Kenichi Sakemi was a Japanese writer known for his historical fiction and fantasy novels, many of which have been adapted into manga and anime. He was born on November 26, 1963, in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, and passed away on November 7, 2023. Sakemi graduated from Aichi University with a major in Eastern philosophy, a background that heavily influenced his literary career.

Sakemi made his debut as a novelist in 1989 with Kōkyū Shōsetsu, which won the first Japan Fantasy Novel Award and was also nominated for the prestigious Naoki Prize. This debut novel is a fantasy set in a fictional dynasty inspired by Chinese history. The success of this work, which blends imaginative storytelling with the structure of a Chinese-style imperial court, is noted for pioneering a genre of Chinese-inspired fantasy entertainment in Japanese fiction.

The anime television film Like the Clouds, Like the Wind is a direct adaptation of Sakemi's debut novel, Kōkyū Shōsetsu. Produced by Studio Pierrot and broadcast in 1990, the film features character designs by Katsuya Kondō, a key animator known for his work with Studio Ghibli. This has led to the film sometimes being mistaken for a Ghibli production, though it was not made by that studio. Another of his major novels, Bokkō, which was also nominated for the Naoki Prize, was adapted into a manga illustrated by Hideki Mori and later into a live-action film in 2006. Plans for a Studio Ghibli anime adaptation of Bokkō, to be directed by Mamoru Oshii, were considered around 1991 but did not come to fruition.

Sakemi is recognized for his unrestrained imagination, often taking subjects from actual Chinese history while not being strictly bound by historical facts. Beyond his Chinese-themed works, his bibliography includes a military science fiction novel and a story set in the Victorian era. In addition to his novels, he contributed the original story for an unfinished manga titled D'arc: Jan-nu Daruku Den, with art by Katsuya Kondō. His other notable novels include the multi-volume series Rōkō ni Ari and Nakimushi Yowamushi Shokatsu Kōmei, the latter of which was also adapted into a manga. His literary contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the Atsushi Nakajima Memorial Award and the Jiro Nitta Literary Award.