Shinobu Takayama is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator known for creating fantasy and action-oriented works. Her career began in the early 2000s with short stories, and she gained wider recognition with the manga Amatsuki, which started serialization in 2004. She is credited as the original creator behind both the Amatsuki and Haigakura manga, which have been adapted into anime television series.

Takayama’s most prominent work is Haigakura. The manga was initially serialized in Ichijinsha’s Comic Zero Sum WARD magazine starting in January 2008. When that magazine ceased publication in May 2015, the series was transferred to the Zero-Sum Online website, where it continues to be published. The chapters have been collected into over seventeen tankōbon volumes. The story is set in a world supported by four gods known as the Four Evils, following song officers called Kashikan who use songs and dances to capture escaped gods. An anime television adaptation of Haigakura, produced by Typhoon Graphics, premiered in October 2024. For this adaptation, Takayama is credited as the original creator and also provided the original character designs.

Prior to Haigakura, Takayama authored Amatsuki, a series that also received an anime adaptation in 2008. This earlier work helped establish her reputation within the industry. In addition to her long-running serialized manga, Takayama has contributed illustrations to numerous novels and anthology projects, showcasing her distinct visual style. Her artistic identity is characterized by a distinctive use of traditional Japanese colors and elaborate, detailed artwork. She maintains an active career with multiple series and illustration projects running concurrently. Her significance in the industry is marked by the longevity of her serializations, with Haigakura spanning over fifteen years of continuous publication, and the adaptation of her work into anime across two different series.