KOJI KUMETA was born on September 5, 1967. He is one of Japan's most popular manga humorists. His hit series include the hockey-themed romantic comedy Go!! Southern Ice Hockey Club and Katte Ni Kaizo.

Currently, he's serializing Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei in Weekly Shonen Magazine, a bestselling manga magazine. It is his first work to be adapted into anime and has also won the prestigious 31st Kodansha Manga Award in the shonen [boys' manga] category. The author lives in Japan.