Stephen Turnbull, a leading authority on Japanese history, has an MA in Theology and an MA in Military History, in addition to a PhD from Leeds University for his work on Japanese religious history. He has travelled extensively in Europe and the Far East and also runs a well-used picture library. His work has been recognized by the awarding of the Canon Prize of the British Association for Japanese Studies and a Japan Festival Literary Award. He is a lecturer in Japanese Religion at the University of Leeds.

Angus McBride is one of the world's most respected historical illustrators, and has contributed to more than 90 Osprey titles in the past three decades. Wayne Reynolds attended art college in Middlesborough. He has had a life-long passion for illustration and has been a professional artist since 1991. Howard Gerrard studied at the Wallasey School of Art and has been a freelance designer and illustrator for over 20 years.
Stephen Turnbull is widely recognised as the world's leading English language authority on the samurai of Japan. He took his first degree at Cambridge and has two MAs (in Theology and Military History) and a PhD from Leeds University. He is now retired and pursues an active literary career, having now published 85 books. His expertise has helped with numerous projects including films, television and the award-winning strategy game Shogun Total War.