Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro is a Japanese manga artist born on May 19, 1975, in Naha, Okinawa. He made his professional debut in 1996 in Weekly Shōnen Jump. His first major serialized work was the comedy series Seikimatsu Leader den Takeshi!, which ran from 1997 to 2002. The series earned him the Akatsuka Award for best new manga writer and the 2001 Shogakukan Manga Award in the children's category.

In 2002, Shimabukuro was arrested and convicted for violating child prostitution laws, leading to the cancellation of Seikimatsu Leader den Takeshi!. He received a two-year suspended sentence. After this hiatus, he returned to manga in 2004 with the sports comedy Ring, which was published in Super Jump magazine. He later briefly resumed Seikimatsu Leader den Takeshi! in Super Jump in 2005 to conclude the story.

Shimabukuro returned to Weekly Shōnen Jump in 2008 with Toriko, which became his most successful and internationally recognized work. The manga was serialized from May 2008 to November 2016 and compiled into 43 tankōbon volumes. As of August 2023, Toriko had over 30 million copies in circulation. The series follows Toriko, a Gourmet Hunter, who searches for rare and dangerous ingredients to complete his full-course meal, accompanied by a timid chef named Komatsu.

Toriko was adapted into an anime television series by Toei Animation that aired from April 2011 to March 2014, spanning 147 episodes. Several animated films were also produced, including Toriko 3D: Kaimaku Gourmet Adventure!! (released in 2011) and Toriko the Movie: Secret Recipe of Gourmet God! (released in July 2013). Shimabukuro is credited as the original creator for these anime adaptations. He also collaborated with Eiichiro Oda, author of One Piece, on a crossover one-shot titled Taste of the Devil Fruit in 2011. A notable crossover special, Dream 9 Toriko & One Piece & Dragon Ball Z Chō Collaboration Special!!, aired on Fuji TV on April 7, 2013, bringing together characters from all three series.

Shimabukuro is known for his exaggerated character designs, slapstick humor, and imaginative world-building centered on food and gourmet hunting. His artistic identity often features superhuman characters, creative monster designs, and a blend of action with comedic elements. He is close friends with Eiichiro Oda, and the two have supported each other's work through crossovers and public appearances.

Following Toriko, Shimabukuro published several one-shots, including Warai no Ōji Penpenpen, Chingiri, Jijī 100%, and Halftime in 2017. In November 2020, he began serializing Build King in Weekly Shōnen Jump, which concluded in April 2021. He has expressed admiration for Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and in 2026 he contributed a spin-off one-shot manga featuring the character Enya the Hag to JOJO magazine.