Norio Hikone is a Japanese animator and illustrator from Tokyo. He studied at Tokyo University of the Arts before launching his career at major studios—Toho Movie, Toei Animation, and Mushi Production. In 1966 he struck out on his own and established Hikone Studio.

Over the years, Hikone's worked across pretty much every medium you'd expect from someone of his experience: TV animation, commercials, character design, picture books, and music videos. He's probably best known to general audiences through his contributions to NHK's Minna no Uta program, the long-running children's music series.