Leiji Matsumoto

Leiji Matsumoto (松本 零士, Matsumoto Reiji, born Akira Matsumoto January 25, 1938 in Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan) is a well-known creator of several anime and manga series. His wife Miyako Maki (牧 美也子, Maki Miyako) is also known as a manga artist. Matsumoto is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato. Many such as Toshio Okada and Eiichiro Oda have remarked in interviews that the Romanticism prevalent in his work has inspired them both... more

Leiji Matsumoto (松本 零士, Matsumoto Reiji, born Akira Matsumoto January 25, 1938 in Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan) is a well-known creator of several anime and manga series. His wife Miyako Maki (牧 美也子, Maki Miyako) is also known as a manga artist. Matsumoto is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato. Many such as Toshio Okada and Eiichiro Oda have remarked in interviews that the Romanticism prevalent in his work has inspired them both. His style is characterized by tragic heroes; tall, slender, fragile-looking heroines with strong wills and in some cases, god-like powers; and a love of analog gauges and dials in his spacecraft. These prominent gauges and dials are affectionately called Gauges of Matsumoto (松本ゲージ, Matsumoto Gēji) or Matsumoto Meter (松本メーター, Matsumoto Mētā) by his fans. Another trademark of his is putting a series of "9"s or "0"s in his manga titles (The word "rei" in his name means "0"). His beloved cat Mī-kun often makes appearances in his work (His... less