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Tall, mysterious willowy women with hair down to their ankles, super-cool space heroes that make Cowboy Bebop's Spike look like a second-rate nobody, and then some character that looks like a Mr. Potato-Head. It can't possibly work, but in Matsumoto's universe, somehow it all does and does so brilliantly.
Matsumoto's importance to anime cannot be overstated, he quite literally gave us the first space-opera, by taking what was, ostensibly, a children's cartoon, and turning it into one the tightest dramas of all time, making himself anime's first "superstar". When Yamato fever hit Japan, the lines at the theater for Arrevederchi Yamato were unprecedented, and the normally stoic Japanese were seen openly weeping by the end of the film. He also gave anime the concept of the noble villain - Desslok/Dessler - who remains one of the most popular anime characters *ever*.
Everything he touches becomes legendary, just mention the names "Harlock" "Galaxy Express 999" "Emeraldus" to any old-school anime fan and they will become misty-eyed. Matsumoto also gave us our first taste of anime-babes. Many a fanboy has dreamed about what's under that black fur dress.
Homage's to Matsumoto's work appear in the plethora of other anime, and his work is often imitated, but never duplicated. His tight characters, social commentary, and dramatic style of storytelling changed anime forever and gave us the essential concepts which we now take for granted. Other anime superstars may come and go, but Leiji Matsumoto will always be the first and the greatest of them.
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Galaxy Railways
Anime DVD Review
I first watched the TV series a couple years ago on HK DVD (with the usual pseudo-subtitles), and decided it was worth buying again once the Funimation discs started to appear. I'm watching the dub this time, and it's every bit as good as I remember it. The first two episodes had me in tears all over again, so it's already a winner.
There's a real knack to animating Matsumoto characters and making them look cool, which was pioneered by Toshihiro Kawamoto, who set the style guide for character art in "The Cockpit." (He's a brilliant artist in his own right and has a singular talent for finding the essence of other artists' styles). Over the last ten years, Matsumoto's output has been uneven. It's only then that you realize it all comes down to who gets hired to interpret the master.
 And on all counts, Galaxy Railways is as good as it gets. Story, art, music, everything. I strongly suspect that what made it all "click" was the CG breakthrough that allowed the artists to focus their energies on the character animation. As a result, both 2D and 3D are allowed to do what each does best and it's a feast for the eyes from start to finish.
The concluding arc of the series is a killer set of cliffhangers and a rollercoaster of plot twists that pile up so fast and furious that they gave me a rush I hadn't felt since the ending of Yamato 2.
It goes over the top of the believability meter again and again (as do all Matsumoto productions) but it's just so damn earnest and unself-conscious about it, you get swept right up in the action and you TOTALLY believe a steam locomotive can be a match for a giant space battleship.
Galaxy Railways. Accept no substitutes.
Reviewed by Tim Eldred, March 2009
Star Blazers:
Quest for Iscandar
Anime DVD Review
We're off to outer space, we're leaving mother Earth, so save the human race…. It's a blast from the past! So classic that it must be seen to be appreciated. Okay, the animation is a little crude looking compared to the ultra-slick anime of today, but don't be put off by it – this series has the greatest plot ever put to the screen. It was in many ways the blueprint for so many films that followed, both in Japan and in the U.S. (Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, etc., all owe their lineage to a sunken WWII battleship).
 Created by anime legend Leiji Matsumoto (Harlock, Galaxy Express), Star Blazers (Uchu Senkan Yamato in Japan) spawned 3 TV series, 5 movies, a zillion copycats and next to Mobile Suit Gundam was one of the longest running anime franchises in Japan. And it all started here with these simple words: In the year 2199 Earth is under attack from the mysterious planet Gamilon. Gamilon planet bombs cover the Earth with radioactivity and as a result, Earth has one year to live. But, on the planet Iscandar, there is a machine which can remove the radioactivity. Queen Starsha offers it to the people of Earth. A team of star blazers undertake the perilous journey, but, can they travel 148,000 light years and back in just one Earth year?
When the show hit the airwaves in America (1979), it created the first legions of anime fans who continue to hail it to this day. Make no mistake – the storyline and characters are classic and memorable. The music and art direction are top notch and (for the time) above reproach. It was, and remains the most original and revered anime series of all time. The DVD also has special features like a complete interactive map of the Star Force's journey which make this a "must have" for an old time fan.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, May 2002
Space Pirate Captain Herlock -
The Legend Returns
Anime DVD Review
Kick up your feet, sit back and relax. Get re-acquianted with an old friend. The Leiji Matsumoto time-honored classic Captain Herlock returns to DVD in an exciting new series of adventures, once more bringing together Matsumoto and fellow collaborator Rin Taro.
 Captain Herlock and his old crewmates reunite after spending a long period apart, and find themselves facing an ancient evil - one that has been awakened by man's incessant push into deep space. It's guaranteed to be a series you'll want to revisit, over and over again.
Reviewed by Saul Trabal, April 2004
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Leiji Matsumoto Website Links:
Leiji Matsumoto Official Website (Japanese)
Leiji Matsumoto Universe
The Leiji Matsumoto Page
Leiji Matsumoto Mailing List
Leiji Matsumoto fan site (Japanese)
Leiji Matsumoto Biography
Leiji Matsumoto’s Bio and Bloodtype!
Interview with Leiji Matsumoto
Leiji Matsumoto Animation Cels
The Leiji Matsumoto Mecha Collection
Anime News Network entry for Leiji Matsumoto
The Captain Harlock FAQ
Yamato Toys: Matsumoto Replica Guns (Japanese)
Yamato/Star Blazers Website Links:
Voyager Entertainment's Official Yamato Website for Star Blazers
Yamato Mechanics (Japanese)
Bandai's Official Website of Yamato games for Playstation2 (Japanese)
Ed Hawkins' "Space Cruiser Yamato" fan website
"The Wave Motion Web Page" fan website
Star Blazers (TV) entry at Anime News Network
Star Blazers (season 2 TV) entry at Anime News Network
Space Battleship Yamato entry in Wikipedia
Daft Punk / Interstella 5555
Anime DVD Review
This DVD is an extension of four previously released music videos based on Daft Punk's Discovery album, directed by anime grand-master Leiji Matsumoto (Harlock, Yamato, Queen Emeraldus, Galaxy Express, and more...). Now the entire album has been animated and tells a more complete story, which has twists and turns, and moreover, a respectable ending.
 Sound effects have been added in certain parts, and complement the music. The audio is fantastic, and Matsumoto's art has never looked so sharp. The plot is remarkably complex considering that the story moves forward entirely on the strength of the visuals. If you're into the music or Matsumoto, this DVD is worth every cent. We think it's a match made in heaven.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, February 2004
Discovery [Daft Punk]
Anime Inspired Music Review
If you've seen the videos for "One More Time", "Aerodynamic", "Digital Love" and "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" because they were directed by legendary anime guru Leiji Matsumoto (Star Blazers, Harlock, Queen Emeraldus), then you've already had a taste of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo, the French two-some behind the mysterious Daft Punk.
Sounding like an electronica fusion of '70s rock icons Boston and Electric Light Orchestra, this album blows through a head-spinning array of styles and samples, creating a pop-culture stew of funky loops and dance-floor anthems. Not only do they have the hippest music videos on the planet, their music is sheer delight as well. You'll want to play this album "One More Time", every time!
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, July 2003
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