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 adopted 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!