Rinko Ueda is a Japanese manga artist known for creating shoujo manga, which are comics aimed at young female readers. Born on September 30, 1970, in Nara Prefecture, her real name is Tomoko Ueda. She began her professional career in the late 1980s and has since built a substantial body of work, primarily published by Shueisha in magazines such as Margaret and Ribon.

Ueda is the original creator of the manga Kiss wa Me ni Shite, which was adapted into a single-episode OVA anime titled Kiss wa Hitomi ni Shite. This anime was produced by the studio Madhouse and released in August 1993. The story follows high school student Ibuki Morisato, who dreams of a prince on a white horse. When a transfer student who looks exactly like the prince from her dream appears at her school, a romantic story unfolds. The original manga ran for ten volumes from 1990 to 1993.

Ueda has produced several other notable manga series that have received international recognition. One of her most successful works is Tail of the Moon, which was serialized from 2002. The series is a historical romantic comedy following a young ninja named Usagi who is sent to become the wife of a famous swordsman. It was published in English by Viz Media. She also created Stepping on Roses, a manga set in the Meiji era of Japan. This series tells the story of a poor young woman named Sumi Kitamura who enters a marriage of convenience with a wealthy, cold-hearted businessman to save her family from financial ruin. Stepping on Roses has also been published in English by Viz Media.

Ueda's artistic identity often incorporates historical settings, romantic drama, and comedy. Her works frequently feature determined heroines navigating complex social situations and relationships, from the ninja world of Tail of the Moon to the Westernizing high society of Meiji-era Japan in Stepping on Roses. Her bibliography includes a variety of other series and one-shot stories, such as Ryou, Pump Up!, Maria no Shiro, and Sakura Juuyuushi. In 2025, it was announced that Ueda would launch a new historical fantasy manga titled Sakura to Ageha, which involves a modern high school girl who time-slips to Japan's ancient Heian era.

Through the consistent publication of her manga since the late 1980s and the translation of her major works into other languages, Rinko Ueda has established herself as a significant contributor to the shoujo genre, with her stories reaching audiences beyond Japan.