Toriyama passed away on March 1st due to an “acute subdural hematoma,” which refers to a brain blood clot.
Renowned Japanese creator Akira Toriyama, known for his globally celebrated Dragon Ball comics and animated series, has passed away at the age of 68, as announced by his production team. Since its initial publication in 1984, Dragon Ball has become one of the most successful manga franchises, giving rise to numerous anime series, films, and video games. Toriyama’s untimely demise occurred on March 1 due to an “acute subdural haematoma,” or a brain clot.
The official Dragon Ball account, previously on Twitter, expressed the studio’s deep sorrow over the loss and acknowledged Toriyama’s unwavering passion for his craft.
“With numerous accomplishments still ahead, he has already bestowed numerous manga titles and artistic masterpieces upon the world,” the statement continued. “We eagerly anticipate that Akira Toriyama’s distinctive creative realm continues to captivate everyone for a long time to come.”
The renowned manga artist, Akira Toriyama, is celebrated for his creation Dragon Ball, which features a young boy named Son Goku. In his quest to protect Earth from malevolent forces, Goku collects magical orbs containing dragons to aid himself and his allies.
Before Dragon Ball, Toriyama was already well-known for his humorous manga series, Dr. Slump, which he crafted in the early 1980s. Inspired by Chinese martial arts films, Dragon Ball showcases Toriyama’s unique storytelling prowess.
In the 1990s, the popular animated series Dragon Ball Z and the massive Dragon Quest video games were designed with the assistance of Toriyama. Despite this, not all spin-offs have been successful, such as the 2009 live-action film Dragonball Evolution, which underperformed at the box office and received unfavorable reviews.
Shueisha, the publishing company behind Shonen Jump magazine that serialized the Dragon Ball comics, expressed their deep sadness over the sudden news of Toriyama’s passing. Eiichiro Oda, the creator of Japan’s prominent One Piece manga franchise, stated that Toriyama’s death came “too soon” and left “big shoes to fill.” Overwhelmed by sadness, Oda expressed his disbelief at the thought of never seeing Toriyama again.
In a 2013 conversation with Asahi newspaper from Japan, Toriyama expressed that his comics were created for amusement purposes. He mentioned, “I merely wish for readers to enjoy my works; there’s no other objective I have in mind.” Furthermore, he stated he has never focused on conveying a message through his manga. During the interview, Toriyama referred to himself as a “difficult” individual, and he found it remarkable that “Dragon Ball” allowed someone like him, with complex and challenging personality traits, to accomplish a satisfactory job and be accepted by society.
He mentioned that he was completely unaware of why Dragon Ball gained immense global popularity. During the creation of the series, his sole intention was to satisfy young Japanese boys, as he shared with the Asahi newspaper.
