Karuho Shiina was born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan. Though Kimi ni Todoke is only her second series following many one-shot stories, it has already racked up accolades from various “ Best Manga of the Year” lists. Winner of the 2008 Kodansha Manga Award for the shojo category, Kimi ni Todoke also placed fifth in the first-ever Manga Taisho (Cartoon Grand Prize) contest in 2008. In Japan, an animated TV series debuted in October 2009, and a live-action film was released in 2010.
