Shōji Kawamori was born in Toyama, Japan, on February 20, 1960. He attended Keio University, where he was a classmate of future collaborators Hiroshi Ōnogi and Haruhiko Mikimoto. He began his career as a teenage intern at the animation studio Studio Nue, occasionally using the alias Eiji Kurokawa for his early work. He is currently an executive director at the animation studio Satelight.

Kawamori is best known as the creator of the Macross mecha anime franchise. He also co-created concepts that served as the basis for the Diaclone toyline, which was later adapted into the Transformers franchise. His other notable original anime creations include The Vision of Escaflowne, Earth Maiden Arjuna, and the Aquarion series, which includes Genesis of Aquarion, Aquarion Evol, and Aquarion: Myth of Emotions. His other original works span a range of genres, including the science fiction偶像 series AKB0048 and the magical comedy series Anyamaru Tantei Kiruminzuu, which was his first shōjo (girls) title.

Throughout his career, Kawamori has worked as a mechanical designer on numerous projects beyond his own creations, including Crusher Joe, Patlabor: The Movie, Eureka Seven, and Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. He also contributed toy designs for Takara's Diaclone line, creating the original designs for characters who would become iconic Transformers such as Optimus Prime (known as Convoy in Japan), Prowl, and Ironhide.

Kawamori pioneered several influential concepts. He is credited with developing the idea of transforming mecha, which can switch between a standard vehicle and a fighting robot, a concept he introduced in the early 1980s with Diaclone and Macross. He also created the concept of the virtual idol, first with the character Lynn Minmay from Macross, who became a real-world pop sensation. He later expanded on this idea with the AI idol Sharon Apple in Macross Plus.

His original anime projects frequently explore recurring themes, including love, war, spirituality or mysticism, and ecological concerns. In his personal life, Kawamori has cited his experience playing with Fischertechnik construction blocks as a child and the works of car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro as major influences on his design philosophy. In 2024, he was appointed president of the Anime Tourism Association, succeeding Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino.