Reiko Terashima is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator known primarily for her work in the yonkoma, or four-panel comic strip, format. She was born on September 8, 1958, in Kyoto, Japan. Terashima is a graduate of Ritsumeikan University, where she earned a degree in psychology and was a member of the university’s manga club.

Her professional debut occurred in 1979 with the series Children Play, which was published in Young Magazine. The series, centered on the daily lives and interactions of young children and their teachers, established her focus on observational comedy rooted in realistic character psychology.

Among her notable original works is Ai no Wakakusayama Monogatari, a manga that was later adapted into an anime. This adaptation serves as a key example of her work being selected for animated adaptation. Her other significant manga titles include Udonland, Sokotsu no Hibi, and Kuriko-san Konnichi wa, many of which have been published by companies such as Takeshobo, Kodansha, and Hakusensha.

Terashima’s artistic identity is strongly associated with the yonkoma genre, where she crafts character-driven comedic narratives. Her works frequently explore the nuances of everyday life, often focusing on the dynamics within families, schools, and communities. Her storytelling is noted for its clean, accessible humor and a detailed attention to human behavior, a trait that may reflect her academic background in psychology. Her illustration style is characteristically simple yet expressive, designed to complement the rhythmic structure of the four-panel format.

Beyond her manga career, Terashima has contributed illustrations to the Japanese edition of the trading card game Magic: The Gathering. She has familial connections within the manga industry, as her younger sister, Yoshiko Terakawa, is also a manga artist.