shonen Manga’, Shojo Manga features narratives of sweet love stories, anguished romances and even real-life issues facing women across a vastly broad range of genres. Whether a sci-fi, fantasy or even period drama, the stories reflect the desires and dreams of its mainly female readership, showing truly what girls want.

In this talk Nozomi Masuda, Associate Professor, Konan Women’s University, Japan, will trace the origins of Shojo Manga from its beginnings in girls’ magazines through to its more recent transformations today, questioning what significance the genre has in Japanese society, and what it has been expressing over its diverse and complex themes.

Following the presentation, Manga artist Eiko Hanamura, one of the pioneers of Shojo Manga, will have a conversation with curator and writer on comics Paul Gravett and Masuda. Together they will look into Hanamura’s work, reflecting on her illustrious career of over half a century in the Manga industry, as well as discussing the phenomenon of Shojo Manga and the impact it has had upon Japanese culture and beyond.

For more information about Eiko Hanamura, please visit: www.eiko-hanamura.com

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