Kei Urana, also known by the name Kanaru, is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator. She is the creator of the ongoing battle action series Gachiakuta, which began serialization in Kodanshas Weekly Shonen Magazine in February 2022. Urana was born on March 9 and has cited Atsushi Ohkubos Soul Eater as a significant inspiration. She later worked as an assistant to Ohkubo on his series Fire Force, a period during which Ohkubo famously referred to her as his successor.

Before the success of Gachiakuta, Urana gained early recognition for her one-shot works. Her one-shot titled Shikido won first prize in the 103rd Shonen Magazine Newcomer Manga Award. Another notable one-shot is Nokase from October 2018.

The development of Gachiakuta is marked by a distinctive artistic collaboration. To achieve the series unique visual identity, Urana worked with graffiti designer Hideyoshi Andou. The concept involved integrating Andous graffiti art into the backgrounds of the manga, a decision Urana has described as an uncertain but exciting challenge to create something that had not been done before. This blend of detailed character art and graffiti-style backgrounds defines the series rebellious and punk-inspired aesthetic.

In terms of its adaptation history, Gachiakuta has been adapted into an anime television series. The anime is produced by the studio bones film and premiered in July 2025. An English language version of the manga is published in North America by Kodansha USA Publishing, with the first volume released in 2024. The series has received industry recognition, winning the Global Special Prize in the Comics category of the Next Manga Awards in 2022, and was later named a YALSA Top Ten Great Graphic Novel for Teens in 2025.

Thematically, Urana works frequently explore concepts of rebellion against conformity, authority, and discrimination. Her storytelling focuses on protagonists who face oppressive systems and moral dilemmas within dystopian worlds. Her artistic identity is characterized by an energetic visual style that fuses traditional pen-and-ink techniques with digital composition, a combination that has been praised for its raw energy and detail. Kei Uranas career, mentored by a prominent shonen creator and defined by a unique artistic partnership, marks her as a notable figure in contemporary manga, recognized for bringing a fresh and visually risky style to the industry.