Queen Millennia

Queen Millennia, also known as Shin Taketori Monogatari: Sennen Joō, was serialized by Leiji Matsumoto between 1980 and 1983. The narrative reimagines the Japanese folktale of Princess Kaguya through a grand space opera lens, set in a near-future where Earth faces the threat of a collision with the wandering planet La-Metal. Matsumoto, celebrated for his melancholic and operatic approach to science fiction, utilized this work to explore themes of fate, duty, and the cyclical nature of civilization.

The character design reflects Matsumoto’s signature aesthetic, characterized by long, flowing silhouettes and a poignant, elegiac tone that defined much of his output during the era. Produced alongside a concurrent television anime adaptation, the manga served as a central pillar of the Leijiverse, bridging the gap between his earlier works like Galaxy Express 999 and his later collaborative projects. It was well-received for its ambitious blending of classical mythology with cold-war era planetary anxiety, solidifying Matsumoto's place as a seminal voice in manga history.