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Hiroshi Hirata

1937 – 2021

Japanese manga artist

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About Hiroshi Hirata

Lived 1937 – 2021 (aged 84). Hiroshi Hirata was a Japanese mangaka.

was a Japanese manga artist best known in the United States for the samurai manga series Satsuma Gishiden, which is published in the United States by Dark Horse Comics. Hirata's works belong to the subset of manga known as "gekiga" ("dramatic pictures"), and his artwork has a realistic style comparable to Goseki Kojima's work on Lone Wolf and Cub. He was also known for his use of elaborate calligraphy for dialogue (he did the kanji for Akira), which has been preserved (though still translated) in the American editions of his work.

According to Frederik L. Schodt's Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga, famed Japanese author and militarist Yukio Mishima admired Hirata's work. Also, Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai has praised Hirata's artwork.

Hirata is one of the very few manga authors whose work has been translated into Hindi. A translation by Yoshiyo Takakura of his 1978 manga Chi Daruma Kenpo was published by Yukichi Yamamatsu's Delhi-based Ganga Yamato Company in 2005.

Hirata died of heart failure on December 11, 2021, at the age of 84.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Also known as
Hirata Hiroshi

People in Hiroshi Hirata's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Hiroshi Hirata's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Hiroshi Hirata?

Japanese manga artist (1937-2021)

When was Hiroshi Hirata born?

Hiroshi Hirata was born on 9 February 1937 in Tokyo.

When did Hiroshi Hirata die?

Hiroshi Hirata died on 11 December 2021.

What was Hiroshi Hirata's occupation?

Hiroshi Hirata was a mangaka.

What nationality was Hiroshi Hirata?

Hiroshi Hirata was Japanese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Hiroshi Hirata

· Wikidata: Q3136353

· DBpedia: Hiroshi Hirata

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Hiroshi Hirata. https://biography.guide/hiroshi-hirata/

MLA: "Hiroshi Hirata." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/hiroshi-hirata/.

Chicago: "Hiroshi Hirata." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/hiroshi-hirata/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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