Akira Toriyama was a Japanese manga artist who passed away on March 1, 2024, at age 68. He created the Dragon Ball series that became a global phenomenon and designed characters for video games including Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger. Born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, he was most famous for creating Dr. Slump in 1980 and Dragon Ball in 1984.
Who Was Akira Toriyama?
Akira Toriyama was one of the most influential manga creators in history. Born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, he lived in Kiyosu and gained worldwide recognition for his manga series Dr. Slump (1980) and Dragon Ball (1984).
His legacy spanned 45 years of work and was loved by people worldwide. Toriyama’s artistic style, characterized by clean lines and memorable character designs, shaped an entire generation of manga artists and influenced countless anime series that followed.
The New York Public Library acknowledged that many librarians owe their love of manga, reading, and literature to Akira Toriyama because they loved his works. His impact reached far beyond Japan, making him a true global icon in entertainment and art.
Akira Toriyama’s Death and Final Days
The official social media for the Dragon Ball franchise confirmed that Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1, 2024, a little more than a month before his 69th birthday. The cause of death was an acute subdural hematoma (blood on the brain).
According to sources close to Toriyama, he had planned to undergo surgery for a brain tumor in February 2024. The news of his death caused an outpouring of grief among admirers of his works, who took to social media to express their condolences and celebrate his legacy.
The famed manga artist was in the middle of several projects when he died, leaving the work to his close friend and protege Toyotaro. His sudden passing shocked the global community of fans, fellow artists, and industry professionals who had been inspired by his decades of creative output.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Toriyama’s path to becoming a manga legend started modestly. He was raised in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, and showed an early passion for drawing. His childhood influences included Disney movies like One Hundred and One Dalmatians and Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy.
After studying creative design at a technical high school in Ichinomiya, Toriyama worked as an in-house graphic designer at a small advertising firm in Nagoya. He resigned after two and a half years, largely because he resented the routine nature of office work.
In 1977, Toriyama discovered the Monthly Young Jump Award, a contest sponsored by Shueisha, Japan’s largest manga publishing company. He participated twice with Awawa World (1977) and Mysterious Rain Jack (1978), but neither won. Despite these setbacks, editor Kazuhiko Torishima called him and encouraged him not to give up.
His first published manga, Wonder Island, appeared in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine issue 52 in 1978. Though it failed to catch readers’ attention initially, Toriyama continued creating new projects. The minor success of Tomato, Girl Detective in 1979 gave him hope to keep pursuing his manga career.
Dr. Slump: First Major Success
In January 1980, Akira Toriyama achieved his breakthrough with Dr. Slump. The series was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump from January 1980 to August 1984, spanning 18 volumes.
Letters of encouragement from readers began pouring in almost immediately. The quirky comedy about a clumsy scientist and his android creation Arale Norimaki captured the imagination of Japanese audiences with its absurd humor and creative gags.
In 1982, Dr. Slump won the Shogakukan Manga Award for the best shōnen or shōjo manga series of the year. This recognition solidified Toriyama’s place among the new generation of manga artists. The series’ success allowed him to establish his own working studio, Bird Studio, in 1983.
The anime adaptation Dr. Slump and Arale-chan ran from 1981 to 1986 on Fuji TV, spanning 243 episodes. A remake titled Dr. Slump aired from November 26, 1997, to September 22, 1999, introducing the characters to a new generation of fans.
Dragon Ball: The Series That Changed Everything
Dragon Ball started as a manga series in 1984 and continued until 1995. Toriyama created 519 chapters collected into 42 volumes. Each volume averaged 200 pages, making the entire storyline extend to almost 9,000 pages.
The series began as an adventure story inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West. Young Goku’s quest to collect the seven Dragon Balls combined martial arts action, comedy, and fantastical elements in ways that felt fresh and exciting.
As the series progressed, it transformed into an action-focused martial arts epic. The introduction of powerful villains like Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu created memorable story arcs that kept readers engaged for over a decade.
Dragon Ball quickly led to the creation of three animated television series by Toei Animation: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT. The anime adaptations spawned over 500 episodes, feature-length movies, and countless video games.
