On February 20th, Leiji Matsumoto passed away at the age of 85. Matsumoto made his professional debut in the pages of Manga Shonen magazine in 1954, dabbling in a variety of genres over the next fifteen years before discovering his true calling: space operas. In the 1970s, he directed Space Battleship Yamato, and penned some of his most influential work, including Space Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, and Queen Emeraldas. In later years, he collaborated with Daft Punk on a series of music videos for their 2001 album Discovery, and rebooted Space Captain Harlock with illustrator Koichi Shimahoshi. Anime News Network, the BBC, ICv2, and The Japan Times have all published thoughtful reflections on Matsumoto’s legacy, as did translator Zach Davisson, who shared vivid memories of watching Yamato on American television in the 1970s:
As a child of the 70s/80s, one of the reasons why Leiji Matsumoto’s works hit so hard is because at the time, boys were not allowed to have emotions. They could be brave, or adventurous, but not sad. Not emotional. Love was not something you saw in Saturday morning cartoons. (1)
— Zack Davisson @ECCC E-10 (@ZackDavisson) February 20, 2023
NEWS AND VIEWS
Over at Comicosity, Allen Thomas dedicates his latest Health and Inclusivity column to Okura’s I Think Our Son Is Gay. “I appreciate this manga because it is a helpful guide for approaching the queer and trans kids in our lives,” he observes. “Hell, it’s great for cishet kids too because they can see what their queer and trans peers may likely experience in school, at home, or in life in general. This manga also shows us how to be there for the people in our lives by responding to their needs without projecting our own.” [Comicosity]
Anime Feminist has compiled a directory “spotlighting Black writers, artists, and media outlets that cover or create art inspired by Japanese pop culture.” [Anime Feminist]
If you’ve been curious about The Girl Who Can’t Get a Girlfriend, click over to Honey’s Anime to read Brett Michael Orr’s interview with author Hiranishi Mieri. [Honey’s Anime]
Seven Seas just announced that it will be publishing Chi: On the Movements of the Earth, Breakfast with My Two-Tailed Cat, Dungeon Friends Forever, and I Married My Female Friend. All four series are slated for a late 2023 release. [Seven Seas]
Asher and Ashley revisit an early work from the CLAMP canon: Man of Many Faces. [Shojo & Tell]
There’s a reason you probably haven’t heard of Tricks Dedicated to Witches. [Shonen Flop]
Wondering what to read in 2023? Book Riot has you covered with a breakdown of the best completed, ongoing, and upcoming shonen manga. [Book Riot]
John Holt and Teppei Fukuda translate yet another essay by manga critic Natsume Fusanosuke: “Pig Gourd: The Meaning of Tezuka’s Playing Around with Form.” The essay, which was originally published in 1992, focuses “on Osamu Tezuka’s trademark Pig Gourd character, who will pop up or even decimate panel borders to show not only Tezuka’s embarrassment at being unable to resist a sight gag but also his bold desire to play with panel possibilities.” [Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics]
REVIEWS
Erica Friedman bestows a rare 9 out 10 stars to The Girl Who Can’t Get a Girlfriend, “a beautiful, heart-breaking and hilarious book about queer life and love.”
New and Noteworthy
- Assorted Entanglements, Vol. 1 (Brett Michael Orr, Honey’s Anime)
- Barbarities, Vol. 1 (Danica Davidson, Otaku USA)
- Choujin X, Vol. 1 (MrAJCosplay, ANN)
- The Evil Secret Society of Cats, Vol. 1 (A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)
- Gap Papa: Daddy at Work and at Home, Vol. 1 (Danica Davidson, Otaku USA)
- The Girl Who Can’t Get a Girlfriend (Tony Yao, Drop-In to Manga)
- Hirano and Kagiura, Vol. 1 (Kevin T. Rodriguez, The Fandom Post)
- If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die, Vol. 1 (Erica Friedman, Okazu)
- If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die, Vol. 1 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- Insomniacs After School, Vol. 1 (Renee Scott, Good Comics for Kids)
- Is Love the Answer? (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Love’s In Sight!, Vol. 1 (Brett Michael Orr, Honey’s Anime)
- Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand (Rebecca Silverman, ANN)
- The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices, Vol. 1 (Danica Davidson, Otaku USA)
- Red Cage (Adam Symchuk, Asian Movie Pulse)
- SCRAMBLUES (MrAJCosplay, ANN)
- Show-Ha Shoten, Vol. 1 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
Complete and Ongoing Series
- Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Vol. 16 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Chainsaw Man, Vol. 2 (A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)
- Chainsaw Man, Vol. 3 (A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)
- Dr. STONE, Vol. 2 (A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)
- Fruits Basket Another, Vol. 4 (Jaime, Yuri Stargirl)
- I Want to Be a Wall, Vol. 2 (Rebecca Silverman, ANN)
- Love at Fourteen, Vol. 12 (Krystallina, The OASG)
- Love at Fourteen, Vol. 12 (Jaime, Yuri Stargirl)
- Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 10 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- My Isekai Life: I Gained a Second Character Class and Became the Strongest Sage in the World!, Vol. 4 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- Sasaki and Miyano, Vol. 7 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- Tsubaki-chou Lonely Planet, Vol. 2 (Krystallina, The OASG)