Yoshiko Nishitani (西谷祥子, Nishitani Yoshiko, born 2 October 1943) is a Japanese manga artist pioneering in shōjo manga.
[1] According to Rachel Thorn, Nishitani "more or less single-handedly invented the school campus romance that remains the mainstay of shôjo manga today",[2] and Robert Petersen regards her innovation as giving her characters personality.
[3] She gave her readers characters that were like them, "teenaged Japanese girls dealing with friendships, family, school, and, yes, falling in love.
"[4] Her success inspired an influx of female manga artists.
[5] Nishitani's characteristics have been described as 'big eyes and huge reflections within' as well as a use of curly hair and frilly clothes, with an attention to detail when drawing that inspired later artists like Nanae Sasaya.