Unlike the first two series, Dragon Ball GT was not based on Toriyama’s original manga but was created by Toei Animation as a sequel. As the original creator, Toriyama attended production meetings to provide input on the series progression and designed characters for filler episodes and movies.
The Dragon Ball franchise became a cultural phenomenon that transcended borders and languages. It influenced countless manga and anime creators, established fighting tournament tropes that became standard in the genre, and created a merchandising empire that continues to this day.
Video Game Character Design Work
Toriyama created many character designs for various video games such as the Dragon Quest series (1986–2023), Chrono Trigger (1995), Blue Dragon (2006), and some Dragon Ball video games.
His work on Dragon Quest was particularly significant. Since 1986, Toriyama’s distinctive art style helped define the visual identity of one of Japan’s most beloved role-playing game franchises. His character designs combined whimsical charm with heroic adventure, making the game world feel inviting yet epic.
Chrono Trigger, released in 1995 for Super Nintendo, is considered one of the greatest video games ever made. Toriyama’s character designs for heroes like Crono, Marle, and Frog helped bring the time-traveling adventure to life. The game’s development team included legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu and game designer Yuji Horii.
Blue Dragon, an Xbox 360 exclusive RPG released in 2006, featured Toriyama’s art in a fully 3D environment. The game later received an anime adaptation in 2008.
He also designed several characters and mascots for Shueisha’s, his career-long employer and Japan’s manga magazines.
Other Notable Manga and Short Works
Toriyama’s works after Dragon Ball were short stories (100-200 page) and include Cowa! (1997–1998), Kajika (1998–1999), Sand Land (2000), and Nekomajin (1999–2005).
Sand Land was particularly well-received. The one-volume series depicted an arid world where water had become the most precious resource. The story followed Beelzebub, a demon prince, and sheriff Rao on their quest to find a legendary water source. The manga’s themes of environmental scarcity and corporate greed resonated with readers.
Cowa! featured a young half-vampire, half-werekoala named Paifu and his ghost friend Jose Rodriguez. When a monster flu outbreak threatens their town, the unlikely heroes embark on a quest to save the adults.
Jaco the Galactic Patrolman, which debuted on July 13, 2013, in Weekly Shōnen Jump, connected directly to the Dragon Ball universe. The manga introduced Bulma’s older sister Tights and revealed background details about the Saiyan race. It served as both a standalone story and a prequel to Dragon Ball.
Besides working with manga, Toriyama Akira has also drawn short pieces, designed characters for video games, and created illustrations for books, logos, mascots, and album covers.
Scale Model Design Hobby
Toriyama’s passion for assembling scale models was more than just a hobby—it became a professional pursuit. He possessed dozens of models and often found himself building them instead of working on manga deadlines.
In 1986, Kunihiro Suzuki called Toriyama to help create a scale model of a female auxiliary of the Wehrmacht named LISA. Toriyama designed the box art and assembly instructions. The limited-edition model was a huge success.
In September 1987, the duo created Scout Mobile Tongpoo, a futuristic hovercraft. Like LISA, it sold extremely well.
Suzuki eventually created his own company, Fine Molds, in 1991 based in Nagoya, close to Toriyama’s Bird Studio. Toriyama designed the company logo, later redesigning it in 1999.
Between 1992 and 1994, Toriyama and Suzuki created the World Fighter Collection—seven scale models of soldiers with emblematic weapons. Each character had Toriyama’s distinctive artistic touch in the packaging and assembly instructions.
In 2008, the scale model magazine Armour Modelling held a contest with Fine Molds. Toriyama contributed two magazine covers and designed a model, showcasing his work at the Model Hobby Show 2008.
Personal Life and Work Style
Toriyama was a shy and reserved person who disliked interviews. He preferred living in quieter rural areas where he could focus on both his work and his family rather than in big cities.
He married the shojo manga artist Nachi Mikami in 1982 and had two children: a son named Sasuke (born April 1987) and a daughter, Kikka (born late 1990). His wife stopped her career after marriage.
During his career, Toriyama created over 40 manga series. He was extremely concerned about his work quality, often redrawing the same illustration repeatedly because he didn’t find it perfect. This perfectionism led to many sleepless nights and frequent complaints about lack of free time.
