Leiji Matsumoto

Leiji Matsumoto: 'Oyashirazu Sanka' (1978)

Legendary manga and anime creator Leiji Matsumoto has passed away on February 13, 2023 at age 85 due to heart failure. 

Some of his notable works include Space Battleship Yamato, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, and Queen Emeraldas. He also collaborated with Daft Punk to supervise several animated music videos for their Discovery album, and the videos were strung together into the Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem film.

Leiji Matsumoto: 'Oyashirazu Sanka' Limited Edition Manga Cover Artwork (1978)

Promotional artwork for "Space Pirate Captain Harlock," illustrated by creator Leiji Matsumoto for the anime series produced by Toei Animation.

Some sad news to share, friends - Leiji Matsumoto, the iconic creator of Space Battleship Yamato (aka Starblazers), Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, and many more, has passed away at the age of 85. A manga artist since the 50s who originally got his start in shoujo manga, Matsumoto’s works were a cornerstone of early anime fandom. American sci-fi fans of the 70s may not have known the terms “anime”, “manga”, or “cosplay”, but they knew and loved Matsumoto’s work, which was many fan’s first exposure to anime back in the day. One of the first recorded “cosplay” gatherings in the US was of fans dressed as mostly Leiji Matsumoto characters!

In other parts of the world, they also fell in love with Matsumoto’s work: as in France, where Harlock was known as Albator, and won the hearts of many fans. So much so that Matsumoto won many prestigious awards there, and would eventually be knighted in 2012 by the French government. French electronic duo Daft Punk was highly influenced by his work, and in 2001 collaborated with Matsumoto to release anime music videos (and eventually a feature-length film version called Interstella 555).

Modern anime & manga owe much to his work, as he was THE pioneer of space opera and what he liked to call “boy’s romance” stories--”romance” in the literarily sense--full of angst, heroism, and fighting for independence while celebrating nature, brotherhood, and friendship. He helped many people learn to never give up on themselves and their dreams, no matter how fantastical they may seem.

May his spirit travel on, in a new adventure in the endless sea of stars.

Captain Harlock

(I reworked these GIFs I posted on my previous account)

breaking my silence on this app bc i have fallen back into the rabbit hole that is leijiverse and i need people to be insane with me

🪩🏴‍☠️✨

3000年の春 by 松本零士/Leiji Matsumoto

R.I.P. Leiji Matsumoto

(1938 Jan.25 - 2023.Feb13)

Cover art for 11 November 1976 issue of Manga Goraku dokuhon.

松本零士「漫画ゴラクdokuhon」1976年11月11日号の表紙画

RIP to a titan of science fiction and the guy responsible for Interstellar 5555.

Galaxy Express 999 Ginga Tetsudō Surī Nain dir. Rintaro (1979)

Interstella 5555 concept art by Leiji Matsumoto (September 19th, 2000 - October 7th, 2000)

AGHHHH i love him sm