Leiji Matsumoto

was a Japanese manga artist, and creator of several anime and manga series. His widow Miyako Maki is also a manga artist. Matsumoto was famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Express 999. His style was characterized by mythological and often tragic storylines with strong moral themes, noble heroes, feminine heroines, and a love of strange worlds and melancholic atmosphere. Early life Leiji Matsumoto was born January 25, 1938, in Kurume, Fukuoka. He was the middle child of a family of seven brothers, and, in his early childhood, Matsumoto was given a 35mm film projector by his father. He watched American cartoons during the Pacific War and developed an interest in science fiction novels by Unno Juza and H. G. Wells. Matsumoto started drawing when he was six and, inspired by Osamu Tezuka's work, began drawing manga three years later. He moved to Tokyo at 18 to become a manga artist. Career