During her study of philosophy, the manga artist Riyoko Ikeda began publishing her comics in the magazine Kashihonya. In 1967, she made her debut with 'Bara-Yashiki no Shoujo' ('The Girl of the Rose'). In 1972, she started drawing 'Versailles no Bara' ('The Rose of Versailles'), a manga story set in a historical environment. In addition to setting a trend in historical manga, it also was dramatized in 1974 by Japan's highly-regarded theatrical group, Takarazuka.
Betweeen 1975 and 1981 she made the serial 'Orpheus no Mado' ('Window of Orpheus'). Her work includes titles such as: 'Berusaiyu no Bara', 'Eroica', 'Jotei Ecatherina' ('Empress Chaterina') and 'Oniisama e...' ('Brother, Dear Brother'). She left the manga field in the mid-1980s, although she has been writing scripts for other artists since 1999. Ikeda was part of the so-called 24-nengumi group of female mangakas, who have been referred to as the "Mothers of Manga".
