Hiroshi Hirata

Hiroshi Hirata (平田 弘史) is a mangaka 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's also known for his use of elaborate calligraphy for dialogue, 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.