Eisner Hall of Fame manga artist Rumiko Takahashi provided the cover illustration for Tomoji Nobuta's Kumagami Fujin novel, released on Tuesday. The book is the third in the "Theater Shōsetsu Series," a light novel series aimed at adult readers.

Kumagami Fujin is a historical romance novel based set during the Southern Song Dynasty of the 12th century. The story focuses on 16-year-old Madame Xiong Er, the wife of General Xiong Er of the Yuan dynasty (Mongolians) stationed at Luzhou, Sichuan Province. Luzhou was eventually reclaimed by the Song dynasty's general Wang Li and the forces killed general Xiong Er while his young wife hid her identity and was captured to ultimately become Wang's concubine. However, as time passed, Madame Xiong Er's true identity would prove to be the deciding factor in the fate of the entire city as the Yuan dynasty pushed to reclaim the area.

Takahashi drew five illustrations for the novel as well as the cover, and the book also includes an application to receive a postcard set of the artwork.

In her career of over three decades, Takahashi created such manga series as Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Mermaid Saga , Rumic Theater, Ranma 1/2, One Pound Gospel, Inuyasha, and Rinne. Many of her works became internationally popular and inspired anime and live-action adaptations. As of last March, her works have a combined 200 million copies in print.

Source: Comic Natalie