Mari Yamazaki (jap. ヤマザキ マリ, Yamazaki Mari) is a mangaka and essayist. She was born in Tokyo on April 20, 1967, she moved to Italy at 17, in 1984, to attend the National Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, where she studied art history and oil painting. She began working as manga artist in 1997. She lived in Syria, Portugal and the United States, returning to Italy in 2013. In 2010 she won the third edition of the Manga Award for Thermae Romae. In 2015 she won the Tezuka Osamu award (section "story", also for Thermae Romae) as well as the "New Face" award of the Japanese Ministry of Education. In 2017 she was awarded the rank of Commander of the Order of the Star (Italy). — Source: Official website