TOKYO – Akira Toriyama, a monumental figure in the Japanese manga and anime world best known for creating the “Dragon Ball” series, died of an acute subdural hematoma on March 1, the manga series’ publishing firm said Friday. He was 68.
Toriyama mesmerized the world with his “Dragon Ball” series that not only boosted the popularity of Japanese manga and anime internationally but also introduced a host of unique and adorable manga and game characters born from his imagination.
Initially gaining popularity with “Dr. Slump,” which featured a super-powerful girl robot, Arale-chan, a series that started in 1980 in a weekly comic magazine, Toriyama’s work also garnered success in anime adaption, spawning a range of merchandise.
Launched in 1984, Dragon Ball, which follows the adventures of protagonist Goku and his explosive supernatural battles with his adversaries, became a worldwide success, with the manga selling over 260 million copies and spawning a franchise that includes anime series, films, video games and toys.
Born in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan, Toriyama debuted in 1978 with the manga series “Wonder Island,” and gained popularity following the release of his “Dr. Slump” series, which was serialized in the Shukan Shonen Jump weekly in 1980. He also worked as a character designer for the “Dragon Quest” video game series.
In 2000, Toriyama was part of the development team that accepted the grand prize for interactive digital art at the Japan Media Arts Festival, due to his contribution to character design for the game Dragon Quest VII. In 2006, Dragon Ball was ranked third out of 100 in the festival’s Japanese manga division.
Toriyama’s works “transcended national borders and were read and loved all over the world,” a statement by Dragon Ball’s publisher Shueisha Inc. said. “The charming characters he created and his overwhelming sense of design have had a great influence on many manga artists and creators,” it added.
Toriyama had been working on other projects before his death, including the anime “Sand Land: The Series,” which is due to be launched on a major streaming service later this month.
The news of Toriyama’s sudden death deeply saddened fellow manga artists and fans alike.
Masakazu Katsura, manga artist of “Zetman,” said he “felt weak and drained,” noting that he has been acquainted with Toriyama for some 40 years.
Toriyama was “a friend to me more than a great manga artist,” Katsura said. “It’s such a shame that I can no longer chat with him about stupid things on the phone.”
Japan’s top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi praised the author for leaving “a great mark across a range of media.”
“He played an extremely important role in spreading” Japanese culture, the chief Cabinet secretary told a press conference.
Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. said sales of merchandise related to Dragon Ball, including video games and toys, totaled 144.5 billion yen ($980 million) for the fiscal year that ended March 2023, up 16.9 billion yen from the previous year.
The company expressed shock and deep sadness at Toriyama’s death, which came to light on Friday ahead of the release in April of a game based on his manga series “Sand Land.”
Toriyama’s characters have also continued to inspire the next generation of creators.
