The news shocks the anime world: Akira Toriyama has passed away at the age of 68 due to an acute subdural hematoma, that is, a brain hemorrhage. The creator of Dragon Ball died on March 1, 2024, but the news was only released now so that his family could mourn in peace and hold the funeral.
What was Akira Toriyama known for? His probably most famous work is Dragon Ball. He is responsible for both the original and the sequels Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super. He also had a hand in video games related to Dragon Ball.
In addition, there are many other works that originate from Toriyama or in which he contributed:
- His first published work is Wonder Island from 1978-1979. This consists of 2 one-shots.
- One of his first more well-known works is Dr. Slump. The stories featuring Arale were published from 1980 to 1984.
- His latest work is Dragon Ball Super. Here, he only outlined the main points of the plot, while Toyotaro was responsible for the drawings and the gaps between the important plot points.
- Toriyama also contributed to several video games in the Dragon Quest series and Chrono Trigger.
The mangaka was also involved in some anime. Besides Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump, he worked on character design for Blue Dragon.
His probably last work on an anime can be seen in Dragon Ball Daima:
The world mourns Akira Toriyama
How are other industry figures reacting? Just a few hours after the news of his death broke, many mangaka have spoken out. This includes Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, and Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto. Toriyama is considered a pioneer in the manga industry and paved the way for many younger colleagues who are now mourning.
Oda writes that he admired Toriyama since childhood and is filled with sadness:
I was one of those who took the baton from the days when reading manga made one foolish, and he created an era where both adults and children could enjoy reading manga. He showed us the dream that manga could be spread worldwide. It was like watching a hero advance.
Kishimoto finds it noticeably harder to find the right words for such sad news. He struggles with the words and instead shares how he perceived Toriyama:
Even if I had a bad experience, watching Dragon Ball weekly made me forget it. It was a relief for me, a country boy who had nothing. Because Dragon Ball was really fun!
Many are struggling to find the right words. The CEO of CyberConnect2, Hiroshi Matsuyama, is also visibly affected. The company worked with Toriyama on different video games like Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. He writes on Twitter that the company will therefore be closed out of grief:
Although I was shocked by the news of Akira Toriyama-sensei’s death, I always live by the motto “No despair.” So let’s turn this sadness into strength and work harder in manufacturing! I thought, but it was impossible. Some time ago, I cried during an online meeting with another team, and the meeting was no longer held. […] As a game company entrusted with the work “Dragon Ball”, CyberConnect2 will temporarily close today out of grief.
How are fans reacting? Many fans on social media are shocked by the news. Their reactions are just like those of many manga artists. Their hearts are broken, and some even write that they cried at the news.
Here are some voices from the community on reddit:
- JKKIDD231: “My friends and I used to sit in front of the TV at 6:00 PM during our childhood to watch the latest episode. It was a routine. Memories that last a lifetime. Rest in peace, legend.
- moeshaker188: “His influence on the anime world is legendary. Rest in peace.”
- Japhet0912: “My heart is broken. Celebrity deaths usually don’t affect me, but this death hurts a lot. Rest in peace, Akira Toriyama.”
I also have many beautiful memories from my childhood that I owe to Akira Toriyama. I remember the afternoons when I played outside with the neighborhood kids. Just as Dragon Ball was about to start, one of the parents called us kids that the anime was about to begin. Suddenly the yard was emptied as everyone ran home to watch the latest episode of Dragon Ball.
Of course, I also supported Son Goku with his Genkidama by raising my hands. Regularly, I would transform into a Super Saiyan in front of the mirror and anyone who annoyed me would get a Kame-Hame-Ha! fired at them. Of course, that didn’t have a big effect, but the memories still make me smile today.
Thank you for your works, for paving the way for the manga industry, and for all the beautiful memories you’ve brought to people around the world. Rest in peace, Akira Toriyama.
