Hideo Okuda is a Japanese novelist born on October 23, 1959, in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Before establishing himself as a writer, he worked as a copywriter and magazine editor. He made his literary debut in 1997 with the novel Uranbaana no Mori. His breakthrough came with the 1999 novel Saiaku, followed by Jama in 2001, which earned him a nomination for the prestigious Naoki Prize and won the 4th Ooyabu-Haruhiko-Prize.

Okuda is the original creator behind the Psychiatrist Irabu series, a collection of short stories that includes In the Pool (2002), Kuuchuu Buranko (2004), and Chouchou Senkyo (2006). The Kuuchuu Buranko volume, known in English as Flying Trapeze, was awarded the 131st Naoki Prize in 2004. This series forms the basis for the anime television series Welcome to Irabu's Office, which was produced by Toei Animation and broadcast on Fuji TV's noitamina programming block in 2009. The anime was directed by Kenji Nakamura and adapted the psychiatrist stories into an eleven-episode series known for its experimental visual style combining traditional animation with rotoscoped live-action footage.

Beyond the anime adaptation, the Irabu series has been adapted into multiple other media. A live-action feature film titled In the Pool was released in 2005, directed by Satoshi Miki. A television drama based on Kuuchuu Buranko also aired in 2005, and a stage play adaptation was produced in 2008. The English edition of In the Pool has been published by Stone Bridge Press.

Okuda's literary career spans numerous novels and short story collections beyond the Irabu series. His notable works include the novels Jama (2001), Mayonaka no March (2003), Southbound (2005), Lala Pipo (2005), and Olympic no Minoshirokin (2008). His short story collections include Tokyo Monogatari (2001), Madonna (2002), Girl (2006), Ie-Biyori (2007), and Wagaya no Mondai (2011). Several of his works have been adapted for film and television, including the novel Junpei, Kangae Naose, which was made into a film, and Naomi to Kanako, which received a television drama adaptation.

Okuda's writing is characterized by an accessible style that blends humor with a realistic, sometimes unflinching, portrayal of human nature. His stories frequently feature distinctive characters facing various psychological or societal absurdities, often set against the backdrop of contemporary Japanese society. A recurring technique in his longer works is the use of multiple protagonists whose narratives intertwine to form a cohesive whole, a structure seen in novels such as Saiaku and Olympic no Minoshirokin. His extensive bibliography and the numerous adaptations of his work underscore his significance as a major contemporary voice in Japanese fiction.