Keiko Sootome is a Japanese illustrator, essayist, and anime creator known for her distinctive, surreal visual style characterized by bold colors, detailed line work, and a blend of tension and relaxation in her depictions of characters. She was born on June 2, 1974, in Yamaguchi Prefecture and later raised in Yokohama, graduating from Seijo University with a focus on art. Sootome is a self-taught illustrator whose first professional work was for the magazine Hanako. She gained widespread recognition as the illustrator of the bestselling book New Unit, released in 2002, which originated from a Fuji Television variety program and was followed by a sequel, New New Unit.

As an original creator in anime, Sootome is credited as the director and original creator for the series Baka Mukashibanashi and its theatrical film version, Baka Mukashibanashi Gekijōban ~Jijii Wars~. The Baka Mukashibanashi series is an OVA that aired in 2011, comprising nine episodes each lasting approximately seven minutes. The theatrical film was released on May 18, 2013, with a runtime of 55 minutes. Both works are animated adaptations of classic Japanese folk tales presented with modern comedic twists, falling under the comedy, fantasy, and historical genres. For these projects, she collaborated closely with Tooru Hosokawa, who served as director and screenplay writer and is also her husband, a playwright and theater director.

Beyond these anime works, Sootome has created a manga adaptation of the Kojiki, the oldest chronicle of Japanese history, titled Let's! Kojiki. Her other authored books include淑女のエチケット, 淑女の身の上相談, 図解 世界のしくみ, and 愛・バカ博. Her illustration work extends across a wide range of media, including advertisements, flyers for theater and film, the cover of the New Year's Day edition of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, and campaigns against movie piracy shown in theaters. In 2025, Sootome collaborated with the fashion brand HUMAN MADE on a collection of clothing and interior items, as well as a set of LINE emojis, demonstrating her continued influence and distinctive artistic identity in contemporary popular culture. Her recurring artistic identity involves absurdist and humorous concepts, often exploring the ridiculous aspects of everyday life with a nostalgic Showa-era sensibility. She is also recognized for her work as a columnist and has performed as an actress in theatrical productions.