The Rose of Versailles
"The Rose of Versailles" was the first major commercial success in the "shōjo" genre, and proved the genre's viability as a commercial category. As of 2013, collected volumes of "The Rose of Versailles" have sold over 20 million copies worldwide; manga artist Moto Hagio notes that the commercial success of "The Rose of Versailles" influenced Japanese manga publishers to routinely publish serialized manga in the "tankōbon" format. Its popularity among Japanese audiences in the early 1970s is referred to as the ; the series contributed to Japanese interest in French culture, and popularized the Palace of Versailles as a destination for Japanese tourists. The impact of "The Rose of Versailles" in promoting French history and culture was such that Ikeda was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government in 2009.