Captain Harlock Creator Honored with French Order of Arts and Letters
The acclaimed creator of the manga Captain Harlock, Leiji Matsumoto, was recently honored with the French Order of Arts and Letters on October 23rd due to his creation’s significant influence on French popular culture. The ceremony was held at the French Embassy in Tokyo.
Since its establishment in 1957, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres has been recognizing luminaries across various mediums such as film, literature, and music. It has already awarded honors to artists such as T.S. Eliot, Bob Dylan, Clint Eastwood, Takeshi “Beat” Kitano, and Patti Smith.
Leiji Matsumoto is notable for being able to draw his first manga at the tender age of 5. He begun his professional career in 1954 with the comic strip Hachimitsu no Boken, which managed to earn him the Best New Writer prize for a long narrative n the first Manga Shonen Awards ceremony.
While famous for his sci-fi tales, Matsumoto does not shy away from other genres, as he has had success in comic strips about animals, war stories, and even shojo manga. He is also currently the Executive Director of the Japan Cartoonists Association, and has a seat on the Takarazuka University of Fine Arts’ council. His most recent work includes working on the French group Daft Punk’s music videos.
As for Captain Harlock, Matsumoto is currently working on a remake for the big screen. Tentatively titled “Space Pirate Captain Harlock,” the movie is targeting a 2013 release date.
