ONE of the most famous and influential Japanese comic book writers and graphic artists of all time recently passed away. Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, died on March 1 at the age of 68 from an acute subdural hematoma.
The news was revealed on March 8 by the official Dragon Ball website in a letter addressed to creatives and fans across the world.
“Thanks to the support of so many people around the world, (Toriyama) has been able to continue his creative activities for over 45 years,” the letter reads in part.
“We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come. We inform you of this sad news, with gratefulness for your kindness during his lifetime.”
Toriyama’s works are ubiquitous and transcend the past few decades. Anyone born in the last 30 years, particularly in the 90s, would be familiar or grew up with the various Dragon Ball stories and colourful characters by the beloved mangaka.
His unique designs that share the same genetic composition can even be seen in games he worked on such as Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger.
Humble beginings
A career that began in the late 70s, Toriyama’s writing and illustrations drew the attention of Weekly Shonen Jump editors. They would then publish his debut work Wonder Island manga in 1978.
In six years, he established a grassroot name within the small manga community, and in 1984, the author’s name became a global sensation, when Weekly Shonen Jump published the original Dragon Ball manga.
The story focused on a young martial artist with a monkey tail named Goku, as he travelled looking for the seven Dragon Balls, magical artefacts that when collected and placed together, would summon a wish-granting dragon.
Calling it a hit may be an understatement, as Dragon Ball was a phenomenon. The manga would later become a global sensation when it was adapted into an anime series of the same name two years later.
Forever expanding
After the Dragon Ball series ended its run in 1989, it was immediately followed up with an adaptation of Toriyama’s sequel arc, called Dragon Ball Z. Throughout its run from 1989 to 1996, Dragon Ball Z became a household name and it was everywhere, beyond the 81 countries that the dubbed versions of the anime were broadcast in.
The story across manga and anime focused on an older Goku with children, fighting off a myriad of villains bent on destroying the planet and universe.
Dragon Ball Z’s dramatic monologues, explosive fights, deaths, revivals, explosions and martial arts became what many kids and teenagers looked forward to when the episodes aired usually on Sunday mornings globally through the 90s. For many, Toriyama writing Goku and his friends as having unyielding willpower even in the face of defeat was a source of inspiration, perpetually drawing them to keep watching.
There is no arguing that Dragon Ball Z was the primary cause of the explosion in popularity of the anime medium beyond Japan, particularly in western countries. Toriyama would often return to Dragon Ball, particularly in the last decade, as he continued to expand the fictional universe through manga and anime adaptations.
Even close to his death, he kept working. Upcoming projects include an anime adaptation of his manga Sand Land, which will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar this month, along with the in-development Dragon Ball Daima, a new, original chapter in the series.
