Masako Watanabe, the renowned Japanese shōjo manga artist best known for The Castle of Glass, has died at the age of 97. According to Kyodo News, Watanabe passed away on October 3, with news of her death reported on October 13, 2026.
Watanabe became prominent during the 1960s through works such as The White Horse Girl and Mother. Her stories explored emotional bonds between mothers and daughters and between sisters, helping shape shōjo manga focused on girls’ inner lives, relationships, and aspirations.
Watanabe’s best-known work, The Castle of Glass, explored the opposing sides of human nature through a girl’s inner struggles. The manga earned her the 1971 Shogakukan Manga Award and remains a defining title in her career. Her later work, Castle Rosarind, moved into suspense and horror, demonstrating her ability to explore darker storytelling.
Her achievements extended beyond individual manga. The Japan Media Arts Festival’s profile of Watanabe records her 2002 Japan Cartoonists Association Award and the Order of the Rising Sun, Fourth Class, which she received in 2006.
Watanabe’s work helped shape shōjo manga through its emotional storytelling and exploration of female characters, leaving a lasting mark on generations of readers and creators.
