Tributes pour in after legendary manga and anime creator Leiji Matsumoto dies aged 85
Written by ABR on 21/02/2023
Space Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Express 999 creator Leiji Matsumoto passed away on February 13, according to his studio, Studio Leijisha.
Matsumoto’s daughter and current head of Studio Leijisha, Makiko Matsumoto, broke the news via a statement released on the studio’s website yesterday (February 20). In a translation by BBC News, his daughter wrote that Matsumoto has “set out on a journey to the sea of stars. I think he lived a happy life, thinking about continuing to draw stories as a manga artist.” He passed away due to acute heart failure.
Aside from Space Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Express 999, Matsumoto was best known for his work on Space Pirate Captain Harlock and Otoko Oidon, the latter of which is highly considered as his big break. Matsumoto has notably supervised the production of several music videos for iconic French music duo Daft Punk, including ‘One More Time’ and ‘Around the World.’ He also supervised the creation of the duo’s anime film, Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem.
Fans and colleagues alike have since posted tributes to Matsumoto. One of his English translators, Zack Davisson, tweeted: “Saddened to hear of the passing of Leiji Matsumoto. As a young boy, he showed me a train going into space, and I have never been the same since. It has been my great honor to translate his works and bring them into English”.
Saddened to hear of the passing of Leiji Matsumoto. As a young boy, he showed me a train going into space, and I have never been the same since. It has been my great honor to translate his works and bring them into English. 然らば, sensei. pic.twitter.com/vvxVqEddHr
— Zack Davisson @ECCC E-10 (@ZackDavisson) February 20, 2023
Have a look at a handful of tributes to the artist below:
Leiji Matsumoto
Rest in peace space pirate
Will always remember the day we met the genius in Tokyo with the robots when they introduced him their Interstella 5555 project
Posted by Ed Banger Records on Sunday, February 19, 2023
rest in peace Leiji Matsumoto thank you for your childhood defining work
pic.twitter.com/JhEycn58Bv
— Madeon (@madeon) February 20, 2023
I cannot deal with this weekend anymore.
To this day…
Posted by Yuko Shimizu on Sunday, February 19, 2023
Sayonara … dear #LeijiMatsumoto
Adieu Galaxy Express 999. RIPさようなら #松本零士 先生
星の海へ— Sarah Àlainn サラ・オレイン @デビュー10周年アルバム「One」 (@SarahAlainn) February 20, 2023
The post Tributes pour in after legendary manga and anime creator Leiji Matsumoto dies aged 85 appeared first on NME.
ABR Group