introduction to akira matsumoto akira matsumoto, also known as leiji matsumoto, was a japanese manga artist and creator of several anime and manga series. he was born on january 25, 1938, in fukui, japan, and passed away on february 13, 2023. 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 and career matsumoto began his career as a manga artist in…