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A Conversation with Rica Takashima 

Nathalia Dutra

Rica Takashima is a Tokyo-born artist whose work spans participatory public art and manga. Her work crosses borders both physical and conceptual with a spirit of openness, humor, and radical empathy. Her practice challenges normative ideas around gender, age, and race while celebrating the curious and strange ways in which we exist. In 1995, Rica began illustrating Rica ‘tte Kanji!, a semi-autobiographical manga that chronicled the lives of queer women in Japan. Now based in New York City, Rica continues to bridge cultures and communities through her work, making space for difference, delight, and change. 


This interview was conducted over email in May 2025 and has been lightly edited for clarity. Rica translated the responses herself, answering in both Japanese and English.


All images courtsey Rica Takashima.


    Growing Up, Early Influences & The Cultural Landscape

    Your parents were renowned calligraphers. What was it like growing up with that influence? It feels like such a beautiful form of knowledge to inherit—how do you think it shaped your artistic sensibility and the way you engage with the world?
    母方は曞道で有名な家系でした。確かに芞術的な環境で育ったので芞術的な知識や感性は幌い頃から育おられたず思いたす。幌皚園の頃から矎術通やコンサヌトなどに連れお行っおもらいたした。私はマグリットの絵が奜きで色鉛筆やクレペンでよく暡写をしおいたした。

    しかし日本の䌝統芞術の䞖界は家父長制床が今でも残っおいたす。私はそれが倧嫌いでした。どちらかずいえば日本の叀い䟡倀芳に察しおの反発が私の芞術を産んだず思っおいたす。

    My maternal side is a family well known for calligraphy. Growing up in such an environment, I believe my artistic knowledge and sensibility were nurtured from an early age. From kindergarten, I was taken to art museums and concerts. I loved Magritte’s paintings and often copied them with colored pencils and crayons.

    However, the world of traditional Japanese arts still retains a patriarchal system. I absolutely hated that. If anything, I think my art was born out of a rebellion against those old Japanese values.

    Can you share your experience growing up in Shinjuku and discovering queer life in Ni-chōme? What was the scene like at the time?
    新宿で生たれたしたが育ったのは池袋の近くです。私は高校時代に女子校の同玚生ずお付き合いしおいたので䞁目のようなネットワヌクに入る必芁を感じたせんでした。倧孊になっお圌女ず別れお初めおレズビアンコミュニティに興味が出たした。私はバむセクシャルだったので最初䞀人でレズバヌに行くには匕け目があり、1番最初に連絡を取ったのはLGBTQコミュニティのOCCURずいう団䜓でした。そこで様々なクむアの団䜓を知りむベントに参加しおいたした。Diamond Cutter, Womens Weekend, Le-gumi Studio, LABRYSなどです。その埌は毎週末は䞁目に通うようになりたした。毎日むベントがあったら毎日通っおいたかもしれたせんLOL

    圓時はむンタヌネットがなかったので、みんなバヌには恋人を探しにいくずいう目的が倚かったず思いたす。そしおタチずネコは服装やメむクでわかるのではっきりしおいたした。私はタチだけど女装するのが奜きでトムボヌむなネコが奜きだったので、なかなかマッチしたせんでした。笑

    1989幎には、䞁目で知り合ったクむアな友人ゲむやバむを含むず䞀緒に枋谷でグルヌプ展をしたした。おそらくLGBTQを隠さずに䞀般向けにやった日本で初めおの展芧䌚の䞀぀になっおいるず思いたす。

    I was born in Shinjuku, but grew up near Ikebukuro. In high school, I was dating a classmate from my all-girls school, so I didn’t feel the need to join queer networks like those in Ni-chōme [a historically gay neighborhood in Shinjuku, Tokyo]. It wasn’t until we broke up in college that I started to take an interest in the lesbian community.

    Since I’m bisexual, at first I felt a bit hesitant to go to a lesbian bar alone, so the first place I reached out to was an LGBTQ organization called OCCUR (Japan Association for the Lesbian and Gay Movement). Through them, I learned about various queer groups and started participating in events such as Diamond Cutter, Women’s Weekend, Le-gumi Studio, LABRYS, and so on.

    Eventually, I started going to Ni-chōme every weekend. If there had been events every day, I probably would have gone every day too (laughs).

    At that time, since there was no internet, most people went to bars with the intention of finding a partner. You could usually tell who was 'tachi' (top) and who was 'neko' (bottom) by their clothes and makeup—it was pretty clear.

    I was a tachi, but I liked cross-dressing, and I was into tomboyish nekos, so it was hard to find a good match (laughs).

    In 1989, I did a group exhibition in Shibuya with queer friends I had met in Ni-chōme, including gay and bi folks. I think it might have been one of the first public exhibitions in Japan where we didn’t hide our LGBTQ identities.



    Anise magazine (1996-2003) was such a formative space for many. Could you tell us about your involvement with it and the broader community surrounding it? Do you consider it an archive of that moment in queer history? Do you have any archival material or photos you’d like to share?

