Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage Exhibits Shin-ichi Sakamoto's 'Innocent' Art Prints at Azabudai Hills (Tokyo)

Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage has created collotype prints of an illustration featuring Marie Antoinette from Shin-ichi Sakamoto's "Innocent Rouge." These works will be exhibited and sold at their gallery in Azabudai Hills.

Shin-ichi Sakamoto "Innocent / Sleeping Marie Antoinette" (2025, Collotype print) ed,20 ©Shin-ichi Sakamoto / Shueisha Inc.

Shin-ichi Sakamoto's "Innocent" and "Innocent Rouge" depict a brother and sister from a family of executioners who live "innocently" through the French Revolution in 18th-century Paris. The story follows Charles-Henri Sanson, who directed the execution of King Louis XVI by beheading, and his younger sister, Marie-Joseph Sanson. The work continues to astound readers both in Japan and overseas with its "tremendous drawing skills" and questions like "Is this a manga? Or is it a painting?"

Shin-ichi Sakamoto "Innocent / Sleeping Marie Antoinette" (Detail)

Although Sakamoto creates his art entirely digitally, stating, "Since transitioning to digital drawing, I no longer have to worry about the paper tearing," his level of detail is overwhelming. Braided hair, delicate lace, sparkling accessories, shining glasses, and carpet patterns are all drawn with extreme precision. Furthermore, the facial lines of characters like Marie Antoinette are given a soft nuance through a technique where the initially drawn lines are erased and blurred with extremely fine strokes.

From this masterpiece, we selected a scene depicting Marie Antoinette sleeping on the floor with nobles after endless parties at the Palace of Versailles, and transformed it into an artwork using the collotype printing process.

Shin-ichi Sakamoto "Innocent / Sleeping Marie Antoinette" (Details)

Collotype is a printing technique invented in 1855 by French scientist Alphonse Poitevin. It was widely used from the late 19th century for postcards, albums, and art catalogs. Recognized as the oldest practical photoengraving technique, it is historically proven that images fixed with this method can survive for over 100 years. In 1887, it was printed in monochrome double-tone at the collotype workshop of Benrido (Kyoto), a company founded in the Meiji era. The paper selected is "PUR COTON COCAINE" from Zuber Rieder (France). The finished size is 574mm x 400mm.

Edition 20. Hand-signed by Shin-ichi Sakamoto.

Shin-ichi Sakamoto "Innocent / Sleeping Marie Antoinette" Exhibition View

For the exhibition, the world depicted in the artwork is recreated within the gallery space. The setting features roses, playing cards, and glasses scattered on the floor, combined with fantastic red and pink lighting.

Exhibition Period: April 28 (Tue) to June 28 (Sun), 2026.

Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage Tokyo Gallery
Address: Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza A B1, 5-8-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001
Access: About a 1-minute walk from Exit 5 of Kamiyacho Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.
Business Hours: 11:00 - 20:00
Closed: Please check the official website.

Shin-ichi Sakamoto
Born July 19, 1972, in Osaka Prefecture.
In 1990, he won the 70th Hop Step Award in Weekly Shonen Jump for "Keith!!", which became his debut work. He is known for his realistic depictions in "Kokou no Hito" (The Climber), "Innocent," and "Innocent Rouge." He began drawing fully digitally with "Innocent." He mentions that shifting to digital art opened up a new world for him, allowing him to "redraw as many times as needed" and "push expression to the absolute limit."
"Kokou no Hito" won the Excellence Award at the 14th Japan Media Arts Festival. "Innocent" was selected as a Jury Recommended Work at the 17th Japan Media Arts Festival, nominated for the 18th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, and ranked 7th in the Manga Taisho 2015. "Innocent Rouge" was selected as a Jury Recommended Work at the 21st and 22nd Japan Media Arts Festivals. As of 2026, he is currently serializing "#DRCL" in Grand Jump.