The legendary Dragon Ball creator, Akira Toriyama, is remembered by the manga and animation communities. At the age of 68, Toriyama passed away on March 1, 2024. An acute subdural hematoma was listed as the cause of death.
Starting as a manga series in 1984, Dragon Ball quickly gained international attention. It gave rise to an extremely passionate fan following, several films, computer games, merchandising, and an anime series that ran for a long time. The shounen genre, which is distinguished by action, adventure, and stories with young male protagonists, is said to have gained popularity thanks to Toriyama’s writing.
Akira Toriyama Legacy: Super Saiyans and Martial Arts
The adventures of Goku, a Saiyan warrior with a tail and superhuman power, appear in Dragon Ball. Goku practices martial arts and aspires to be the best fighter in the universe. Along with high-stakes fights, legendary transformations like the Super Saiyan, and a good dose of humor, the anime has several notable characters, including Vegeta, Piccolo, Krillin, and Bulma.
It is easy to recognize Toriyama’s visual style due to its dynamic action sequences and emotive characters. His writing, which combined comedy, sci-fi themes, and martial arts cliches, struck a chord with people all over the world.
Dragon Ball’s Enduring Influence
There is no denying Dragon Ball’s effect on manga and anime. Numerous artists were influenced by the series, which also helped popularize the art genre around the world. Fans of all ages continue to find inspiration in its themes of friendship, determination, and pushing oneself to the maximum.
Toriyama continued to work on the Dragon Ball franchise even after finishing the first manga in 1995, contributing plots and character designs for spin-off shows and motion pictures. The most current anime series, Dragon Ball Super, ended in 2018, yet the franchise is still going strong. Later this year, a brand-new Dragon Ball film is expected to be released.
Fans react to a legend’s passing
Toriyama’s death caused shockwaves in the anime and manga worlds. Social media sites were inundated with condolences and sentiments of sympathy.
Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, says, “I’m speechless. It feels too soon. Thank you for everything, Toriyama-sensei.” (Sensei is a Japanese term used to address someone as a respected teacher or mentor.)
Countless fans have shared their favorite Dragon Ball events and memories, highlighting the series’ effect on their life.
#RIPToriyama trended on Twitter, showing an overwhelming amount of love and admiration for the man who brought the Dragon Ball universe to life.
Akira Toriyama’s influence will no doubt continue to inspire future generations of manga creators and anime lovers. Dragon Ball remains a genre essential, because of Toriyama’s originality and storytelling prowess.