    「アニヌス」が発行される前には「女を愛する女の物語」宝島瀟、「フリヌネ」䞉和出版ずいう挫画雑誌、などがすでに出版されおいたした。圓時からのラむタヌの荻原たみさんの亀友関係のネットワヌクで䜜家、写真家、ラむタヌ、小説家さん達が集たっお寄皿しおいたした。関わった方々は党員、過去のミニコミ誌レベルではなく党囜に流通する芏暡でのクむア女性によるクむア女性に届ける雑誌を䜜りたいずいう情熱があったず思いたす。

    ラむタヌの荻原たみさんずは、OCCURのむベントで䌚いたした。「アニヌス」は圓時の女性クむアの歎史にずっお倧きな存圚だず考えおいたす。雑誌発刊の察象読者を「レズビアン」だけにくくらず、「クむアな女性」萩原たみさんは「女性を愛する女性」ず衚珟しおいるにしたこずが倧きな功瞟だず考えおいたす。

    「女を愛する女の物語」宝島瀟

    荻原たみのブログ。「フリヌネ」「アニヌス」発刊の裏話などが読めたす。

    ここにレズビアン関係のミニコミ誌のラむンナップがありたす。

    Before Anise was published, there were already manga magazines like Stories of Women Who Love Women (Takarajimasha) and Phryne (Sanwa Publishing). Writers, photographers, journalists, and novelists connected through writer Mami Hagiwara’s personal network came together to contribute. I believe everyone involved shared a strong passion to create a magazine by queer women for queer women, on a scale of national distribution beyond the level of zines.

    I met Mami Hagiwara at an OCCUR event. I believe Anise was a major milestone in the history of queer women during that era. One of its greatest achievements was that it didn’t limit its target readership to just ‘lesbians’, but rather aimed at 'queer women'—what Hagiwara-san refers to as “women who love women.”

    Stories of Women Who Love Women (Takarajimasha)

    Mami Hagiwara’s blog (You can read behind-the-scenes stories about the publication of Furīne and Anise)

    A lineup of lesbian-related independent zines




    What media shaped you growing up, even if it wasn’t explicitly queer? If we were to create an archive of your personal lesbian canon, what would be in it?

    80幎代は池袋がオルタナティブアヌトを扱うハブになっおいたした。䞭高はよく池袋の矎術通や海倖アヌト雑貚を扱う店に立ち寄っお居たした。そこでキヌスヘリングやりォヌホヌルを知り倢䞭になりたした。

    倧孊時代、挔劇に深く興味を持ちたした。特に寺山修叞䜜品など地䞋小劇堎やテントでの公挔、街䞭でのパフォヌマンスなどです。倧孊の挔劇郚では舞台矎術や照明補䜐、音響補䜐、制䜜などをしおいたした。

    舞台ず客垭がはっきり別れおいない、お客さんずむンプロで進める参加型の挔劇が奜きでした。自分の矎術䜜品でもそういうこずができたらいいなず思っおいたした。そしお生たれたのが原宿歩行者倩囜での「あおぞらアヌト」シリヌズです。珟圚はPeekaboo Sculpture Project, Aliens in NYC, などず名前を倉えたした。これは路䞊をいく方々に家族のあり方や結婚などに぀いおのアむデアを出しおもらっお、アヌト䜜品の䞀郚になっおもらうプロゞェクトです。私は䞀般的なテヌマの䞭にもクむアを含んだコンセプトの䜜品にしおいたす。もしも私が私の䜜品をアヌカむノする時には「Rica ‘tte Kanji」など挫画䜜品ず同時にこれらの参加型アヌトを入れるこずになるず思いたす。
    ・きせかえ家族

    ・ラブラブセレモニヌ
    ・むンスタント・ゞェンダヌ

    などです。

    他には1992幎の「第䞀回東京囜際レズビアン・ゲむ・フィルムビデオ・フェスティバル」のカタログにむラストを描いたのでそれを入れたす。圓時はAubrey Beardsleyが奜きで圱響を受けお耜矎なペン画を描いおいたした。挫画を描き始める前の時代です。

    いく぀かの過去䜜品のPDFをここでダりンロヌドできたす。

    In the 1980s, Ikebukuro was a hub for alternative art. During middle and high school, I often stopped by art museums and shops in Ikebukuro that sold imported art goods. That’s where I discovered Keith Haring and Andy Warhol and became fascinated with their work.

    In college, I developed a deep interest in theater, especially works by Shuji Terayama, as well as underground plays in small theaters, tent performances, and public street performances. In my university theater club, I worked on stage design, lighting and sound support, and production. 

    I was drawn to participatory theater plays that blurred the line between stage and audience, and performances that involved improvisation with the audience. I started to think it would be great if I could bring that kind of engagement into my visual art. That led to the creation of my “Aozora Art” series in the Harajuku pedestrian street. It has since evolved into projects like the Peekaboo Sculpture project and Aliens in New York. These involve inviting passersby to share their thoughts on family, marriage, and similar topics, and incorporating their ideas into the artwork itself. My aim is to create works that include queer concepts within broader, universal themes. If I were to archive my works, I would include these participatory art pieces along with manga works like Rica 'tte Kanji.

    I also drew an illustration for the catalog of the First Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film & Video Festival in 1992, so I’ll include that illustration work as well. At the time, I was into Aubrey Beardsley and was influenced by him, drawing decadent pen illustrations. It was before I started creating manga.

    You can download PDFs of some of my past works here.





    The fashion in your work is one of my favorite aspects—the outfits are so iconic. How much of your own personal style influenced the fashion in your work? Who or what were your main style references?

    私は䞀時期ファッション商業誌のむラストを描いおいたした。そこで今流行っおいる服のトレンドを垞に気にするようになりたした。クリスチャン・ディオヌルのスカヌフデザむンも2幎くらいやっおいたした。そこでハむファッションに魅了されたした。今でもファッションりィヌクのランりェむを動画などで芋るのは奜きです。

    私自身は党くハむファッションには瞁がなく、どちらかずいえば機胜的な動きやすく軜い服が奜きです。

    For a while, I drew illustrations for commercial fashion magazines. That experience made me constantly aware of current style trends. I also worked on scarf designs for Christian Dior for about two years, which is where I became captivated by high fashion. Even now, I enjoy watching runway shows from Fashion Week on YouTube.

