Hekiru Hikawa is a Japanese manga artist born on January 31, 1975, in Tokyo. After graduating from high school and briefly attending a vocational school for systems engineering, he began his career in the publishing industry as an editor for the magazine GAMEST. Following his time as an editor, he worked as an assistant to several manga artists and engaged in doujinshi activities before making his professional debut. His debut work, Pani Poni, began serialization in Monthly GFantasy in November 2000 and became his most recognized creation. The series concluded in October 2011 and was compiled into 17 collected volumes.

The artistic identity of Hikawa is heavily influenced by American popular culture from his youth, including foreign dramas and films from the 1980s, which often serve as subjects for parody within his work. His pen name was given to him by an acquaintance, who modeled it after voice actress Hekiru Shiina, a fact Hikawa was initially unaware of and has since referred to as the worst pen name in the world. He has maintained a consistent approach to his creative work, frequently establishing a shared universe across his various manga series.

Pani Poni was adapted into a 26-episode anime television series titled Pani Poni Dash! in 2005, directed by Akiyuki Shinbo at the studio SHAFT. An original video animation was later released in 2009. Beyond this flagship title, Hikawa has created numerous other manga works. These include the spin-off series Maro Mayu, The Alternative Cure Magical Girl Behoimi-chan, and TG Angel Gyaiko-chan, all of which feature characters from the Pani Poni universe. His later works, such as the supernatural series CANDY POP NIGHTMARE serialized from 2011 to 2016 and the comedy series Our Everyday Life Has Just Only Begun from 2019 to 2020, demonstrate a continued exploration of comedy and character-driven narratives. His current ongoing series, Hanaori-san wa Tensei shitemo Kenka ga Shitai, began serialization in 2021.

Hikawa holds a significant presence in the anime industry through his work as a guest illustrator, frequently contributing end card illustrations for anime productions, particularly those by the studio SHAFT. His end card work spans notable series such as Bakemonogatari, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Hidamari Sketch, and March Comes in Like a Lion. He also contributed to character concepts and design for the original anime Concrete Revolutio.