Leiji Matsumoto passed away at 85. The famed manga and anime creator got his start as an assistant to the great Osamu Tezuka, widely regarded as the "Godfather of Manga". When Matsumoto later embarked on his own career, he was well on his way to become a legend himself, ultimately becoming synonymous with space-themed anime and manga.

His highly regarded works such as Space Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999 and Space Battleship Yamato not only helped shape the genre, but also inspired generations across the world. it can be argued that classics such as Mobile Suit Gundam and Cowboy Bebop wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for Matsumoto's influence.

His influence wasn't only felt in Japan, but reached far beyond across many cultures. In 2001 he collaborated with Daft Punk, who described Matsumoto as "the hero from our childhood." They created several animated music videos for their Discovery album, which together formed the epic full length animated film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. He will be missed.