The beloved creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, has recently died at the age of 68.
As reported via the official website and Twitter/X account (shown below), Toriyama died of an acute subdural hematoma on March 1.
His family and relatives held a private funeral, so naturally my thoughts go out to them at this difficult time.
What with this sudden news, Toriyama’s team has also asked for fans not to send gifts and to abstain from interviewing his family members, all of which is entirely understandable.
It’s hard to quantify Toriyama’s impact on manga, anime and games. From Dr. Slump to Dragon Ball and the recent Sand Land, Toriyama was a creative force unlike no other.
Not to mention his contribution to games with series such as Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, Toriyama helped shape and define the world of gaming we know as well.
So for him to have died comes as a real shock, not least because 68 is too soon but also because he’s been so active in recent years.
Having spoken with Toriyama’s former editor Kazuhiko Torishima as well as the creator of the Dragon Quest series Yuji Horii, it’s clear that Toriyama was regarded with great affection and admiration. So this loss will be felt keenly by everyone.
Personally, I’m just in shock. I really wasn’t expecting this and it’s sad to think that someone that brought so much joy to many is now no longer with us. Toriyama will definitely be missed.
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