Rei Hiroe

Rei Hiroe was born on 5 December 1972 in Japan. He is best known as the creator of *Black Lagoon*, a gritty action manga series that began serialization in the early 2000s and has been adapted into multiple anime seasons and original video animations. Hiroe’s path into comics started with doujinshi, where he worked under the pen name Red Bear. His early professional manga were published by Kadokawa Shoten in the 1990s, but none were completed. In the early 2000s, he moved to Shogakukan, which republished and re-released his earlier works alongside *Black Lagoon*. His style is marked by detailed, kinetic linework and a focus on morally ambiguous characters in a violent underworld. Hiroe has served as writer, artist, and inker on his series, with *Black Lagoon* being his most credited title. His key collaborators include editors at Shogakukan and the anime staff who adapted his work. He has not received major industry awards but maintains a dedicated international fanbase. Hiroe remains active, with *Black Lagoon* continuing in irregular chapters.