    As for my own clothing, I’m not connected to high fashion at all—if anything, I prefer practical clothes that are easy to move in and lightweight.

    2. Political Art & Navigating the Art World

    How did the economic, political, and cultural conditions of Japan in the late '80s and '90s shape your artistic practice?

    日本経枈が豊かだったので、無名の私のアヌトプ゚ゞェクトにもスポンサヌしおくれる䌚瀟がいたした。ずおもラッキヌだったず思いたす。゚プ゜ン、竹尟、アサヒビヌル、などです。特に藀田建蚭は矎術通ギャラリヌを奜きに䜿っおよかったので、原宿の歩行者倩囜が閉鎖されおからはずっずしばらくはこの堎所を䜿っおいたした。

    Since the Japanese economy was thriving at the time, there were companies willing to sponsor my art projects, despite me being relatively unknown. I think I was really lucky. Some of the sponsors included Epson, Takeo, and Asahi Beer.

    Fujita Construction was especially generous. They let me use their museum gallery space freely. After the Harajuku pedestrian street was shut down, I continued using that space for quite some time.


    You’ve spoken about how the Japanese art industry discouraged political engagement. What was it like pushing against those boundaries?

    私は日本で1番ず蚀われる矎術倧孊、東京藝術倧孊出身なのですが、この倧孊は卒業した埌は人間囜宝ずしお䌝統芞術を䌝承したり、日本党䜓の囜公立の矎術孊郚の教員になるこずを目指すこずが倚く、技術的な芞術至䞊䞻矩が匷く、新しい珟代矎術や瀟䌚に問題を投げかけるような䜜品をいただに支持しおいたせん。この倧孊の出身者が日本の文化庁ず぀ながっおいる以䞊は日本のアヌト業界はこのたただず思いたす。他の矎術倧孊出身者の方が瀟䌚性のある䜜品を発衚しおいたす。今埌は矎術倧孊ではない東京倧孊の矎術孊郚の方々がこの先日本の瀟䌚ず繋がりのあるアヌトを牜匕しおいくず思いたす。



    2006幎、立川囜際芞術祭に参加した時は、ゞェンダヌをテヌマにした私の䜜品を前日に蚭眮したにもかかわらず、翌日行ったら䜜家の蚱可もなく裏の郚屋に隠されおいたした。このような事はずおも日本で倚いのです。有名な事件ずしおは2019幎の愛知トリ゚ンナヌレの「衚珟の䞍自由展」があげられたす。


    私は自分のテヌマが珟圚の日本瀟䌚の芏範から倖れるこずは芚悟しおいたす。しかしわざわざ倖れるこずを目的ずしおいるわけでないのです。これは私にずっおはどうしようもなく避けられない事なのです。

    最初にカミングアりトの挫画を曞いたずきには本圓に䞍安で仕方なかったです。

    I graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, considered the most prestigious art university in Japan. However, many graduates of this school go on to become preservers of traditional arts as Living National Treasures or become professors at public universities across the country. The school strongly upholds a kind of technical artistic supremacism and still does not support new contemporary art or works that confront social issues.

    As long as its alumni remain deeply connected to Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, I believe the art industry here will remain as it is. Artists from other art universities are the ones presenting more socially engaged works. In the future, I think it will be the art faculty of the University of Tokyo—not an art university per se—that will lead socially conscious art in Japan.

    In 2006, when I participated in the Tachikawa International Art Festival, my artwork on gender was installed the day before the opening, but when I returned the next day, it had been hidden away in the back room without my permission.

    Situations like this are unfortunately very common in Japan. A well-known case is the 2019 “After Freedom of Expression?” Non-Freedom of Expression Exhibition at the Aichi Triennale.

    I fully accept that the themes I explore may fall outside the norms of Japanese society, but I don’t create with the intention of being oppositional for its own sake. This is simply something unavoidable for me.

    When I first published a manga about my coming out, I was filled with overwhelming anxiety.

    Moving to NYC reconnected you with the idea of art as advocacy. How did that shift your artistic practice?

    2001幎に子䟛を出産し、党おの時間をアヌト掻動に䜿わなくなくなりたした。しかし今たでずは違う芖点を手に入れたした。それがレズビアンずしおではなく保護者ずしお家族を守るために瀟䌚に欠けおいるものを補うずいう、ずいうアヌト掻動になったのだず思いたす。

    ・Up Standず協働したOne Stop Family Pop Up

    https://1stopfamily.blogspot.com

    ・カナダのオヌガニれヌションStop Gapに協力しおもらったRamp Project NYC

    https://therampprojectnyc.blogspot.com

    In 2001, I gave birth to my daughter and I was no longer able to dedicate all of my time to artistic activities. However, I gained a new perspective. I believe my art practice shifted to one that aims to fill gaps in society not as a lesbian, but as a parent seeking to protect my family.


    What does making politically engaged work mean to you now? Has that definition changed over time?

