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Galaxy Express 999 Gets New Manga in March
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The April issue of Akita Shoten's Monthly Champion RED magazine revealed on Monday that Leiji Matsumoto's Galaxy Express 999 franchise is inspiring a new manga titled Ginga Tetsudo 999 Another Story: Ultimate Journey (Galaxy Express 999 Another Story: Ultimate Journey). The manga will launch in the magazine's May issue on March 19, and will adorn the cover of the issue. The manga's first chapter will feature a color page. The manga is part of a project to celebrate Matsumoto's 80th birthday.
Matsumoto is credited with the original work, setting, and design for the manga, and Yuzuru Shimazaki is drawing the new series. Shimazaki previously drew a reboot manga of Matsumoto's Gun Frontier manga. Shimazaki posted a preview of the new manga on Twitter on Monday.
現在発売中チャンピオンRED4月号にて予告掲載❕来月より「999アルティメット ジャーニー」連載開始です。どうか、宜しくお願い致します‼️ pic.twitter.com/PKpezqMQqn
— 島崎 譲 (@yuzuru_simazaki) February 19, 2018
The Matsumoto Leiji - Mugen Sōzō Kidō book — which also celebrates Matsumoto's 80th birthday — will contain a new chapter of the Galaxy Express 999 manga when it ships on February 28.
The story of the anime and manga follows a young orphan named Tetsuro as he travels with a mysterious woman named Maetel through the galaxy on a space train, in the hopes of obtaining a cybernetic body. The train stops at many planets along the way, often leading to adventures for the two.
The 113-episode television anime series aired from 1978-1981. An anime film alternate retelling premiered in 1979. The franchise then spawned multiple other movies, specials, and OVAs. The original 18-volume manga ran from 1977-1981.
The manga is getting a stage play adaptation that will run from June to July to celebrate the franchise's 40th anniversary.
Update: Added manga preview from Shimazaki's Twitter account.
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