Akira Toriyama, the influential manga creator behind Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump, has died at age 68.
In a statement issued by Toriyama’s studio Bird Studio and the official Dragon Ball accounts on social media, it was announced the legendary artist passed away on March 1 from an acute subdural hematoma, a blood clot in his brain. Alongside creating Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump, he also served as a character designer on the iconic video game series Dragon Quest. Other credits include Chrono Trigger and Blue Dragon.
“It’s our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm,” reads the statement. “Also, he would have many more things to achieve. However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world. 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.”
Toriyama’s work on the Dragon Ball series, both its manga and multiple anime adaptations, has proved influential to artists worldwide, especially within Japan’s manga and anime industry. Dragon Ball also helped bring anime to a Western audience, particularly its second series, Dragon Ball Z.
Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, wrote a tribute to Toriyama in response to the tragic loss of his talents. “It’s too early,” Oda wrote. “The thought of never seeing you again fills me with sadness. I’ve admired you so much since I was a child. … For manga artists of my generation who have stood on the same stage, the closer I got to Toriyama’s works, the more I realized that they had a greater presence. … I hope that heaven will be a pleasant world just as you envisioned it.”
Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto, also issued a tribute. “I feel an even greater sense of loss than when Dragon Ball ended…I still don’t know how to deal with this hole in my heart,” he wrote, describing Toriyama’s works as highly influential to his. “Thank you, Akira Toriyama-sensei, for all of your enjoyable works over the past 45 years. And thank you very much for your hard work.”
In a tweet shared in Japanese, Dragon Quest creator and Chrono Trigger writer Yuji Horii shared he’s “at a loss for words” following Toriyama’s passing. Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, who collaborated with him on both Chrono Trigger and Blue Dragon, shared the impact his relationship with Toriyama had. “I believe Mr. Toriyama taught me what it means to be a professional and what work is,” he wrote per a translation via Eurogamer. “I respected him from the bottom of my heart. We pray for the souls from the bottom of my heart.”
Toonami co-creator Jason DeMarco added, “RIP to one of the greatest mangaka to ever do it. Line work and character design were legendary. His work changed my life and so many others. Without Dragon Ball, Toonami would not have been what it became. Without his work, Anime would not be the global phenomenon it is today.”
RIP.