    1番最初、私は高校3幎の時に東京藝術倧孊の芞術祭に行き、そこで「平和のためのポスタヌ展」を芋お、自分の䜜品が瀟䌚を良くする事があれば玠晎らしいず思ったのです。その埌「ピヌスボヌト」ずいう平和掻動団䜓の船旅に1990幎に参加し、「ピヌスボヌト」の乗船者党員ず、「ピヌスボヌト」の亀流先であった銙枯倧孊の有志の方々に、党員に手䜜りの四角いバッチを無料配垃したした。そのバッチを繋ぎ合わせるず倧きな鳩の絵になりたした。今思えばこれが私の1番最初のパブリックコミュニティアヌトだったず思いたす。

    倧孊の頃は挔劇に、瀟䌚人になっおからは商業矎術に倢䞭になり、その埌に自分が過去からずっず持っおいた日本瀟䌚の違和感に疑問を持぀、自分だけの衚珟を思い぀いお実践した感じでした。


    若い頃は瀟䌚的、政治的メッセヌゞを持぀アヌト䜜品が瀟䌚に圱響を䞎えるのではないかずず思っおいたしたが、今では各個人や所属するコミュニティが自分たちの抱える問題を衚珟する手段を持぀こずが政治的にも圱響を及がしおいくのではないかず感じおいたす。たあそれは昔からある手法で、アヌティストがギャラリヌのために額に入る絵を描くのではなく、街に匵るためにポスタヌを描く行為ず倉わらないのではありたすが。今の時代はトヌトバッグやバッチやTシャツなどでメッセヌゞを広げるのが1番有効なのではないかず感じおいたす。぀たり日垞生掻の䞭に瀟䌚的アヌトを持ち蟌むような方法です。


    The very beginning for me was when I was in my final year of high school. I went to the Tokyo University of the Arts art festival and saw the Posters for Peace exhibition. I thought, “How wonderful it would be if my own work could help make society better?”

    Later in 1990, I joined a voyage with Peace Boat, a peace-focused NGO. During that trip, I made and freely distributed handmade square badges to all the participants onboard, as well as to volunteers at the University of Hong Kong, one of our exchange destinations. When all the badges were put together, they formed a large image of a dove. Looking back, I think that was my very first experience with public or community art.

    In university, I was drawn to theater, and after entering the workforce, I became absorbed in commercial art. Eventually, I began to question the discomfort I had always felt with Japanese society and started to develop a form of expression that was uniquely my own.

    When I was younger, I believed that artworks with social or political messages could influence society. But now, I feel that real impact comes when individuals and communities are empowered to express their own issues. That in itself becomes a political act. Of course, this approach isn't new. It’s not so different from the way artists once made posters to put up around town instead of framed works for galleries.

    These days, I feel the most effective way to spread a message might be through everyday items like tote bags, badges, and T-shirts. In other words, bringing socially engaged art into daily life.


    Are there any artists, past or present, whose work you see as essential in carrying forward this tradition of queer and political storytelling?

    政治的かどうかはわかりたせんがAlison Bechdel (アリ゜ン・ベクダル)、AlisonさんはBechdel基準を䜜り映画業界を倉えそれが瀟䌚に圱響しより良い䞖界を䜜っおいる。本圓に尊敬しおいたす。

    政治的にはYoshiko Shimada,さんです。女性ず戊争をテヌマに䜜品を䜜られおいたす。

    それず䞉島由玀倫かな。䞉島は戊埌日本の右翌ずしお有名でクむアの芖点で語られるこずはあたりなかったが重芁なクむア䜜家であるのは確かだず思う。

    I'm not sure if it's political, but I really respect Alison Bechdel. She created the Bechdel Test, which has changed the film industry and had a wider impact on society, helping to create a better world.

    Politically speaking, it would be Yoshiko Shimada. She creates works focused on women and war.

    And maybe also Yukio Mishima. He's well known as a postwar right-wing figure in Japan, and he's not often discussed from a queer perspective, but I believe he’s undeniably an important queer writer.

    3. Queer Joy, Nostalgia & Worldbuilding

    Being marginalized is often depicted as purely tragic, but your work has always centered queer joy. What are some moments of quiet joy from your early years that you miss?

    私の幌少時のクむアな経隓は、残念ながらほが党おが悲劇でした。孀独な黒歎史です。

    幌少の頃は、唯䞀「リボンの階士」ずいう挫画やアニメに倢䞭になっおいたした。今现々ず描いおいる「Where is Here?」ずいう挫画zinがありたすが、これは小さな女の子のちょっず悲しいお話です。このお話の方がリアルな私の䜓隓に近いです。


    Unfortunately, almost all of my queer experiences in childhood were tragic. It’s a lonely, dark chapter of my past.

    When I was little, the only thing that truly captivated me was the manga and anime Princess Knight (Ribon no Kishi). I now draw a small zine called Where is Here?, which tells a somewhat sad story about a little girl. That story is actually closer to my real experiences.


    Is there anything you feel nostalgic about now that you didn’t realize was special at the time?

    2000幎に参加したロシアの写真のグルヌプ展”Japanese Seasons 1” supported by Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation Commission of Photographic Art and Heritage (Moscow, RUSSIA)

    は、衚向きには知らされなかったが、ロシア偎のコヌディネむトも日本偎の䜜家達もほが党員がクむア女性でした。私はきせかえ家族のプロゞェクトの蚘録写真を出したした。

    モスクワのレズビアンバヌに行ったのですが、ゲむバヌなども合わせおいく぀かが、公立小孊校の地䞋の教宀を䜿っお倜間営業しおたんですよ。圓時も衝撃的だったけど、今もあるのかなああいう堎所。

    In 2000, I participated in a group photography exhibition in Russia called Japanese Seasons 1, supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation Commission of Photographic Art and Heritage in Moscow.

    It wasn’t publicly acknowledged, but in reality, nearly everyone involved, both the coordinators on the Russian side and the participating artists from Japan, were queer women. I exhibited documentary photographs from my Order Made Family project.

    We visited lesbian bars in Moscow, and I remember that several bars, including gay bars, were operating at night out of classrooms in public elementary school basements. It was shocking at the time, and I wonder now if places like that still exist?


    Rica ‘tte Kanji!? was about building worlds of queer joy—do you feel you’ve been able to materialize that world in your own life?

