Shizue Takanashi is one of Japan's most popular comic illustrators. She studied at the Nakayoshi Manga School and made her debut with 'Momotaro Yori O-Hoshi-Sama e' in 1975. She has created such bestselling mangas as 'Orenji Tsushin', 'Sorachan no Boshi' and 'Ohayo! Spunk'. For the latter, she has won the 5th Kodansha Manga prize.