#Riyoko Ikeda

[nicetoart]

queen of swords

[classic-shoujo]

Rose of Versailles (1972) by Riyoko Ikeda

[lenkadeer]

[dawnhorse]

[animefeminist]

Transmasculinity and queer sexuality in the works of Ikeda Riyoko

Content Warning: Discussion of transphobia and suicide

Spoilers for Dear Brother, The Rose of Versailles, and Claudine

Ikeda Riyoko—perhaps the most famous member of the “year 24 group” that played a large part in creating the foundations of the shoujo manga genre—is often credited with laying the groundwork for depictions of queer characters in shoujo, and in particular with creating the archetype of the gender-bending heartthrob heroine, or “girl prince.” Building on earlier representations of butch or transmasculine characters in early shoujo manga such as Princess Knight, and the Takarazuka theater tradition of the otokoyaku male role actor, Ikeda’s enormously popular gender non-conforming heroes—Lady Oscar from The Rose of Versailles, Rei from Dear Brother, Julius from the Window of Orpheus, and the titular character of Claudine—helped to establish that there was a major mainstream audience excited to cheer for a hotheaded, androgynous tomboy with a heart of gold. Lady Oscar in particular has fingerprints all over the history of anime and manga, from a gender-bending cameo in Pokémon to serving as the inspiration for iconic characters like Tenjou Utena.

When I first read The Rose of Versailles last year, I expected its depictions of queer and transmasculine characters to be somewhat limited—after all, the comic was written for mainstream audiences and a mainstream publisher in the 1970s. But across Ikeda’s work, I was deeply surprised with the level of care and nuance with which Ikeda approaches transmasculine love stories. While there is obviously a lot about Ikeda’s portrayal of transmasculine characters that feels dated to modern audiences (for example, her comics often do fall back on “biological” ideas of women’s weakness and emotionality, and sometimes psychologize her character’s genders in uncomfortable ways), I was surprised by how much of these comics still hit for me today. What makes them work for me is both the extreme pathos with which Ikeda writes transmasculine character’s experiences of rejection—and, at rare moments, gender euphoria —but also the fact that her trans characters are not simply given a one-size fits all born-in-the-wrong-body narrative. Instead, they are each portrayed as unique individuals with varied personal relationships to their gender, their sexuality, and the historical context of the society they live in.

Read it at Anime Feminist!

[devilsrains]

rose of versailles 50th anniversary book

[aliciarose-art]

This time 50 years ago, Rose of Versalles was being published for the first time!

[bowonmyhead]

[antynous]

Girls night

[midonart]

"There are two kinds of love in this world: a love of joy... and a love of agony"

[englishotomegames]

The Phantom of the Black Rose Revue

Release date (Windows, Mac OS, Linux) English (Act 1): September 29th, 2023

"1974. Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

The Black Rose Revue, an all-female musical theater troupe steeped in tradition and high esteem, has a new star on the rise. Twenty-two year old Chihiro Sato has quickly become the newest sensation for fans of the Revue. Sweet yet determined, Chihiro is ready to chase her dream: become the most famous musumeyaku in Japan. 

But the theater, a sanctuary of glamour and brilliance, cradles shadows within its embrace.  The corridors buzz with whispers of ghostly apparitions and ominous shadows, intensifying backstage tensions. As Chihiro steps deeper into the limelight, mysterious, increasingly obsessive letters begin to adorn her vanity,  which grow steadily more obsessive with every message sent. 

Will you sculpt a destiny steeped in unparalleled fame? Embark on a romance that will be sung through the ages? Or unearth secrets draped in shadows, whispering of forbidden truths? The threads of fate are in your hands, waiting to be woven into the tapestry of the unknown…

'The Phantom of the Black Rose Revue: Act 1' includes 19 animated CGs, 13 original music tracks, and an introduction to the world, mysteries, and love interests of the Revue!"

This is the first act of a visual novel created for Spooktober 2023. It is a free yuri visual novel based on 1970's style shoujo manga, particularly that of Riyoko Ikeda. You can download it from itch.io here!

[nicetoart]

I'm the only one who's praying for you

[hakonohanayome]

Oniisama e... - Riyoko Ikeda

[jariten]

ベルサイユのばら (Rose of Versailles), Riyoko Ikeda

[zoldyck-pilled]

love riyoko ikeda and her tragic blonde gnc queers

[roseillith]

Oniisama e bd scans w/ interviews with Riyoko Ikeda, Aiko Sugino and Osamu Dezaki