Leiji Matsumoto - Daft Punk likes this guy.

Been super busy with preparations. Sorry T_T

A recent trip to my local F.Y.E. had me glancing at an anime called Matael Legend. I recognized the the style of the woman drawn on the cover instantly from Interstella 5555 (the Daft Punk movie using music from their Discovery album). Wanting to know why Daft Punk chose the person who did this style of anime I rushed home to research. The man responsible for the style is Leiji Matsumoto.

Matsumoto hit it big when he collaborated on Space Battleship Yamato in 1974, but hadn't created his hit franchise until he wrote the manga for Galaxy Express 999. It was adapted into an anime in 1977, the same year Captain Harlock premiered (another anime created by Matsumoto). Both stories happen in the same fictional universe and have spawned many spinoffs and movies. I had a chance to watch the Galaxy Express 999 movie which condenses the 113 episode tv show into 130 minutes. (Good job!)

The setting is 2221 A.D. and a new galaxy railway system is the best way to travel between planets. Humans can also now transfer their minds into mechanical bodies thus making them immortal. A young boy named Tetsuro wantsa mechanical body, but it is too expensive but their exists a rumor stating that their is a planet far beyond that gives mechanical bodies for free. The only way to reach such a planet is on Earth's railway system, the Galaxy Express 999. Tetsuro tries to steal himself a trian ticket, but things get pretty suspicious when a young woman named Matael gives him a ticket for free on one condition...taking her with him.

I loved the movie and if you can get past the 1979 art style then don't avoid this classic. The soundtrack for the movie is amazing and clearly reminiscent of its time and the story itself is a fun trip. This movie can be watched by anybody and reminds me that adding a bunch of stupid blood and gore and "coolness" doesn't make a movie better...ahem. If would like to spread the greatness, but if you really want to appreciate it just ask me for the movie as I have a copy of it. Any other questions just ask. Sorry, but I'm still busy! Gotta go!

Galaxy Express 999 Movie