Yamada Masaki was born in Nagoya, Japan in 1950. He attended Meiji University, graduating with a degree in Economics. His debut novel Kamigari won the sixth Seiun Prize (the Japanese equivalent of the Hugo Award) in 1975. Three of his other books have also won Seiun prizes: Chikyū Seishin Bunseki Kiroku, in 1978; Hōseki Dorobō, in 1980; and Kishin Heidan, in 1995. He is the author of over one hundred forty works in a wide range of styles, including science fiction, adventure, general fiction, police procedural and mystery, and fantasy, often deliberately blurring the lines between genres. While widely known as a science fiction author in Japan, but has been building on this reputation by challenging the mystery world as well with novels like Sōjō no Tsumikiuta, awarded eighth place in the Bunshun Best Mysteries of the Year, and Mystery Opera, which won the Mystery Writers of Japan Award.