Itou Yuu is a Japanese manga artist born in 1977 in Tokyo. A female creator and graduate of Taisho University, she debuted in 1999 after winning the first Ultra Compe competition in Ultra Jump magazine. Known for her historical and military-themed works, Itou gained prominence with Kōkoku no Mamori (The Guardian of the Imperial Realm, 2004-2007), adapted from Satō Daisuke's novels. Her magnum opus Shutohel (2008-2017), a dark fantasy epic set in medieval Mongolia, earned her the 16th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize New Artist Award in 2012. Itou's detailed artwork combines gritty realism with dynamic action, exploring themes of war, survival, and cultural conflict through meticulously researched historical settings.