Obituary: Secret of Mana artist and illustrator Hiro Isono

Hiro Isono, the illustrator behind the gorgeous artwork in iconic Square RPG Secret of Mana, passed away last month due to heart failure. Born in 1945, the artist graduated from the Aichi University of Education's Fine Arts department in 1968, and proceeded to work as an illustrator and painter throughout his life. As part of his illustration work, Isono provided art for a number of the Mana games from Square, including Secret of Mana in 1993 (on which he was one of the main artists), and Heroes of Mana in 2007. He also provided artwork for 1991 Game Boy title Final Fantasy Adventure. Anime News Network reports that Isono passed away on May 28, and a memorial service was held on May 31.