Hiroko Yoda was born and raised in Tokyo. She is a certified cultural historian, a former Tokyo editor for CNN Go and a field producer for National Geographic TV. Over two decades she has assisted countless Japanese creators in the video game, manga, anime, toy and film industries convey their artistic visions abroad. She has written popular pieces for the New Yorker, Vice and Wired, and has also appeared on CNN, PBS, BBC, and 99% Invisible. She lives in Tokyo.