Hirokatsu Kihara is a highly accomplished industry veteran with a career spanning several decades. He began his journey as a production coordinator for the anime movie Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and quickly caught the attention of director Hayao Miyazaki. Mr. Miyazaki then headhunted Mr. Kihara to join the team at Studio Ghibli.
During his time at Studio Ghibli, Mr. Kihara worked closely with Mr. Miyazaki and played an integral role in the production of several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, including Laputa: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki’s Delivery Service. The famous Catbus character from Totoro is even modeled after him!
After leaving Studio Ghibli, Mr. Kihara opened a new chapter in his career as a scary story author. He has written many scary stories that have been adapted into TV series and movies. His most significant project in recent years is a collaboration book with horror manga artist Junji Itoh, titled Mimi’s Tales of Terror. The book has been translated into seven different languages and has gained a cult following.
FanimeCon is proud to welcome Hirokatsu Kihara back as Guest of Honor for his second appearance! This year marks the 35th anniversary of Kiki’s Delivery Service and will be a focus of his panel discussions. Don’t miss your chance to hear behind the scenes episodes about the Ghibli classic, and maybe he even has a few surprises up his sleeve…?
In addition, Mr. Kihara will have autograph sessions and a special Godzilla panel for attendees!
Social Media:
Twitter: @KiharaHirokatsu