Anaheim, CA – May 18, 2010 – Anime Expo® is pleased to announce today that Japanese manga artist, Rei Hiroe, will be an official Guest of Honor at its July convention. Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga convention, is scheduled for July 1 – 4, 2010, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Mr. Hiroe will participate in attendee panels, meet-and-greets and autograph sessions.
Rei Hiroe comes to Anime Expo as an established and respected manga artist, known for his many contributions to the manga industry. Mr. Hiroe is the sole creator and artist of the popular manga series, BLACK LAGOON. Since its creation in 2002, the manga has sold over 4.5 million copies in Japan alone, and has been translated into multiple languages and published throughout the world. The English version released in North America has been a smash hit for VIZ Media since the series’ debut in 2008.
BLACK LAGOON was first adapted into a very successful anime series in 2006. The highly anticipated third installment, BLACK LAGOON Roberta’s Blood Trail, will premiere at Anime Expo in honor of Mr. Hiroe’s appearance.
Mr. Hiroe has also received much praise for the manga works Hisuikyo Kitan, SHOOK UP! and Phantom Bullet, for which he created both the story and the art. In addition, he has used his talents as an illustrator to compile several art books, including Barrage Rei Horie Artworks and REIGHBORHOOD!
Rei Hiroe joins Anime Expo’s 2010 line-up along with musical artist MELL; supergroup AKB48; voice actor Katsuyuki Konishi; Eden of the East trio Kenji Kamiyama, Satoru Nakamura and Tomohiko Ishii; voice actor Kyle Hebert; animation director Toshihiro Kawamoto; seiyuu Yuu Asakawa; J-rock band Sophia; and anime director Shinichi “Nabeshin†Watanabe. To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2010 news, follow us on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
To register for Anime Expo 2010, please visit our website.