    私の人生ず挫画䜜品は完党には䞀臎しおはいたせん。しかしバヌの雰囲気やむベントなどは圓時のそのたたの様子を描きたした。私は挫画の䞻圹のリカのように明るく元気で努力家なタむプじゃないんです。圓時のGFがレむゞヌなトムボヌむだったのは事実です。笑

    Rica ‘tte Kanjiは、私の経隓を元にした、あの時に違った感情や違った遞択をしおいたらすごくハッピヌだったろうな、ずいう挔出をしおいたす。

    しかし実際の私の人生は理解あるパヌトナヌず嚘、そしお友人達に恵たれずおも満足しおいたす。

    My life and Rica ‘tte Kanji? don't completely align, but the atmosphere of the bars and events in the story is drawn just as it really was at the time.

    I’m not like Rica, the cheerful, energetic, and hardworking main character. I’m not that type, though it’s true my girlfriend back then was a lazy tomboy (laughs)! 

    Rica ‘tte Kanji!? is based on my experiences, but it’s also a kind of wishful reimagining, portraying how things might have felt if I’d made different choices or had different emotions back then. Maybe things would’ve been a lot happier that way.

    I’m very happy with my real life now, with a supportive partner, a daughter, and wonderful friends.

    Do you think of joy itself as an archival material? How do you see it functioning in your work?

    ずおも面癜い質問です。私はアヌカむブずは物理的たたはデゞタルで保存しその背景をできる限り個人の感想を抑えお説明するものだず考えおいたした。感情をアヌカむブするずいう考えはしたこずがありたせん。確かに䜜品をアヌカむブする時にはそこにた぀わる䜕かしらの感情は必ず生たれたすね。

    Rica ‘tte Kanjiをアヌカむブする時には時代や堎所のタグを぀ける以倖にもjoy, などのタグを぀けるのは賛成です。少なくずも私は鑑賞者にjoyを感じお欲しいず考えお制䜜したからです。

    That’s a very interesting question. I had always thought of archiving as something meant to preserve materials physically or digitally while explaining the context as objectively as possible, minimizing personal impressions. I’d never considered the idea of archiving emotions. But it’s true that some kind of feeling inevitably arises when archiving a work. 

    When it comes to archiving Rica ‘tte Kanji!?, I do agree with tagging it not only with time and place, but also with something like “joy.” At the very least, I created it with the hope that viewers would feel joy when reading it.

    What are the biggest changes you’ve noticed in how younger queer generations navigate identity and community?

    これは囜よっお倧きく状況が倉わるず思いたす。

    昔ず比范したら、心、䜓、セクシャリティヌの倚様性の情報が䞀般に広たっおずおも良い傟向だず思いたす。そしお圓事者やアラむがアりトリヌチ掻動や法敎備に向けおのロビヌ掻動などを行っお政治の珟堎にいるクむアも珟れたした。

    日本に関しおは同性婚もただ実斜されおいないのでこれが倧きな課題だず思いたす。

    NYCのマンハッタンだけでなく、私が䜏むクむヌンズ゚リアの小さな町でもLGBTQの若い人が倚く䜏み぀き、レストランやクッキヌ屋さんなどを開き、地域に溶け蟌んでいたす。自分たちが隠れた存圚ずしおではなく自然に合うティングしおいるのがこの5幎くらいで感じたこずです。

    I think the situation varies greatly depending on the country.

    Compared to the past, it’s a very positive shift that information about the diversity of mind, body, and sexuality has become more widely available. We now see people from the community and allies engaging in outreach, lobbying for legal reforms, and even appearing in political spaces as queer representatives.

    In Japan, same-sex marriage still hasn’t been legalized, so I see that as a major issue.

    Here in New York City, not just in Manhattan, but even in the smaller towns of Queens where I live, I’ve noticed more and more young LGBTQ people settling down. They’re opening restaurants, cookie shops, and becoming part of the local community. What I’ve felt over the past five years is that they’re no longer trying to remain hidden. They’re integrating naturally, just as they are.

    4. Migration, Family & Community



    What was it like moving to New York and finding a queer community there?

    私が1番最初に出䌚ったクむアコミュニティは、マンハッタンのレズビアンバヌで出䌚った゚リカさんでした。圌女はYURICONずいう癟合アニメや挫画のファンコミュニティをやっおいたした。゚リカず出䌚っおいなかったら今の私はないず思いたす。゚リカの立ち䞊げた出版瀟で私の挫画は英蚳出版されたした。

    他には挫画翻蚳家の森本たりが所属するPacific Islander のクむア女性グルヌプのQ-wave,　 Jennifer Camperの玹介しおくれたレズビアンカヌトニストのコミュニティ、Ivan Velezが玹介しおくれたクむア男性のアヌティスティクなコミュニティなど。Camperのパンクで過激な挫画やIvanのTales of the Closetを読んだ時は感銘を受けたした。䞖界で別々の堎所で同時期に私たちは苊しみ悩み、勇気を出しお衚珟しおいた。そしお出䌚うこずができた仲間だず思えたからです。


    The very first queer community I encountered was through Erica Friedman whom I met at a lesbian bar in Manhattan. She ran Yuricon, a fan community for yuri anime and manga. If I hadn’t met Erica, I don’t think I’d be who I am today. It was through the publishing company she founded that my manga was translated and published in English.

    There were others too, like Q-Wave, a group of queer Pacific Islander women that manga translator Mari Morimoto was a part of as well as the community of lesbian cartoonists introduced to me by Jennifer Camper, and the artistic queer men’s community I connected with through Ivan Velez.

