Born in Osaka during the late Edo period, Shunbaisai Hokuei, also known as Shunkō III, was a woodblock print artist active circa 1824–1837. Virtually nothing is known of the Shunbaisai's life beyond his name and birthplace. 

Under the tutelage of printmaker Shunkōsai Hokushū, Shunbaisai became a leading artist of the Osaka School throughout the 1820s and 1830s, specializing in yakusha-e, or kabuki actor prints. With his characteristic use of bulging eyes and oblong jaws, Shunbaisai was greatly influenced by his teacher's early prints. However, Shunbaisai also pioneered his own use of surimono effects in woodcuts, with precious metals, stones, and heavy embossing. 

Another marked distinction is his implementation of mie, dramatic poses assumed by an actor. Throughout his thirteen-year career, Shunbaisai produced an estimated one hundred and fifty images. He passed away circa 1837.