THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
February 20, 2023 at 18:26 JST
Leiji Matsumoto, one of the most influential manga artists in Japan, has died at the age of 85.
The artist, born Akira Matsumoto, took his last breath at a Tokyo hospital on Feb. 13 following acute heart failure, according to a statement released on Feb. 20 by Toei Co., his partner film studio.
He is survived by his wife Miyako Maki, also a renowned manga artist.
Best known for “Galaxy Express 999” and “Space Battleship Yamato,” Matsumoto was a leading figure in Japan’s booming animation scene in the 1970s and 1980s.
Originally from Fukuoka Prefecture, Matsumoto made his debut when he was still a high school student. He became popular with a 1971 comedy featuring a poor young man living in a shabby apartment.
Matsumoto directed the TV serial “Space Battleship Yamato” that started in 1974 and was later made into a comic series.
In 1977, he released the first episode of “Galaxy Express 999,” another blockbuster space opera that cemented his status as one of the most successful sci-fi manga creators in the country. His other famed sci-fi pieces include “Space Pirate Captain Harlock.”
The Japanese government awarded Matsumoto the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2001 and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2010.
His animated titles have also earned popularity in many other countries, including France, which gave him the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) in 2012.
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Leiji Matsumoto (Provided by Toei Co.)
