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Manga Creator Rieko Takeishi Dies

Manga creator Kazumi Yamashita announced on her X/Twitter account on Thursday that her sister, former manga creator Rieko Takeishi, had died after an eight-year battle with an unspecified illness.

Takeishi drew shōjo manga mainly in the 1980s, drawing manga such as Reiko-san ga Iku, Tengoku-teki Saijitsu, Shigeki-kun no Akarui Seikatsu, and Uchi no Fusaku. She also drew one-shots such as "RAINBOW," "Heaven & Hell," "HOSPITAL," and "Taste of Mom."

Takeishi drew many manga for the now-defunct JUNE magazine, which was the first publication in Japan that focused on telling stories about homosexual relationships for a female audience. She also drew manga for the Petit Comic magazine.

Yamashita is herself known for such manga as Twisted Sisters and the award-winning Land manga. Yamashita noted in the announcement that she found out later that the memorial photo used for Takeishi was taken by the famous American rock-and-roll photographer Bob Gruen, and she thanked Gruen for taking such a wonderful photo.

Source: Kazumi Yamashita's X/Twitter account