TOKYO: Manga artist Leiji Matsumoto, known for such works as “Space Battleship Yamato” and “Galaxy Express 999,” died of acute heart failure at a Tokyo hospital on the morning of Feb 13 at the age of 85. His given name was Akira, but he used the pen name Leiji.
Born in the western Japanese prefecture of Fukuoka, Matsumoto debuted with a manga titled “Mitsubachi no Boken” (Adventures of a Honeybee). He went on to cement his reputation with “Otoko Oidon” in 1971. “Space Battleship Yamato,” a TV anime series that was first broadcast in 1974, was made into a film that went on to become a hit, helping drive the 1970s anime fad in Japan.
“Galaxy Express 999,” a manga set in space that began in 1977, gained a wide following among children due in part to the popularity of its main characters, including the heroine Maetel.
For his artistic contributions, 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.