It’s a sad day today, as anime fans received word that Leiji Matsumoto passed away from heart failure in Tokyo last week. Considering that this man literally changed the course of my life, I’m feeling super sad, too.
What is Leiji Matsumoto Famous For?
An old-school mangaka who first debuted back in the 1950s, Matsumoto was most famous for Space Battleship Yamato, shown as Star Blazers internationally. This was one of the first sci-fi anime series to define the potential of Japanese animation, in the eyes of the world. It also introduced the kinds of stories that could be told. But of course, he made many other incredible works, from Captain Harlock to Galaxy Express 999 and Queen Emeraldas. I loved them all.
Let’s have some soundtrack for the rest of this post, with one of my favorite songs from Space Battleship Yamato: Red Scarf. Press play on the video and keep reading!
Leiji Matsumoto was all about space operas, and the more they dripped with ridiculous melodrama, the better. His hyper-romanticized stories dealt with war and death in the vast “oceans” of space, with characters facing the potential destruction of their homeworlds and the extinction of their races, be they humans or Gamilas or many other races that appear in his works.
How did Space Battleship Yamato inspire many of the elements of Star Wars? Blog post here!
Like Hayao Miyazaki, who grew up surrounded by airplanes due to his family business being an aircraft parts manufacturer, Leiji Matsumoto was heavily influenced by airplanes thanks to his father being a test pilot for the Kawasaki Aircraft Company. All of these themes flowed into his works, including some of the frustration he felt growing up in the aftermath of Japan’s defeat and occupation after the Pacific War.
What’s the best film for anyone wanting to experience a quintessential Leiji Matsumoto type of story? There are two great ones I can suggest. The first is Saraba Yamato (review link by me), the dark and dramatic follow-up to the first season of Yamato, which kills off the characters because a new season hadn’t been funded yet. But the film I really love is Captain Harlock: The Arcadia of My Youth, a long film showing how Harlock became an outcast space pirate after the Earth is occupied by an alien military force, which is totally not an allegory to the Allied Occupation of Japan or anything. The film came out in 1982, when the creator was at the height of his powers as an animator, and it’s really something to experience.
How Did Leiji Matsumoto Change My Life?
While I was influenced by all the classic early anime works growing up, the one that really turned my head was Star Blazers. I literally could not believe that a story this dramatic — the Star Force needs to make a journey of 148,000 light years and back within a single year or all life on Earth will perish — could be told in an animated medium. I mean, you even had to watch the episodes in order, or you wouldn’t understand the story! Who ever heard of that?
But at the end of season 1, when (spoilers) Captain Avatar dies just as Earth comes into view, I was positively floored. The intense emotions I experienced watching Star Blazers caused me to put my love of Star Wars on hold for a few years while I contemplated the potential that animation from Japan might hold.
I also (only half-jokingly) remember the scene from the Comet Empire arc of the show, when Yuki/Nova takes off her uniform, wearing only a slip underneath. Even this tiny bit of fan service broke my brain at the time, and is partially responsible for me coming to Japan and starting a hentai empire later in life…
His Wife Created Japan’s Barbie Doll
Leiji Matsumoto had the good fortune to marry Miyaki Maki, a popular shoujo mangaka in her own right. In 1967 she was tasked by the Takara toy company to design Licca-chan, which was to be Japan’s answer to Mattel’s iconic Barbie doll. The doll went on to be a huge multi-decade hit, and the couple was able to live comfortably off royalties from the doll’s design, allowing Matsumoto to focus on writing melodramatic manga stories.
You Can Ride in a Spaceship Leiji Matsumoto Designed
Would you like to ride in a spaceship designed by the great Leiji Matsumoto? You can! On your next visit to Japan, you can ride the Himiko and the Hotoluna, two “water taxis” ferrying people between Asakusa and Odaiba, which were designed with Matsumoto’s unique style. But be sure to plan ahead, as seats for the two boat rides are extremely popular and sell out fast.
Thanks for reading this sad post about the passing of Japanese creator Leiji Matsumoto. What works by him have you enjoyed? Tell us below, or on Twitter!
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