Ai Yazawa is a popular manga-ka that the US is only just now discovering. With her innovative designs and ultra-expressive characterization and expressions, Yazawa has been popular in Asia and in Europe since the creation of her previous title, Gokinjo Monogatari. Loosely set in the same world as Paradise Kiss, Gokinjo features some characters from Paradise Kiss. Paradise Kiss is currently one of the most popular shojo titles in Japan. Yazawa has worked on several other manga series, including Lunar Quarter and Tenshi Nankajanai.