"hide died on May 2nd, 1998. His funeral was held five days later at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo and over 80 000 people attended. The other members of X-Japan, Yoshiki, Toshi, Heath and Pata performed "Forever Love" during the funeral... But they were crushed by sadness, they were crying, and Heath and Pata were not able to perform this last song, this last homage.
But hide was not just a musician, he was also a generous person who, for example, after a meeting with one of his fans attacked by cancer, gave her one of his guitars and chose to make a donation of bone marrow.
Precursor of the "visual kei" by being the eccentric mascot of X-Japan, figurehead of rock in Japan, talented guitarist and songwriter, generous person, and a tragic destiny : That symbolized Hideto Matsumoto."

“hide used to come and play with/see me very often, sometimes Yoshiki would come as well.
During one of their performances, hide gave me a front ticket, and asked the staff members to escort me backstage to his change room. He was afraid that the fans would squash me. I waited for him in his change room, he came in and took my hand. His hands were shaking, I think he was really excited. He then carried me on his back and ran around the entire backstage, kicking people’s doors open and shouting “Yo! I have a friend to introduce to you”.
When he kicked open Yoshiki’s door, Yoshiki was dumbstruck with shock… Yoshiki hasn’t even taken off his make-up yet.
Then afterwards, they decided to go drinking. Due to my health problem, I can’t walk very fast. So, hide held my hand and walked very slowly with me. Soon enough, everyone started disappearing in front of us. Then, we saw a figure leaning against a wall in front of us. When we got near, we realized that it was Yoshiki. Yoshiki said “I’ve been waiting for you.” Then he came over and took my other hand.
So the three of us slowly walked on. I was really happy to see Yoshiki waiting there, even though I knew he wasn’t waiting for me.
I went to hide-san’s funeral as well, I sat there and couldn’t stop crying. Yoshiki came over and knelt down beside me.
Even though he was wearing dark sunglasses, I knew that he was looking at me. I knew that he wanted to comfort me in some way so that I’d stop crying.
After a long while he finally said, “hide-ji is not here anymore, yoshiki-ni will stay with you.”
I once again started crying non-stop, Yoshiki started crying as well. He looked really sad and heartbroken. It was the first time I’ve actually seen him cry, with no make-up, no barrier, he didn’t even bother hiding it.”
– Mayuko

"
Ms. Oono: It was 1995. The girl was struggling with the rare serious disease gangliosidosis type III, with only twenty-three cases reported in the world. The girl wanted to see hide of X JAPAN, and hide was so kind to quickly accept her proposal. On the day that the girl met hide, she had a very difficult treatment, where the success rate was only about thirty percent. hide put his ear close to the girl’s mouth to hear what she was trying to say with all her might. Then she said, “I’ll do my best and will send you a letter, so could you write back, please?” hide said, “Yes, I will, as we are good friends”, and made a promise by linking their little fingers. I think that I will always remember that. I am so happy to be asked to be the charity partner in this event; I think that hide can still live on, helping children just like her, even now.
"
"Hideto wasn't just a pretty face:
Hideto was one of the few musicians to turn Visual Kei into something worthwhile.
As a model, with photographer Hideo Canno, he produced many great works of photographic art earlier in his career.
As a musician he made some of the most memorable music to grace the top of the bland as hell Oricon charts, and was X Japan's last shred of rock and roll dignity. With Zilch he produced a industrial powerhouse that, if he had survived, would have completed a world tour with Manson at the height of Manson's popularity. Bringing Japanese music to the world.
As a businessman he created LEMONed/Headwax which was responsible for giving several good bands a start in the short time he ran it before he died.
As a talent scout he was partially responsible for legendary bands such as Luna Sea and ZI:KILL.
His legacy now may now be a bunch of really boring visual bands, and a corporation that has whitewashed him as some supercute angel, but don't forget the man himself. His troubles were more public then most Japanese stars. His alcoholism and their resulting violent fits, rumors of being transgender, body image issues. He wasn't a corporate idol. He was a real human being in a nation of corporate created music."