YEAR 24 GROUP
A group of women who revolutionized the world of shōjo manga and the vision of the female mangaka.
They are known as the Year 24 Group or as Forty-Niners since they were all born around the year 24 of the Shōwa era (1949)
The entrance of women to the dedication of manga as a profession was very slow, since until then being a mangaka was a well-accepted job only for men. Meanwhile, Japanese women were still tied to housework.
But Japan after losing World War II was occupied for 7 years by the United States, which caused changes in Japanese customs. Beate Sirota, an American defender of women's rights, introduced legal equality between men and women in the 1947 constitution. She also gave the right to marriage by mutual agreement and lastly she gave women the right to divorce, to own/buy property and to inherit. Thanks to Sirota, women were freed little by little from being housewives, if they wanted, and were able to dedicate themselves to jobs that were previously considered for men, more naturally.
During the 70s, after the student strikes, the scourge of modernity and the sexual revolution, the mangakas of the Year 24 Group began to debut and the manga stopped having molds.
The Magnificent Forty-Niners cast aside the innocence of the female mangaka that preceded them, yet are aware of their limitations, praise their achievements, and serve as an influence.
The women of the Year 24 Group were by no means conformists, as evidenced in their works and private lives, and made shōjo an exploratory category in which they included new genres that had never been touched before in this demographic. Until now, Shōjo was mainly (if not only) about the simple life of high school girls, it was just about the slice of life. But these ladies gave depth to the characters, filling them with philosophical or existential questions and on several occasions the girls stopped having the leading role. They introduced other genres such as science fiction, shōnen-ai (currently bl, love between two men) or bildungsroman and included elements such as the exploration of sexuality, genderqueer characters, adult women, vampires or rock and roll. And they dared to place their stories in places outside of Japan and in the past.
Moto Hagio was the core of the Year 24 Group and shared an apartment outside of Tokyo with another top Forty-Niner, Keiko Takemiya, for 3 years (1970-1973). Later the apartment became the Ōisumigakuen or Ōizumi Salon, a center where beginner mangaka girls will go to learn about manga, help each other and share ideas.
Gradually they gained popularity. Moto Hagio, Keiko Takemiya, Riyoko Ikeda, Yasuko Aoike, Toshie Kihara, Minori Kimura, Yumiko Oshima, Nanae Sasaya and Ryoko Yamagishi, all of them are part of the Year 24 Group whether they are more or less known in the West, in Japan they won their recognition.
— MŌTO HAGIO (1949-)
Currently she is the best known of the "Year 24 Group". Although she liked to draw since she was a child and in adolescence she was clear that she wanted to dedicate herself to manga, she did not have it easy since her mother didn't like it.
♡ The Poe Clan (1972-1976)
- Shōjo/josei (fantasy, horror)
- Spanish
♡ Otherworld Barbara (2002-2005)
- Josei (science fiction)
- English
—KEIKO TAKEMIYA (1950-)
Is dedicated to the teaching and dissemination of manga and also to preserve and reproduce manga with historical value.
♡ The Song of Wind and Trees (1976-84)
- Shōjo (shōnen-ai/bl)
- Spanish
♡ Tera e... (1977-1980)
- Shōnen (space opera)
- Spanish
—RIYOKO IKEDA ♡ (1947-)
♡ The Rose of Versailles (1972-1973)
Studied philosophy at university while drawing manga, although she finally had to leave his studies due to pressure.
- Shōjo (historical, romance)
- Spanish / english
♡ Oniisama e... (1973-1975)
- Shōjo (drama, slice of life)
—YASUKO AOIKE (1948-)
Debuted at the age of 15 by winning an award from a magazine. The vast majority of her works are or have shōnen-ai elements, since she grew up surrounded by strong men (her family had a construction company).
♡ From Eroica with Love (1976-2012)
- Shōjo (comedy, action, bl)
♡ Sons of Eve (1976-1979)
-shōjo (comedy, bl)
—RYOKO YAMAGISHI (1947-)
As a child practiced ballet, an element that is part of many of her works. And she introduced yuri as a genre in shōjo.
♡ Hi Izuru Tokoro no tenshi (1980-84)
- Shōjo (supernatural, historical)
♡ Shiroi Heya no Futari (1971)
- Shōjo (yuri)
—TOSHIE KIHARA (1948-)
The vast majority of her works are considered Josei, because they are not fanciful or humorous (there are exceptions). Some of her mangas have served as inspiration for musicals performed by the all-female Takarazuka Revue.
♡ Angelique (1977-1979)
- Shōjo (romance, historical)
♡ Mari to Shingo (1979-1984)
-Shōjo (bl, historical)
—NANAE SASAYA (1950-)
She is the youngest of four siblings. Her father wanted all his children to go to university and become teachers, but she gave it up to dedicate herself to manga. Is known for her horror stories with occult themes.
♡ Glass no penguin (1983)
- Josei ( Drama Slice of life)
♡ Makiko (1976)
- Shōjo (romantic comedy)
—YUMIKO OSHIMA (1947-)
Implanted new ways of making manga. Likes characters' thoughts being free on the page instead of in speech bubbles.
♡ Wata no Kuni Hoshi (1978-1987)
- Shōjo (fantasy, Romance)
♡ Gou Gou Datte Neko de Aru(1996-2011)
- josei (slice of life)
—MINORI KIMURA (1949-)
She debuted professionally at the age of 14 and, despite her very little recognition in the West, she is considered one of the brightest members of the "Year 24 Group". Some of her works are educational and deal with health issues.
♡ Umibe no Cain (1980-1981)
-shōjo (yuri)
♡ Ai-chan wo sagashite (2011)
- shōjo (slice of life)
The effort of each of them was not in vain. The women of the Year 24 Group have achieved great awards and recognition over the years. They were nominated for 10 years in a row for one of the most prestigious Science Fiction awards in Japan, the Seiun Awards, and won up to 6 times (1978 y 1988). Moto Hagio won the Seiun Award in 1980, 1983 and 1985. They have also been awarded another of the most prestigious awards, but this time it is for manga, the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Award. Moto Hagio was the first person to receive the Osamu Tekuza Award for Excellence (1997). Some years later Ryoko Yamagishi and Keiko Takemiya also won it.
The Forty-Niners were the main and most relevant mangaka, but it doesn't mean that other female mangaka didn't arise during that time. Perhaps they didn't have such a revolutionary ideology or innovative way of making manga as the women of the Year 24 Group, but they also contributed to the world of manga (like Sumika Yamamoto with her manga Ace wo Nerae!)
The mark that these mangakas have left and continue to leave is not small at all. They have reinvented, innovated and set aside the limits. They made great strides despite having many things against them and thanks to all that, their works are classics today and all of them influence many current artists.
