The Life of Leiji

Posted on January 23, 2026 by TimEldred

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Dozens of books were published about Leiji Matsumoto in his lifetime. Many of them attempted to catalog and analyze his enormous output of manga and anime projects, but a few were devoted to the man himself to explore the biographical origins of his unique talents. Presented here are excerpts from two of them.

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Leiji Matsumoto’s Galactic Funeral, June 3, 2023

Posted on June 4, 2023 by TimEldred

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After Leiji Matsumoto’s passing in February 2023, his wife and daughter addressed his countless bereaved fans in Japan and around the world, announcing that in due time a public event would be held to give everyone an opportunity to grieve together. On June 3, they did so in grand style.

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Memories of Leiji Matsumoto, March 2023

Posted on April 8, 2023 by TimEldred

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Following Leiji Matsumoto’s passing, a growing number of observances, memoirs, and biographical pieces flowed in a worldwide torrent. Of course, the most insightful pieces came from Japan, written by those who experienced his work in full context throughout their lives. Two such pieces are presented here.

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Japan Remembers

Posted on February 22, 2023 by TimEldred

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Few people give us gifts we can carry for the rest of our lives, even fewer from across oceans on the other side of a language barrier. Leiji Matsumoto was indisputably one of them. Collected here are memories and news stories that exploded across Japanese media (and elsewhere) upon the news of his loss.

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Leiji Matsumoto essay, 2013

Posted on April 28, 2021 by TimEldred

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Countless books have been published by and about Leiji Matsumoto, exploring his unique creative legacy. In the 2013 book Leiji Matsumoto Creative Note, each chapter focused on a favorite manga title with an accompanying essay of stories related to the making of that title. The Space Battleship Yamato chapter is presented here.

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Leiji Matsumoto and the Battleship Musashi

Posted on April 7, 2015 by TimEldred

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On March 2, 2015, the Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship Musashi, a twin to Yamato, was found at the bottom of the Philippine Sibuyan Sea by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Naturally, someone in the media wondered what Leiji Matsumoto thinks about that…

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Leiji Matsumoto: A Tribute

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Writers around the world have exhausted entire vocabularies trying to describe his unique vision, his incredible range, and his bottomless supply of creative energy. So in the end, there’s only one way to sum up Leiji Matsumoto: he’s a true original.

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Yamato Origins, Part 6
Story Outline by Leiji Matsumoto

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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There still would have been a Space Battleship Yamato without Leiji Matsumoto, but none can deny that it wouldn’t be the Yamato we know and love today. Unsatisfied with many of the ideas in the 1973 plan book, Matsumoto wrote his story treatment in April and May of 1974, presented here in full.

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Leiji Matsumoto 1976 Interview

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Fantoche magazine #2 published this very early interview with Leiji Matsumoto when he was still a humble newcomer to the world of anime. This may, in fact, be the first published interview with Matsumoto after his work on Yamato, and therefore captured his freshest memories of the experience.

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Leiji Matsumoto 1978 Interview

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Kinejun is a bi-weekly magazine that covers moviemaking from around the world, and the August 1978 issue was the first to give Yamato a mainstream cover story. Presented here is the Matsumoto interview conducted by writer Nanae Sasaya, who came to the table with special perspective as a reader of his early girl’s manga.

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Leiji Matsumoto 1978 Essay

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Shortly after the TV premiere of Yamato 2, Matsumoto wrote this essay in which he recounts his memories of growing up the post-World War II years and carries it forward to his work on Yamato, which was now at the peak of its popularity. He also writes about his own father, who was the living model for Captain Okita.

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Monthly Animation: Leiji Matsumoto interview

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Published in the summer of 1980, Matsumoto discusses his involvement with Yamato leading up to Be Forever, answers critics about militarism, the relationship between man and machine, comments on the rising mania for anime, and much more.

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Leiji Matsumoto 1983 Essay

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Originally published in Yamato Perfect Manual #2, which offered more depth and detail than had been previously published outside Office Academy & West Cape Corporation. The 2nd volume contained extensive staff commentary, including this Matsumoto essay about the making of both Series 1 and Farewell to Yamato.

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Leiji Matsumoto 1998 Interview

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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This interview captures Leiji Matsumoto in buoyant spirits as he finds himself in an upwardly-mobile career swing after a comparatively quiet period in the late 80s and early 90s. He talks enthusiastically about his time on the first Yamato series and expands on his ideas for a new story.

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Leiji Matsumoto Liner Notes Collection, 1998

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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A 25th anniversary Yamato LD series was reelased in 1998. They included a serialized essay by Matsumoto about his Yamato experiences. This contained the first announcement of his intention to create a new story and his ambitious plans for the next 25 years. The entire essay is presented here.

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Leiji Matsumoto 1999 Interview

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Despite his position at the time of copyright holder for Yamato, Matsumoto was unusually strident in this interview about the nature of his role on the first TV series and makes several claims not seen elsewhere. This interview captures an interesting snapshot-in-time when the situation was still in contention.

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Leiji Matsumoto’s Great Yamato

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Long before the resurrection begain in 2009, Leiji Matsumoto made his own attempt to bring Yamato back to life as part of a grand plan to unify all of his creations. Its title Shin [New] Space Battleship Yamato, but the secondary English name did a better job of setting it apart: Space Battleship Great Yamato.

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Leiji Matsumoto’s Dai Yamato Zero-Go

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Unable to complete his ambitious plans for Great Yamato, Leiji Matsumoto immediately transformed it into a bigger project. What made Dai Yamato different is that it didn’t start out as a manga. It would go straight to animation…by way of your local pachinko parlor.

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Leiji Matsumoto 2002 Essay

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Translated from Matsumoto’s autobiography, The Far Place Where the Ring of Time is Linked. The book culminates with a chapter devoted to Space Battleship Yamato and his second most famous production, Galaxy Express 999. Here is the Yamato portion, which contains the explanation for the book’s unusual title.

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Leiji Matsumoto 2010 Interview

Posted on June 29, 2013 by TimEldred

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Five Yamato fans from all over the world (USA, Australia, and Russia) converge on the home of Leiji Matsumoto in December 2010 and ask him everything you probably always wanted to ask. What were his answers? Find out right here. [3 pages]

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Buried Treasure: the Yamato Picture Story

Posted on June 25, 2013 by TimEldred

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A complete reproduction of an illustrated version of Yamato, written by Keisuke Fujikawa and drawn by Leiji Matsumoto during the production of the first TV series. Serialized over six issues of a monthly children’s magazine, it retold a highly-condensed version of the story in just 29 pages and was never seen again.

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