Katsutoshi Kawai is a Japanese manga artist born on May 2, 1964, in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. He began his professional career in 1987, debuting with the work "Bakufu Girls" published in a summer supplement of Weekly Shonen Sunday. Prior to his debut, he worked as an assistant to manga artist Ueda Shunji.

Kawai rose to prominence with his first serialized work, a judo-themed manga whose title translates to "Tighten Your Belt!" which ran in Weekly Shonen Sunday from 1988 to 1995 and was collected in 30 volumes. This long-running series established him as a popular creator in the industry. He achieved significant commercial and critical success with his next major work, "Monkey Turn," a manga centered on the sport of boat racing. Serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday from 1996 to 2005 and also spanning 30 volumes, "Monkey Turn" earned the 45th Shogakukan Manga Award in 1999. The series was adapted into a 50-episode anime television series in 2004, split into two parts titled "Monkey Turn" and "Monkey Turn V," for which Kawai is credited as the original creator.

Kawai's third major serialized work was "Suzusato High School Calligraphy Club," a manga about the art of calligraphy. It began publication in Weekly Young Sunday in December 2006 and later moved to Weekly Big Comic Spirits, where it continued until 2015, concluding with 14 volumes. This work was adapted by NHK into a six-episode live-action television drama that aired in 2010. Kawai is also credited as the original creator for an episode of the anime series "Ani x Para: Anata no Hero wa Dare Desu ka," which highlights para-sports. Beyond his own creations, he has worked on character designs for the crossover video game "Sunday x Magazine: Cross Line." Throughout his career, Kawai has been recognized for his ability to craft compelling narratives around niche sports and activities, bringing them to a wide audience in both manga and animated formats.