On March 17, a special TV program featuring manga artist 板垣巴留 (Itagaki Paru) and her close friend, actor 松岡茉優 (Matsuoka Mayu), will air on TOKYO MX—celebrating the currently running 原画展 (gengaten), an original artwork exhibition of Itagaki’s work.
The exhibition, titled 「板垣巴留展～『BEASTARS』『SANDA』から『タイカの理性』まで パルの創造の世界～」 (Itagaki Paru-ten: “From BEASTARS and SANDA to Taika no Risei – The World of Paru’s Creation”), is being held from March 7 to March 29 at Terada Warehouse G3 in Tokyo.
Let’s take a closer look at what makes this event—and its special broadcast—so exciting.
A Special Program Highlighting the Exhibition
The TV special is titled:
「松岡茉優が巡る、パルの創造の世界！『板垣巴留展』大特集SP」 (Matsuoka Mayu Tours Paru’s Creative World! Itagaki Paru Exhibition Special)
In the program, Matsuoka appears alongside Itagaki herself to introduce the exhibition’s 見どころ (midokoro, highlights) and share 制作秘話 (seisaku hiwa, behind-the-scenes stories) about the creation of her works.
The broadcast will air on TOKYO MX on March 17 from 21:54 to 22:00. If you miss it, don’t worry—there will be streaming on TVer and YouTube. The YouTube version is scheduled to include unreleased scenes in a “complete edition.”
For fans of 『BEASTARS』, 『SANDA』, and 『タイカの理性』, this is a rare chance to hear directly from the creator about how these powerful stories were born.
Celebrating 10 Years of Manga
The exhibition also marks Itagaki Paru’s 10th anniversary as a manga artist.
To coincide with the exhibition—notice this useful phrase, 開催に合わせて (kaisai ni awasete, “to coincide with the event”)—comments were shared by:
- 松岡茉優 (Matsuoka Mayu)
- 小林親弘 (Kobayashi Chikahiro), voice actor of Legoshi in the BEASTARS anime
- 村瀬歩 (Murase Ayumu), voice actor in the SANDA anime
Their words reveal just how deeply Itagaki’s stories have affected readers and collaborators alike.
Emotional Reactions from Friends and Cast
Matsuoka congratulated her “Paru-chan” warmly, writing that just seeing the main visual almost made her cry. She described Itagaki’s characters as so vivid that she sometimes feels as if they were “breathing beside her.”
She also said the stories are so intense they feel as though her “youth and even her internal organs are being gouged out”—using the powerful verb 抉られる (egurareru), meaning “to be gouged out,” often used metaphorically for emotional impact.
And yes—she plans to go on a 爆買い (bakugai), a shopping spree, at the exhibition’s merchandise corner!
Kobayashi commented on the special feeling of viewing original manga manuscripts in person. Seeing hand-drawn pages makes you realize, “Ah… a real human being drew this.” At the same time, he expressed amazement that the calm Itagaki-sensei creates such bold worlds.
Murase celebrated both the 10th anniversary and the exhibition, praising the ド迫力 (dopairyoku, extremely intense and powerful) artwork. He exclaimed in admiration:
生原画、生原稿にて見られるとは…なんたる素晴らしさ！ (Nama gengā, nama genkō ni te mirareru to wa… nantara subarashisa!) “To be able to see the original artwork and manuscripts in person… what incredible greatness!”
He also said he looks forward to Itagaki’s オンリーワン (onrīwan, one and only; unique) world continuing into the future.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition Title: 「板垣巴留展～『BEASTARS』『SANDA』から『タイカの理性』まで パルの創造の世界～」
Dates: March 7–29, 2026 Time: 10:00–19:00 (last entry 30 minutes before closing; closes at 16:00 on March 14 only) Venue: Terada Warehouse G3-6F, Tokyo
Various ticket options are available, including advance tickets and tickets with limited-edition goods.
Cultural Context: Why Original Art Matters in Japan
A 原画展 (gengaten) is more than just an exhibition. In manga culture, seeing original pages means viewing the artist’s raw pen strokes, correction marks, and paper texture.
Fans often describe the experience as deeply moving. Manga is usually consumed in printed volumes or digitally, so encountering the physical manuscript creates a powerful sense of connection between artist and reader.
That emotional intensity—so strong it feels 抉られる (egurareru)—is part of what makes manga exhibitions special events in Japan.
Learn Japanese from This Article
Key Vocabulary
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 原画展 | gengaten | original artwork exhibition |
| 見どころ | midokoro | highlight; main attraction |
| 制作秘話 | seisaku hiwa | behind-the-scenes story |
| 爆買い | bakugai | shopping spree; buying a lot at once |
| 抉られる | egurareru | to be gouged out; to be emotionally torn |
| ド迫力 | dopairyoku | extremely powerful; intense |
| オンリーワン | onrīwan | one and only; unique |
Grammar Spotlight
1️⃣ 〜に合わせて
Meaning: In accordance with; to coincide with
Structure: Noun + に合わせて
Example from the article: 展覧会の開催に合わせて、コメントが到着した。 Tennankai no kaisai ni awasete, komento ga tōchaku shita. “Comments arrived to coincide with the exhibition.”
More examples:
季節に合わせて服を選ぶ。 Kisetsu ni awasete fuku o erabu. “Choose clothes according to the season.”
イベントに合わせて新商品を発売する。 Ibento ni awasete shinshōhin o hatsubai suru. “Release a new product to coincide with the event.”
2️⃣ 〜とは…なんたる〜
An exclamatory structure expressing strong emotion or admiration.
Pattern: Verb/dictionary form + とは + なんたる + noun!
Example: 見られるとは…なんたる素晴らしさ！ Mirareru to wa… nantara subarashisa! “To be able to see it… what incredible greatness!”
This structure feels dramatic and literary—perfect for passionate fan reactions.
Useful Expression
爆買い決定！ Bakugai kettei! “A shopping spree is officially happening!”
You’ll often see 決定 (kettei, “decided”) used in excited announcements.
Continue Learning
Curious about the katakana words like オンリーワン? Working on your reading skills? Our Katakana Essentials: Adapting Global Words to Japanese lesson is a great next step.
Want to better understand kanji like 原, 画, and 展? Our Introduction to Kanji: Pictorial Foundations of Japanese Script lesson will help you build that foundation.
Looking to expand your vocabulary naturally? Our Basic Vocabulary Building: Embracing Words Without Latin Ties lesson covers this in depth.
Exhibitions like this show how deeply manga is woven into contemporary Japanese culture—not just as entertainment, but as art. Hearing creators and actors speak about their emotional connection reminds us that language and storytelling go hand in hand.
これからもよろしくお願いします。 Kore kara mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.