Mitsumasa Anno was one of Japan's leading illustrators and book designers as well as an award-winning contributor to the children's book field. His challenging books entice the reader into the exciting world of imagination and logic. He was always been fascinated by topology and by the beauty of the mathematical world, and this is evident in all his works. Born in 1926 in Tsuwano, a small historic town in the western part of Japan, the artist graduated from the Yamaguchi Teacher Training College and served as primary school teacher for some time before starting his career in art. He lived in the suburbs of Tokyo with his wife, a son, and a daughter until he passed away in 2020.