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Slam Dunk/Vagabond's Inoue Named Japan-Spain Goodwill Ambassador

Award-winning manga Takehiko Inoue was chosen as the Japan-Spain goodwill ambassador by the Japanese Foreign Ministry on Monday. Inoue wrote and illustrated his travel diary Pepita: Takehiko Inoue Meets Gaudi about his inspiration from the works by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. Inoue will host a Gaudi-themed exhibit in Barcelona and Japan beginning in April next year.

Inoue has garnered positive attention from the Japanese government over the years. He won the MEXT Art Encouragement Shinjin Prize in the Media Arts category from the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the Japanese government in 2009, a commendation from the Japan Basketball Association in 2010, has his own basketball scholarship, and has also been awarded the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.

[Via Comic Book Resources]