Legendary Japanese manga author Matsumoto Leiji has passed away a week ago, aged 85
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-...d-85/102000658

Matsumoto specialised in the space opera genre, and some of his best known works include:
* Space Battleship Yamato (a.k.a. Star Blazers)
* Captain Harlock
* Galaxy Express 999

He also mentored Magami Ban, who was the writer/artist for the G1 manga as well as the animation model designer for Toei's Transformers from The Headmasters onwards (i.e. when Toei decided to split from Sunbow and artistically move away from Floro Dery's designs).