One of the 24-Gumi (Magnificent 49ers), the group of female manga artists that pioneered the shoujo demographic, and practically the inventor of the BL genre. Particularly famous for her Boys' Love manga, Kaze to Ki no Uta. She's a professor of manga studies at Kyoto Seika University.

Grew up reading works of ISHINOMORI Shotaro and KOJIMA Goseki, she often copied their drawing especially the former. She even involved in fanzine about Ishinomori. When she was on a school trip to Tokyo she visited Ishinomori’s home, he dubbed her as honorary disciple, even one of the best other than NAGAI Go.

In second year of junior high she applied for a Kodansha’s light novel contest, she didn’t win and the winner was second year high schooler SATONAKA Machiko.

She often sent fanarts to COM magazine when in high school to get evaluation from TEZUKA Osamu and others about her drawing. Later when her friend happened to be an assistant to Tezuka, she contributed and got invited to watch the screening of the 1969 movie Medea.

NISHITANI Yoshiko told her to participate in 1968 Shueisha’s Newcomer Manga Award which she got honorable mention for “Ringo no Tsumi”.

An interview with Keiko Takemiya can be found here