Summary
- Exhibition celebrating 50th anniversaries of Galaxy Express 999 and Space Pirate Captain Harlock to open in Tokyo in June
- Over 300 original drawings by Leiji Matsumoto to be showcased for the first time
- Makiko Matsumoto shares heartfelt message about the exhibition and her father’s legacy
An exhibition of Leiji Matsumoto’s legendary classic space opera, Galaxy Express 999, is set to open later this year. The official website announced the upcoming exhibition, which will run from June 20 to September 7 at Tokyo City View. The event will celebrate the 50th anniversaries of two of Matsumoto’s masterpieces, Galaxy Express 999 and Space Pirate Captain Harlock, both of which began their respective serializations in 1977, and will be celebrating their 50th anniversaries in 2027.
This exhibition serves as the first in a number of different projects currently in the works being developed to commemorate the milestone, and will be the first time that Leiji Matsumoto’s works will be showcased in this manner.
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About the Exhibition
Leiji Matsumoto’s Works Exhibited For the First Time
The upcoming exhibition, titled “The Galaxy Express 999 50th Anniversary Project Leiji Matsumoto Exhibition -Journey of Creation”, is set to run from June 20 to September 7, at Tokyo City View, located on the 52nd Floor of the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, and it will feature over 300 original drawings, which also include precious memorabilia and even his early work. Makiko Matsumoto, daughter of Leiji and President of the production company he established, Leijisha, shared the following message about the exhibition:
It has been two years since my father, Leiji Matsumoto, departed for the sea of stars, and thanks to the efforts of all concerned, we are pleased to present an exhibition of his original drawings. Although Matsumoto left without even a single pen, which he cherished so much, each of the many original drawings he left behind, as many as a star, clearly reflect his life as it was at that time. I grew up watching my father’s face as he sat at his desk and worked single-mindedly with his pen. When I was a child, I missed him because he was always working, but now, through the original drawings he left behind, I am happy and blessed to be able to see my father as he was then, and the miracle of meeting him as a young boy. Matsumoto always used to say, “We will meet again in the distant place where the wheels of time connect,” which may exist not only in the future but also in the past. We hope that through this exhibition, each and every one of you will have the opportunity to encounter Matsumoto at a “place where the wheels of time connect” of your own heart.
The legendary Leiji Matsumoto (January 25, 1938 – February 13, 2023) was a mangaka famous for creating space operas, of which his Galaxy Express 999 (1977) and Space Battleship Yamato (1974) are especially acclaimed. Many people, even those outside the realm of anime, will recognize Matsumoto’s work because many have seen the music video to French electronic music duo Daft Punk’s “One More Time”, which is part of Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, a 2003 anime musical science fiction film which was the visual companion to their second album, “Discovery”. The Interstella 5555 was produced by Toei Animation, and directed by Kazuhisa Takenouchi with supervision by Leiji Matsumoto.
Source: Crunchyroll
Galaxy Express 999
- Release Date
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1978 – 1980
- Network
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Fuji TV, Kansai TV, Tokai Television Broadcasting, Fuji News Network, Fukui TV, Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting, Sendai Television, SAGA TV, TNC, Ishikawa TV, TV Shizuoka, Television Shin Hiroshima System, NBS, TSK, NIB, AKT, Toyama Television, Okinawa Television Broadcasting
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Hitoshi Takagi
Narrator (voice)
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Masako Ikeda
Maetel (voice)
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Masako Nozawa
Tetsuro Hoshino (voice)
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Kaneta Kimotsuki
Conductor (voice)