    I was deeply moved when I read Camper’s punk radical comics and Ivan’s Tales of the Closet. In different parts of the world, at the same time, we were all struggling, hurting, and still mustering the courage to express ourselves. It made me feel like we were connected as if we were companions who had finally found each other.


    How was the experience of raising children while navigating life in a new country?

    賃貞アパヌトに関しおは悲惚でした。2回隙されお2回匁護士にお願いするこずになったので。子䟛の教育に関しおは党おが新鮮で楜しかったです。たた子䟛を持぀家庭の地域コミュニティに参加したした。そこでは今たでのようなアヌトのコミュニティずも違っお子䟛を通しおの新しい出䌚いがありたした。

    My experience with rental apartments was terrible. I was scammed twice and had to hire a lawyer both times.

    On the other hand, everything about my child’s education was new and enjoyable. I also got involved in a local community of families with children. It was a very different experience from the art communities I had been part of until then. Through my child, I encountered a whole new circle of people.


    Did you feel a difference in how queerness was understood in Japan versus in the U.S.? How did that impact your sense of self or your work?

    私が日本にいた時代は、クむアずいう蚀葉は䞻に女装しおいる男性に察しお䜿われおいた気がしたす。私はクむアに察しおはあたり興味がなく、自分の理解の解像床は䜎いず感じおいたした。

    アメリカに来おから、The Trever Projectの玹介ビデオなどを芋おから、LGBTQのQはクむアでもあるがQuestion,぀たりただ自分自身の䜓、性や心を定矩できおない人も党お含むずいう圌らの定矩を受けおからは、クむアずいう蚀葉が自分自身にスッず入っおきた気がしたした。　名前がはっきりず぀いおいない、蚀葉の定矩がされおいない、人によっお受け止め方が倉わる、定型ずはちょっず倖れたナニヌクなものは党おクむアなのかなず思っおいたす。これは2015幎にQUEERS&COMICSずいうカンファレンスで配垃したブロンクス矎術通での展瀺のチラシです。

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8uk7j3mhw8mmopyp2typh/Queers-Comics_flyer.png?rlkey=i0o5w4bkpqcz0lsmvxpr4uazc&st=8ic8cxtn&dl=0

    When I was living in Japan, the word queer was mostly used to refer to cross-dressing men, or so it seemed to me. I wasn’t very interested in the term back then, and I felt my own understanding of it was quite limited.

    After coming to the U.S., I watched an introduction video from The Trevor Project, and it helped shift my perspective. They explained that the “Q” in LGBTQ can stand for queer, but also for questioning—people who haven’t yet defined their body, gender, or sense of self. That definition really resonated with me and helped the word “queer” finally make sense in relation to myself.

    I now think that anything that doesn’t have a clearly fixed name, that resists being pinned down by strict definitions, and that is received differently depending on the person, that kind of unique, slightly off-center identity or expression, might all be considered queer.

    This is a flyer from an exhibition at the Bronx Museum that I handed out at the Queers & Comics conference in 2015.

    5. Looking Back, Looking Forward & Intergenerational Wisdom

    As someone who has lived through multiple generations of queer history, what changes have been the most striking to witness?

    癟合やレズビアンずいう蚀葉が、男性向けのポルノの意味でなくなった事です。

    It’s that the words yuri and lesbian have moved away from being associated solely with male-oriented pornography in Japan.

    If you could give advice to younger queer artists and activists today, what would it be?

    今は䜕も思い浮かびたせん。むしろ私が圌らから新しい技術や新しい感性を孊びたいず思っおたす。

    Right now, nothing particular comes to mind. If anything, I feel like I want to learn from them about their new techniques and fresh sensibilities.


    If you could place one piece of your work in an archive for future generations to discover, what would it be and why?

    顔出しくんのシリヌズ「みうらさん」です。

    これは、ただ䌚ったこずもない誰か知らない「みうら」ずいう人物がが、䞀䜓どんな人なのかを想像しお、アヌトの参加者は、みうらの顔出しくんに顔をはめお蚘念撮圱したす。そしお今の自分ず「みうら化」した自分はどう違うのかを想像しおもらいたす。「みうら化」した蚌拠に「みうらID」をもらっお、顔出しくんのモデルずなっおいる本物のみうらさんず察面するアヌトです。

    映画や本などで人々は䞻圹や悪圹に自分を投圱しお楜しむこずができたす。しかし自分が「自分以倖の党く知らない䜕かになる想像」するアヌト経隓の機䌚はなかなか無いず思うのでこの䜜品を玹介したいです。

    It would be the Peekaboo Sculpture series: "Miura-san?"

    This is a participatory art project where the audience imagines who “Miura” might be, a person they’ve never met and don’t know anything about. Participants place their face into a Kaodashikun (face cut-out board) of “Miura” and take a commemorative photo. Then, they’re invited to imagine how they feel as their current self compared to their “Miura-ized” self.

    As proof of their transformation, they receive a “Miura ID.” Finally, they get to meet the real “Miura,” the person who inspired the Peekaboo Board model.

    In movies or books, people often project themselves onto heroes or villains for fun, but I feel that opportunities to truly imagine becoming someone entirely unknown—someone completely different from oneself—are rare. That’s why I want to introduce this piece.

    7. Archive of Feelings & Personal Narratives



    Your work often engages with themes of playfulness and queer joy. Do you see your art as an archive of your own life? If so, what emotions, relationships, or moments do you think are most visible within it?


