Renowned manga artist Mitsuru Adachi, creator of timeless works such as Miyuki, Touch, Rough, H2, Cross Game, and MIX, marks the 55th anniversary of his career with a comprehensive exhibition at Sunshine City Exhibition Hall C in Ikebukuro. Titled Mitsuru Adachi 55th Anniversary Exhibition, the show traces his creative journey through original drawings, sketches, immersive installations, and visual storytelling.

©Adachi Mitsuru/Shogakukan
Rather than functioning as a simple retrospective, the exhibition reconsiders manga as an artistic language shaped by line, silence, and the passage of time. From the moment visitors step inside, the atmosphere feels calm yet focused—an environment that reflects the quiet intensity found within Adachi’s work itself.

photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE | ©Adachi Mitsuru/Shogakukan

Tracing the Evolution of Line and Space
Original artwork from Adachi’s earliest series Nine through later masterpieces such as H2, Cross Game, and MIX is presented alongside rare sketches and preparatory drawings. Seen up close, his deceptively simple lines reveal a refined balance of rhythm, restraint, and emotional precision.

photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE | ©Adachi Mitsuru/Shogakukan
Adachi’s distinctive use of white space and minimal dialogue becomes especially striking in this context. His drawings demonstrate how absence—of words, of excessive detail—can carry narrative weight, transforming manga from something merely read into something deeply felt.

photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE | ©Adachi Mitsuru/Shogakukan

Recreating Memory: The Touch Prefab
One of the exhibition’s most memorable sections is the recreation of the iconic prefab building from Touch. Rendered at life scale, the structure allows visitors to physically enter a space that once existed only on the page.

photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE | ©Mitsuru Adachi/Shogakukan
Rather than relying on nostalgia alone, the installation functions as a bridge between fiction and reality. Standing within the recreated environment, visitors experience the subtle atmosphere that defines Adachi’s storytelling—where everyday spaces quietly hold emotional depth.

photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE | ©Mitsuru Adachi/Shogakukan


Characters as Cultural Icons
The exhibition shop offers original merchandise alongside special collaborations with New Era® and Licca-chan, reinterpreting Adachi’s characters through contemporary design. Heroines such as Minami Asakura (Touch) and Miyuki Wakamatsu (Miyuki) are treated not as nostalgic figures, but as enduring cultural icons.

photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE | ©Mitsuru Adachi/Shogakukan
A particularly notable highlight is the limited-edition Touch-label whisky, created in collaboration with WHISKY MEW, which reinforces the exhibition’s approach: translating manga heritage into new cultural contexts.


Voices That Deepen the Experience
An optional audio guide narrated by voice actress Noriko Hidaka adds another dimension to the exhibition. Her calm narration enhances the temporal quality of the drawings, allowing visitors to engage more deeply with the emotional undercurrents of the work. Sight and sound combine to create a quietly immersive experience unique to this exhibition.

Adachi Mitsuru (left) and Hidaka Noriko (right) / photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

Beyond Nostalgia: Manga as Living Culture
What becomes clear throughout the exhibition is that Mitsuru Adachi’s work does not belong solely to the past. The tension within his lines, the pauses between moments, and the emotional resonance of his characters continue to feel relevant today.

photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE | ©Adachi Mitsuru/Shogakukan
Mitsuru Adachi 55th Anniversary Exhibition functions both as a tribute and as a cultural document—one that illustrates how Japanese manga has matured into a sophisticated artistic medium. By shifting manga from something to be read into something to be physically experienced, the exhibition offers a thoughtful reexamination of its expressive power.