Per a statement from the official “Dragon Ball” website, series creator Akira Toriyama died last week, on Friday, March 1, aged 68. The cause of death was acute subdural haematoma, a condition where blood collects between the skull and the surface of the brain, usually caused by a head injury. Toriyama was buried in a private funeral attended by his immediate family and a few other relatives; plans for a memorial gathering have yet to be decided.
Toriyama was born in Nagoya, Aichi, in central Japan, on April 5, 1955, and studied design at a technology and engineering high school. He began his career at an advertising agency designing posters, but found working at an office too formal for his liking, and quit when he was 23. He made his official manga debut in Weekly Shōnen Jump with 1978’s “Wonder Island,” one of many one-shots that would be later reprinted under the name “Akira Toriyama’s Manga Theater.” In 1980, he began his first series, “Dr. Slump,” which followed the misadventures of a robot girl, her creator, and the other residents of their village.
It was in 1984, after the conclusion of “Dr. Slump,” that Toriyama launched the comic he would be most remembered for: “Dragon Ball.” The iconic series, which initially began as a humorous sci-fi pastiche of the Chinese epic Journey to the West, evolved into something of a martial arts take on the concept of Superman during its 11-year run. The series was adapted into three anime series — Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT — from 1986 to 1997, further cementing Toriyama’s impact and influence on subsequent generations of cartoonists, both in and outside of Japan.
The series spawned countless more spin-offs in print, on screen, and in games, including the ongoing continuation “Dragon Ball Super,” which began in 2015. Toriyama outlined the new series, with artist Toyotarou taking on the lion’s share of the work, and also became more involved with the anime version in recent years, devising the concepts, scripts, and character designs for the films since 2013, as well as the upcoming TV show Daima.
Other manga created by Toriyama included “Cowa!,” “Kajika,” “Sand Land,” and “Jaco the Galactic Patrolman.” He also worked as a character designer on video games not based on his own work, including Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger, and Blue Dragon, and created other characters and mascots for “Dragon Ball” publisher Shueisha. Further work included illustrations, album covers, book covers, and logos for various clients, including Nagoya’s Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, where Toriyama’s rendition of a koala is displayed outside the animals’ exhibit.
Toriyama is survived by his wife of 42 years, Yoshimi Katō, a former manga artist and occasional assistant, and their two children. He was reclusive by nature, and used a robotic avatar, called “Robotoriyama,” to represent himself in comics and interviews. However, he was not above publicity either, endorsing a fan club, and its newsletter, Bird Land Press, during the ’80s. In 1986, he and his wife participated in an interview for the newsletter with one of his idols, who had become one of his most famous fans – Jackie Chan.
He was recognized during his lifetime with a Shogakukan Manga Award for Best Shonen for “Dr Slump” in 1982, an Eisner nomination for Best Publication for Kids for “Cowa!” in 2009, and a knighthood from the French government for his contributions to the arts in 2019. Among those who have paid tribute to Toriyama were Dragon Quest creator and Chrono Trigger writer Yuji Horii, who expressed shock and disbelief at his unexpected passing, and Final Fantasy and Blue Dragon creator Hironobu Sakaguchi.
“One Piece” and “Naruto” creators Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto issued their own statements, reflecting on growing up with Toriyama’s work, and thanking him for his guidance; Kishimoto caps off his tribute praying for Toriyama’s family, and hoping that he rests in peace. People outside Japan who’ve paid tribute include Jackie Chan (via the Chinese social media site Weibo), Marvel artist Pepe Larraz, football club AC Milan, The Washington Post, and even the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The Post stated in the headline of their editorial, “Akira Toriyama laid the bedrock of modern action storytelling… From Marvel movies to rap songs to professional sports, you can see his legacy everywhere.”
