It’s a sad day for the anime and creative industry, as Akira Toriyama, the critically acclaimed creator of Dragon Ball, has died at 68 years of age. The beloved manga artist leaves behind an unforgettable legacy that also includes Dr. Slump and Sand Land, as well as character design stints on the Chrono Trigger, Blue Dragon, and Dragon Quest series.
According to the official Dragon Ball X/Twitter account, Toriyama passed away of an acute subdural hematoma on 1 March. Funeral service has been held with his immediate family, with fans advised to avoid sending flowers or other gifts.
“However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world,” reads part of the announcement post. “Thanks to the support of so many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative activities for over 45 years. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”
And it will be, considering how the influence of Dragon Ball continues to span generations more than 30 years after its debut. Toriyama first introduced the world to Dragon Ball in 1984, which has since become one of the biggest anime properties of all time.
The initial manga was serialised in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1995, and was adapted and divided into Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z from 1986 to 1996. At the time of writing, it has sold over 160 million copies in Japan and 260 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling manga series to date.
Prior to his passing, the industry great was reported to be working on the Dragon Ball Super manga, and involved with the upcoming Dragon Ball: Daima anime, due to bow sometime this year. Upcoming adaptations of his work include Sand Land: The Series, bound for Disney+ in Spring 2024, and Bandai Namco’s Sand Land video game.
Rest in peace, good sir, you’ll be sorely missed.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Gerald