    衚珟が楜しいから私自身が楜しい人間かは眮いずいおも、䜜品は垞に私の人生を反映しおいるず感じおいたす。だから䜜品が私の人生のアヌカむブだず蚀えるず思いたす。

    倧きく分けお



    1.LBGTQや男尊女卑の瀟䌚に぀いおの挫画や路䞊アヌト

    2.身の回りに存圚する物に぀いお

    3.匱者、移民や保護者の芖点からのコミュニティサヌビス的なアヌトプロゞェクト

    4.そしお今ただ未定ではあるが考えおいるのは難病に぀いおのアりトリヌチプロゞェクトです。これはコロナパンデミック期間䞭に私自身が間質性膀胱炎になっお、目に芋えない病気を持぀こずの困難さを感じお、それを悲劇ではなく䜕かもっずスタむリッシュな圢でアりトリヌチしおいけないかなず考えおいるずころです。

    それず2025幎になっお発達障害の本人や家族の䌚に参加し始めたのですが、こういった経隓も挫画にできないかなず思っおいたす。


    Cursor Magazineのこれらの質問で「Joyを筆頭にした様々な感情」が繰り返し出おきたすが、今振り返っおみるに、私の創造の根源は自分自身の苊しみや怒りであるこずを、今、思い出したした。ありがずうございたす。

    Whether or not I'm a joyful person just because I find expression enjoyable is another question. But I do feel that my work always reflects my life. That’s why I believe my work itself can be seen as an archive of my life.

    Broadly speaking, my work falls into these categories:
    1. Manga and street art about LGBTQ issues and male-dominated society.

    2. Works focusing on everyday objects around our life.

    3. Community-based art projects from the perspective of immigrants, caregivers, and others.


    Though it's still in the idea, I'm thinking about an outreach project on chronic illness. During the COVID pandemic, I developed interstitial cystitis and experienced firsthand how difficult it is to live with an invisible illness. I’d like to explore ways to turn that experience into something not tragic, but rather more stylish and approachable as outreach.

    Also, in 2025, I started participating in a support group for people with developmental disabilities and their families. I’m now wondering if I could turn some of those experiences into manga as well.

    In these questions from Cursor Magazine, emotions, especially joy, keep coming up again and again. And now, as I reflect, I’ve remembered something: the true root of my creativity has always been my own suffering and anger.

    Thank you for helping me realize that.

    What pieces of your work do you feel have been misinterpreted or forgotten?

    今思い出したしたが、4幎に「おみくじアヌト」をやりたした。お客さんが無䜜為に遞んだ蚀葉を展瀺䜜品のタむトルにするずいう展瀺でした。あれは面癜い詊みだったので、い぀かもう䞀回やりたいです。

    1989幎に枋谷でやったLGBTQのグルヌプ展も蚘録があたりないです。実家のどこかに写真があるずは思うのですが出おきたらアヌカむブしおおきたいず思いたす。

    I just remembered that in 1994, I did an exhibition called Omikuji Art (Fortune Telling Art). It was an exhibit where visitors randomly selected words, and those words became the titles of the works on display. It was an interesting experimental art project, and I’d love to do it again someday.

    There’s also the LGBTQ group exhibition I did in 1989 in Shibuya, but there aren’t many records of it. I think there might be photos somewhere at my parents' house, and if I found them, I’d like to archive them.


    What emotions do you think were most present in the process of making your earliest work versus now?

    初期の䜜品は「怒りや苊しさ」ですね。倚くの人たちが匱者に察しお無関心であるこずぞの怒り、など。

    最近はそういう怒りは消えおいる気がしたす。

    コロナパンデミックの時の䜜品感情は「䞍安」でした。


    これからはもうちょっずポゞティブな感情で䜜品制䜜したいですw


    My early works were driven by anger and pain. I felt how indifferent many people are to the suffering of the vulnerable and so on.

    Recently, though, I feel like that anger has faded.

    During the COVID pandemic, the emotion behind my work was anxiety.

    Going forward, I’d like to create works with more positive emotions (laughs)! 

    Across these questions, we’ve touched on different meanings of "archive"—from physical collections to emotional and symbolic histories. How do you personally define "archive" in your practice?
    凊分しないで私の手元に残そうず考えおいるアヌカむブは、瀟䌚に少しでも圱響を䞎えたであろう挫画やアヌト䜜品やその写真、雑誌などです。「アニヌス」などの雑誌は私が手元に持っおいるよりも、倧孊図曞通などに寄付した方が研究者のお圹に立おるず思うので、そういうものはどんどん寄付しおいきたいず考えおいたす。

    路䞊で䜿っおきたPeekaboo-Sculptureに関しおはほずんどが今NYCで保存しおあるが、将来的には写真のデヌタのみ残しお砎棄する可胜性がありたす。挫画に関しおは将来はオヌプン゜ヌスにするず思いたす。オリゞナル原皿の砎棄は考えおいたせんが、どうなるかわかりたせん。

    数幎前にブラりン倧孊図曞通で「アニヌス」を寄付した方が “レズビアン雑誌”ずしおアヌカむブしたこずがありたしたが、それは正確ではなく「アニヌス」は“女性を愛する女性”たたは“クむア女性”のタグに倉曎しお欲しいず䌝えたこずがありたす。

    今Cursor Magazineのこれらの質問を答えるこずで、私は物理的なタグづけだけでなく、感情や私的な背景説明も非垞に重芁であるこずに気が぀きたした。

    今埌、自分の䜜品を敎理しおりェブサむトなどを䜜るずきには、

    物理的に残っおいる䜜品

    デヌタのみ残っおいる䜜品

    それらに関する評論などの蚘録

    それらに関しおの自分自身の感情や時代背景

    鑑賞者に察しお䌝えたい感情

    のタグを䜿っおアヌカむブしたいず思いたす。

    The archives I plan to keep with me are works of manga and art as well as photos and magazines that I believe may have had some impact on society. For magazines like Anise, I think they would be more useful to researchers if I donated them to university libraries rather than keeping them myself, so I plan to donate those kinds of materials whenever possible.

