Few would argue against the late Leiji Matsumoto as one of Japan’s most visionary manga artists. Best known for sci-fi epics like Space Battleship Yamato, Galaxy Express 999 and Space Pirate Captain Harlock, the Fukuoka native conjured up incredibly intricate worlds to convey a deeply humanistic message.
This summer, the master storyteller’s seven-decade career and the creative cosmos he envisioned can be explored in great detail at Tokyo City View, where ‘Leiji Matsumoto Exhibition: A Creative Journey’ is on show until September 7.
The first large-scale retrospective dedicated to Matsumoto, who passed away in 2023, the exhibition traces the evolution of an artist whose pen moved across space and time with unshakable conviction and emotional resonance.
Among the highlights on display is a trove of original drawings discovered in the artist’s studio after his death, each a testament to his precision, poetic imagination and narrative mastery. These hand-drawn works, some shown for the first time, allow you to rediscover Matsumoto as both a craftsman and a dreamer. Here’s what else to look forward to at the exhibition.
The departure platform in the sky
Before stepping into the world of Leiji Matsumoto’s imagination, you’re invited to begin your travels in the sky. High above the city, a familiar scene awaits: an evocative recreation of the departure platform from Galaxy Express 999.
The melody of ‘Ballad of Departure’ plays softly through the exhibition space, and a large screen projects animated scenes. This prologue makes a fitting start to a journey of memory, hope and eternal imagination.
Zone 1: The Leiji Meter
Born 1938 in Kurume, Fukuoka, Matsumoto began drawing at the age of six. His early life, shaped by the hardships of wartime Japan, was filled with machines and dreams of flight, influenced by his father, a former army pilot. The exhibition begins by tracing the artist’s formative years from his debut in the 1950s to the anime boom of the 1980s.
Showcased in the introductory section are milestones from Matsumoto’s early insect-themed manga and poignant coming-of-age stories to genre-defining sci-fi adventures. Each phase is marked by a symbolic ‘Leiji Meter’, a narrative gauge emblematic of his works, charting both personal and artistic growth.
Zone 2: A boundless creative universe
While working in a modest four-and-a-half tatami room, Matsumoto conjured up worlds that stretch to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. His stories are populated with rich philosophical questions about life, death and human connection.
The exhibition recreates his creative space by way of immersive installations and original art. Visitors can follow the interstellar voyage of Galaxy Express 999’s Tetsuro Hoshino, a boy who seeks eternal life through a mechanical body and ends up learning about the complexities of existence.
From the mysterious women who guide his protagonists to ultra-detailed mecha and space battleships, the exhibition reveals how Matsumoto’s narrative finesse and illustrative rigor created a singular artistic language. It’s a world where delicate linework and vivid imagination come together to forge timeless mythologies.
Zone 3: Leiji Matsumoto, the artisan
In the monochrome world of manga, colour illustrations carry immense weight, serving as a story’s visual milestones. Matsumoto’s original colour drawings, often set against a backdrop of deep-space blue and flecked with stars, are a symphony of improvisation and compositional elegance.
These pieces encapsulate the emotional gravity of his stories in a single frame. The finale of the exhibition is a tribute to Matsumoto as a visual poet – one who sent dreams into orbit with every stroke of his pen.
A timeless legacy
Matsumoto’s influence permeates today’s Japanese pop culture, from manga and anime to toy design and cinema. His female characters, notably Maetel from Galaxy Express 999, reflect a fusion of classical beauty, ballet-like grace and dramatic expressiveness, while his mechanical designs, based on real-life study and tactile exploration, remain among the most iconic in sci-fi.
Whether he was sketching a spaceship or crafting dialogue in antique-style scrolls, Matsumoto infused his work with signature quirks and deeply personal touches. The exhibition goes beyond the art on display to emphasise this subjective aspect, providing a glimpse into Matsumoto’s philosophy.
Including a short documentary and heartfelt personal messages from Leiji Matsumoto, ‘A Creative Journey’ reminds us of the importance of constant curiosity and the enduring power of storytelling.
‘Leiji Matsumoto Exhibition: A Creative Journey’ is on at Tokyo City View until September 7.
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