Kazune Kawahara is a Japanese manga artist born on March 11, 1972, in Takikawa, Hokkaido Prefecture. She made her professional debut at the age of 18 in 1991 with the one-shot story Kare no Ichiban Sukina Hito, published in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret magazine. Throughout her career, she has remained primarily associated with this publication, establishing herself as a specialist in the romance genre, particularly romantic comedies and coming-of-age dramas aimed at a shōjo demographic.

Kawahara's first serialized work was Sensei!, which ran from 1996 to 2007 and was collected in 20 volumes. The series, which explores a romantic relationship between a student and a teacher, was later adapted into a live-action film in 2017. Her major breakthrough came with High School Debut, serialized from 2003 to 2008 and compiled into 13 volumes. The story follows a former tomboy who reinvents herself in high school to find love, and the series became a significant commercial success, selling over six million copies and receiving a live-action film adaptation in 2011. Following this success, Kawahara created Aozora Yell, a series centered on a school brass band and cheerleading club, which ran for 19 volumes from 2008 to 2015 and was also adapted into a live-action film in 2016.

In a notable shift from solo creation, Kawahara served as the writer for My Love Story!!, which was serialized from 2011 to 2016 with artwork provided by the artist Aruko. This collaboration was critically acclaimed, winning the 37th Kodansha Manga Award for the shōjo category and receiving both an anime television series adaptation and a live-action film. Kawahara returned to solo work with Suteki na Kareshi, a 14-volume series published between 2016 and 2020.

Her most recent major work is A Star Brighter Than the Sun, which began serialization in Bessatsu Margaret on June 11, 2021. The manga follows the relationship between a tall, athletic girl and her childhood friend. As of late 2024, the series has been collected into 10 volumes. The manga was ranked eighth on Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of the best manga for female readers in 2023 and won the 14th anan Manga Award. An anime television series adaptation of A Star Brighter Than the Sun has been announced and is scheduled to premiere in 2025. This marks Kawahara's first manga series to receive an anime adaptation, as her previous works were adapted primarily into live-action films.

Kawahara is known for creating relatable female protagonists and exploring themes of personal growth, friendship, and the often awkward or humorous journey toward young love. She comes from a musical family; her father was a music teacher and pianist. Her works are frequently published in English by Viz Media, contributing to her recognition as a prominent creator within the shōjo romance genre internationally.