Sanpei Shirato (1932–2021) was a Japanese manga artist and one of the pioneers of gekiga, the dramatic and socially conscious style of Japanese manga that emerged after World War II. His works often focused on ninjas, peasants, and other marginalized people, using historical settings to explore themes of power, social inequality, and the struggle for freedom. Through his realistic storytelling and sweeping historical vision, he had a profound influence on the development of Japanese manga. His best-known work, "Kamui Den," is an epic historical manga that portrays life under Japan's feudal class system and remains a landmark in the history of graphic storytelling.