Takehiko Itō is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator, and anime creator known for his work across multiple franchises, often operating under different names depending on the medium. Born in Kitami, Hokkaido, his real name and birth date have not been made public. Before establishing his own studio, he studied planning and editing at the design office Shindosha. He initially worked as a manga editor but found the position unfulfilling and began drawing manga himself.

Itō uses various professional aliases. His earliest works, including the 1986 manga Good Morning Althea, were created under the pen name Black Point. For his extensive involvement in animation production, particularly in mechanical and character design, he is frequently credited as Hiroyuki Hataike. While he has occasionally denied the connection in public statements, the shared body of work and industry records consistently identify Hataike as one of his primary pseudonyms. In 1992, he founded Morning Star Studio, a creative collective through which he developed many of his projects.

His career includes significant contributions to both manga and anime. Among his earliest notable projects was the science fiction manga Uchuu Eiyuu Monogatari, which began serialization in 1988. During this period, he also developed the original concept for the anime television franchise NG Knight Ramune & 40. His manga series Haō Taikei Ryū Knight, also known as Lord of Lords Ryu Knight, was serialized in Shueisha’s V Jump magazine from 1993 to 1995. This series formed the basis for a substantial anime franchise, including a 52-episode television series produced by Sunrise that aired from 1994 to 1995, as well as multiple original video animation series: Adeu’s Legend, Adeu’s Legend II, and Adeu’s Legend Final. Itō is also widely recognized as the creator of Outlaw Star, a manga and anime television series that forms part of the shared Toward Stars universe alongside Uchuu Eiyuu Monogatari and the anime Angel Links.

Beyond his own original creations, Itō has worked extensively as a designer and concept artist under his Hiroyuki Hataike alias. His credits include mechanical design for the Patlabor motion picture, concept design for the Bastard!! OVA series, character design for New Story of Aura Battler Dunbine, and design assistance on The Vision of Escaflowne. He also served as the original creator and design director for the 2006 science fiction anime series Zegapain. His work in the video game industry includes character design for titles such as Alisia Dragoon and Thousand Arms.

His artistic identity is closely tied to the creation of shared fictional universes, most notably the Toward Stars universe which connects several of his science fiction works. His projects frequently blend fantasy and mecha genres, a combination evident in series like Haō Taikei Ryū Knight and NG Knight Lamune & 40. His professional structure through Morning Star Studio allowed for collaboration with other artists and writers, contributing to the expansion of his created worlds across manga, anime, and other media. In the early 2000s, he also briefly worked with Marvel Comics after discussions with editor C.B. Cebulski.