Birthplace: Aomori

Debuted in 1977 with "Invitation to a Star" in the girls' manga magazine "Hana to Yume". Her best-known works are "Alien Street" and "Cipher". Acclaimed for her precise and intricate drawings and "watermark," a collection of her pictures. Her works deal mostly with human relationships, life, ideals, friendship, etc. Currently, "Hana Yori mo Hana no Gotoku," a manga series featuring a young Noh performer, runs in the bimonthly magazine "Melody".