is a Japanese writer and co-founder of the visual novel brand Key under VisualArt's. He's considered as a pioneer of the visual novel medium, mostly nakige, and has mainly contributed as a scenario writer, lyricist, and musical composer for the games the company produces. His style was originally inspired by James Herbert Brennan, and is influenced by Haruki Murakami's novel Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.