Zodiac Woman: Poets Narcissus

Between 1973 and 1974, before she married Matsumoto and abandoned her manga career, Maki Miyako (1935–) created a series of ten sophisticated dramas about young women’s lives and loves based on their zodiac signs. These appeared in the popular women’s weekly Women Themselves (女性自身 | Josei Jishin), which anticipated the introduction in the 1980s of redikomi (ladies’ comics).

Alongside her much-loved Shōjo illustration work, the artist also created a range of dolls during the 1960s and 1970s. Known as ‘Licca-chan’, at their peak their popularity rivalled that of Barbie.

This work features in Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics, a Barbican International Enterprises exhibition, curated by Paul Gravett. Mangasia presents a vivid journey through the art of Comics and visual storytelling across Asia. From its historical roots to the most recent digital innovations, the exhibition looks to popular Japanese ‘Manga’ and beyond, highlighting key creators, characters and publications.