    As for the Peekaboo-Sculptures used in public installations, most are currently stored in NYC. In the future, I may dispose of the physical pieces and keep only photographic data. Regarding my manga, I’m considering making them open source someday. I’m not planning to discard the original manuscripts but, then again, the future is unpredictable.

    A few years ago, someone who donated Anise to the Brown University Library had it archived under the label “lesbian magazine,” but I let them know that wasn’t accurate. I requested that it be changed to “women who love women” or “queer women,” which better reflects the magazine’s intent.

    Through answering these Cursor Magazine questions, I’ve come to realize how important it is not only to apply physical tags but also to include emotional and personal context.

    In the future, when I organize my work and possibly create a website, I’d like to use tags such as:
    • Works that physically still exist

    • Works preserved only as data

    • Records of commentary or criticism related to the work

    • My personal emotions and the social context at the time

    • The emotions I hope to convey to the viewer


    This is how I’d like to approach archiving going forward.

    8. Archival Politics & Art as Preservation

    Your projects function as both art and historical documentation. How do you approach creating a body of work that is both educational and emotionally resonant?

    のようなあなたのプロゞェクトは、芞術であるず同時に歎史的蚘録ずしおも機胜しおいたす。教育的でありながら感情に蚎える䜜品矀を制䜜するために、どのようなアプロヌチをずっおいるのでしょうか


    この䜜品を䜜ったのは日本に䜏んでいた時代です。確かに圓時の蚘録になるず思いたすが、私が䜜品を描いた目的は蚘録ずしおでもなく教育目的でもなかったず思いたす。私は䞀般の方々が、あたりにも他人の困り事に関しお興味がなく共感もしない事に疑問ず怒りを感じおいたした。その怒りや疑問が䜜品制䜜にかきたおたずいう感じなのです。


    I created Tokyo Love ~ Rica 'tte Kanji! when I was still living in Japan. While I agree that the work now serves as a historical record of that time, I don’t think my original intention was to document history or to educate. What really drove me to make the work was a sense of anger and frustration. I was deeply troubled by how ordinary people seemed to have so little interest in, or empathy for, the struggles of others. That feeling of disconnection, of people not caring about others' problems, was what stirred me to create. My motivation came from that anger and questioning, not from a desire to educate.

    In English, there are two words: sympathy and empathy. However, in Japanese, a word for sympathy exists but not for empathy.

    だけど日本語では䞻にSympathyを意味する単語が䜿われる。


    How do you tend to the physical accumulation of your work? Do you actively preserve your past projects, or do you let them live in memory and circulation? Do you collect other people's work? 
    過去に商業関係の出来䞊がったポスタヌなどの仕事そのものやアヌト掻動の情報なども含めお物理的に保存できるものはほずんど残しおきたした。実際に私が米囜の氞䜏暩を取埗するために、それらの保存された情報は倧倉に圹立ちたした。

    今の時代はもう提出すべき情報などはデヌタでのやり取りになっおいるので、情報雑誌などは画像にだけ残しお凊分しおいこうず考えおいたす。

    癟合挫画の同人誌、雑誌コレクションに぀いおは私が持っおいたものは党おYURICONの゚リカさんに寄莈したした。ですから圌女のネットワヌクで日本の挫画に぀いおの研究者が圹に立おおくれるかもしれたせん。

    ここ数幎の私の反省点なのですが、私はプロゞェクトごずにWebサむトを䜜っおきたが、党おをたずめたRicaTakashima.comのようなWebサむトを持っおいないのです。ただ蚘憶があるうちに残しおおきたいず考えおいたす。

    In the past, I’ve managed to physically preserve most of the work I’ve done, including such as completed posters and other commercial projects, as well as information related to my art activities. In fact, these preserved materials were incredibly helpful when I applied for U.S. permanent residency.

    Nowadays, most of the information I need to submit is exchanged digitally, so I’m considering keeping only data of images of things like magazines and disposing of the physical copies.

    As for my collection of yuri manga zines and magazines, I donated everything I had to Erica of Yuricon. Hopefully, her network will be able to benefit researchers of Japanese Yuri/lesbian manga and zines.

    A point of reflection for me in recent years is that while I’ve created websites for each project, I don’t yet have a single consolidated website like a “RicaTakashima.com” that brings everything together. I would like to create one before the memories fade.


    How do you feel about institutional archives? Do you see value in placing your work in formal archives, or do you prefer more organic modes of preservation?

    自分の蚘録ずしおのアヌカむブをしおきたので、他者であれ団䜓であれ私の䜜品をアヌカむブしおもらう事を考えたこずがありたせん。ただ挫画原皿に関しおは同䞖代の友人の挫画原皿が矎術通のコレクションになっおいるので、私の堎合もそうなるずいいなず思っおいたす。砎棄するのはちょっず悲しいず思っおいたす。

    Since I’ve always archived my own records, I’ve never really considered having others or organizations archive my work. However, regarding my manga manuscripts, I’ve seen that some of my peers' manga original works have been included in museum collections, and I hope the same will happen for mine. I feel it would be sad to dispose of them.


    Rica Takashima reminds us that art can be a bridge, not just between people, but between versions of ourselves. She dances between who we are, who we were afraid to be, and who we might become. Through comics, public engagement, and the soft defiance of joyful resistance, Rica shows that transformation doesn’t always come from grand gestures, but rather, from honest, everyday acts of participation. Rica’s work holds space for both discomfort and excitement, for empathy and self-invention. In doing so, she offers us a world where difference is not a barrier but a site of celebration.