Yutaka Narui is a Japanese director, screenwriter, and playwright born on October 8, 1961 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. He is a graduate of the Waseda University Department of Literature. After working as a high school teacher, he founded the theater company Caramel Box in 1985, where he serves as its representative and is responsible for writing and directing productions. He initially wrote under the alias Sumihiko Narui. His professional activities extend beyond his own company to include writing and directing for other theater groups, as well as writing for television dramas and working as a lecturer.

Narui's work as an original creator in anime and manga is directly tied to his background in theater. One of his notable manga credits is the one-volume work Huckleberry ni Sayonara wo, which is explicitly an adaptation of his own stage play of the same title. This manga was published in the shoujo magazine Bessatsu Margaret. More recently, Narui has moved into original anime creation. He is the screenwriter for the original television anime Inherit the Winds, which is also known as Kaze wo Tsugumono. For this project, he is also credited with the original story, working in collaboration with Aniplex. The anime, announced in 2025, is a reimagining of the Shinsengumi period drama. Narui has stated that this was his first experience writing an anime script, and he drew upon a character he originally created for a Caramel Box stage play about the Shinsengumi, adapting him into a new story for the animated medium. His other work in anime includes serving as the scriptwriter for the upcoming anime Kaze wo Tsugumono, where he is also listed as the original creator.

Narui's artistic identity is deeply rooted in his long career in live theater. His transition to manga and anime often involves adapting his own stage work for new formats, as seen with both Huckleberry ni Sayonara wo and the character development for Inherit the Winds. His industry significance is as a creator who bridges traditional Japanese theater and modern anime production. His involvement in major projects, such as being selected to write the script for the stage adaptation of the popular baseball manga Ookiku Furikabutte in 2018, demonstrates his respected standing as a playwright and director within Japanese entertainment.