Akira Hiramoto is a Japanese manga artist born in 1976 in Okinawa Prefecture. He made his professional debut in 1995 with the story Sono Tomodachi ni Gimon Ari, which was published in Weekly Young Magazine. As a creator, he typically serves as both the writer and artist for his manga series, establishing a distinct authorial voice across his body of work.

Hiramoto is credited with a number of notable original works. One of his early series was the gag manga Ago Nashi Gen to Ore Monogatari, which ran in Weekly Young Magazine from 1997 to 2009 and was compiled into 32 volumes. In a different vein, he created the supernatural drama Me and the Devil Blues, which began serialization in 2004 and has been published intermittently, including a return in 2015. This work earned a Glyph Comics Award for Best Reprint Publication in 2009.

Hiramoto achieved widespread recognition with his manga Prison School, which was serialized from 2011 to 2017. This series became a significant commercial and critical success, winning the General Manga Category award at the 37th Kodansha Manga Awards in 2013. Following the conclusion of Prison School, he launched Raw Hero, which ran from 2018 to 2020. His more recent works as a writer and artist include Futari Switch, which began in 2022. Beyond his own series, Hiramoto has also served as the artist for Super Ball Girls, a manga written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro that started in 2022.

Several of his original manga have been adapted into other media. The gag manga Ago Nashi Gen to Ore Monogatari was adapted into a 24-episode anime series that premiered on the mobile phone streaming service BeeTV in December 2010. The manga Prison School was also adapted into an anime series. Additionally, his original manga Prison School spawned a spin-off, Shadow Student Council Vice President Gives Her All, which focuses on the character Meiko Shiraki and features art by the creator ReDrop, with Hiramoto credited as the original author.

Hiramoto's body of work reveals a versatile artistic identity. His early career includes the absurdist, comedic storytelling of Ago Nashi Gen to Ore Monogatari, which stands in stark contrast to the period-authentic, blues-infused dark fantasy of Me and the Devil Blues. His most famous work, Prison School, is recognized for its blend of extreme, over-the-top comedy, intricate schemes, and detailed, expressive art, establishing him as a creator capable of merging high-concept humor with elaborate narrative structures. His later series, like Futari Switch, show a continued engagement with character-driven comedy.

Within the manga industry, Hiramoto is recognized for his significant commercial and critical achievements. Winning a Kodansha Manga Award for Prison School solidified his status as a major creator in the general manga market. The international publication of his works, including Me and the Devil Blues and Prison School, and the anime adaptations of his series have further cemented his influence and prominence as an original creator.