Akira Toriyama, one of the most famous manga creators of all time, has passed away at the age of 68.
The news was confirmed by the official Dragon Ball, through an announcement addressed to creators and fans around the world. Akira Toriyama passed away a week ago, on March 1, 2024, due to a subdural hematoma.
"Thanks to the support he received from so many people around the world, he was able to continue his creative activity for more than 45 years. We hope that Akira Toriyama's unique world of creation will continue to be loved by everyone for a long time to come."
"We inform you of this sad news, with gratitude for your kindness during his life.".
When did Akira Toriyama start creating manga?
Akira Toriyama began creating manga and illustrating them in the late 1970s, gaining the attention of the editors at Weekly Shonen Jump. He made his debut with Wonder Island in 1978. A series of creations for the magazine followed in the following years, with his first success being Doctor Slump, which made him known in the manga community. However, his ultimate recognition came in 1984, with the launch of the Dragon Ball series. Through the adventures of Goku, a young martial artist with a monkey tail, who faces the threats of the Red Ribbon Army and travels around the world to find the mysterious Dragon Balls, the series became an instant hit and remains one of the most popular and successful manga series of all time.
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The success of Dragon Ball paved the way for the equally successful anime adaptation of the manga, Dragon Ball Z, starring the aging Goku. Dragon Ball Z is considered one of the most influential anime of all time and helped boost anime's popularity in the West, ever since it began being dubbed worldwide. As Dragon Ball triumphed, Toriyama continued to create new series and stories, even influencing all-time favorite video games, such as Dragon Quest and the legendary JRPG Chrono Trigger, with his ideas and character designs.
Akira Toriyama is returning to Dragon Ball, both on screen and in comics, having contributed to the manga and anime adaptation, Dragon Ball Super, since 2015. Even up until his death, Toriyama continued to work on new stories, including an adaptation of the 2000 anime “Sand Land,” which is set to premiere worldwide on Disney+ this month. Additionally, “Dragon Ball Daima,” an all-new chapter in the series that will return Goku to his youth, is currently in development, with an official release expected later this year.
Source: gizmodo
