Great Anime Directors: Leiji Matsumoto

By Mark McPherson
24th May 04

Born in Tokyo of 1930, Leiji Matsumoto has been a seasonal science fiction anime director. His talents have been parodied many times in comedic manga and his legacy continues to this very day. He is pretty much the George Lucas of animation.

Matsumoto's career began in the late 60's when his first manga was published called Galaxy Express 999. However, Leiji did not become a well-known anime director until his first TV show debuted on television called Space Battleship Yamato or Starblazers as US fans know it as. Though the show didn't recieve huge ratings, it bounced back with a movie and two more seasons and movies. This was only the beginning of Matsumoto's long legacy of directing science fiction anime as he would soon find out.

Soon after, Galaxy Express 999 got it's own television and TV series as well. Ironically, Matsumoto linked both GE999 and Yamato together and would continue to have his future features take place in this universe. This continued on into the 70's with a sequel to the GE999 movie and a movie devoted to the space priate Captain Harlock known as Arcadia of my Youth. Almost all of these titles have come to America in some form. Even Leiji Matsumoto's long forgotten sci-fi series from the mid-70's popped up on America's week-long block Force Five as Spaceketeers.

Continuing on through the 80's and 90's, Leiji Matsumoto directed more sequels and prequels to the GE999 universe including DNA Sights 999.9, Queen Emereldas and a Harlock OAV saga. He was also involved in a Japanese war OAV known as The Cockpit as the art director. It was great to see Matsumoto put his talents into something non-science-fiction since he has been peddling the same universe for three decades.

Leiji Matsumoto's work isn't just limited to anime television series, movies and OAVs. In a move that shocked everyone, Leiji Matsumoto was hired to direct four music videos for the techno band, Daft Punk. Matsumoto's unique style of the four music videos and how they all connect is quite remarkable. An anime director directing a music video is a first so maybe Leiji Matsumoto has started a new trend. Perhaps we will see Gundam or Devilman appearing in a new rock music video.

Considering all of his accomplishments he has made in the past four decades, Leiji Matsumoto is truly an inspirational anime director who has a lot to offer and never limits his talents to just television. That is something all directors, anime or not, should try to accomplish with their talents. If someone ever asks me who my favorite science fiction director is, you better know it's going to be Leiji Matsumoto.

-- Mark McPherson 24th May 04