Ironically, Toriyama claimed he didn’t have much interest in manga and anime after age 11, saying his interest shifted to movies. His favorite films included Alien and Galaxy Quest. He enjoyed playing video games, watching movies, riding motorcycles, and taking walks with his dog.
Toriyama loved animals and raised many throughout his life. At various times, he owned dogs named Turbo, Turbo II, Matryoshka (nicknamed “Mato”), and Toma, plus several cats including Ohiru, Koge, and a Cornish Rex that inspired the design for the character Beerus.
Creative Philosophy and Influences
Toriyama admired Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy and considered Tezuka a major inspiration. He was also a big fan of Godzilla, Ultraman, and Walt Disney’s One Hundred and One Dalmatians, which he remembered for its great art.
Jackie Chan’s films, particularly Drunken Master, influenced him greatly. The fluid martial arts choreography and comedic timing in Chan’s movies can be seen in many Dragon Ball fight scenes.
Toriyama stated he was a big fan of the Star Wars series. His second manga, Mysterious Rain Jack (1978), was a Star Wars parody. Characters like C-3PO, R2-D2, and Stormtroopers made cameo appearances in Dr. Slump.
When creating Dragon Ball, Toriyama preferred telling stories in open natural places during daylight because buildings and nighttime scenes took longer to draw, especially under strict serialization deadlines.
He famously didn’t plan chapters far in advance, often only thinking of each chapter’s story as he worked on it. This approach sometimes led him into narrative challenges, requiring creative solutions on the fly. Editors like Kazuhiko Torishima played crucial roles in shaping the direction of his stories.
Awards and Recognition
In 2013, Toriyama received a special award at the 40th Angoulême International Comics Festival in France—one of the most prestigious honors in the comics industry.
Between 1993 and 1995, exhibitions of Toriyama’s works (The World of Akira Toriyama – Akira Toriyama Exhibition) traveled to major cities in Japan and collected more than 400,000 visitors over three years.
Dragon Ball’s influence can be seen in various aspects of popular culture, from video games and merchandise to fashion and music. It has inspired countless other anime and manga series, demonstrating its enduring legacy and impact on the world of entertainment.
His work on Dr. Slump won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1982, establishing him as one of Japan’s premier manga creators early in his career.
Global Cultural Impact
TORIYAMA Akira, the influential manga artist known for the celebrated Dragon Ball series, died on March 1, 2024. What did he achieve during his life, and what hidden potential lies in Japanese manga culture, which was made into a global phenomenon by his works?
Dragon Ball became one of the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 260 million copies sold worldwide. The anime adaptations aired in more than 80 countries and were translated into over 40 languages.
The franchise influenced an entire generation of manga creators. Artists like Eiichiro Oda (One Piece), Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto), and Tite Kubo (Bleach) have cited Dragon Ball as a major influence on their work.
Beyond manga and anime, Dragon Ball’s impact extended to fighting games, inspiring franchises like Street Fighter and Tekken with its tournament structures and character progression systems. The concept of “power levels” and transformation sequences became standard tropes in action anime and games.
Dragon Ball Z’s broadcast on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block in the late 1990s introduced American audiences to anime on a massive scale. It helped establish anime as a mainstream form of entertainment in the Western world.
Collaboration with Other Artists
In winter 2006, Toriyama worked on a one-shot called Cross Epoch in cooperation with One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda. The manga featured characters from both Dragon Ball and One Piece in a shared fantasy world, delighting fans of both series.
A crossover chapter between Dragon Ball and Osamu Akimoto’s KochiKame series was released in September 2006, showcasing Toriyama’s willingness to collaborate with fellow manga creators.
In 2008, Toriyama began working on manga projects with his longtime best friend Masakazu Katsura. With Katsura drawing illustrations and Toriyama writing stories, they created Sachi-chan Gū!! (2008) and Jiya (2009–2010).
In 2012, Toriyama contributed to the 25 Years With JoJo booklet celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. The booklet featured tribute art from 22 manga artists, with Toriyama drawing the characters Jotaro Kujo and Iggy.
Dragon Ball’s Continued Expansion
After Toriyama stopped his Dragon Ball manga in 1995, the franchise continued expanding through various media. Dragon Ball GT ran from 1996 to 1997 as an anime-original continuation.
In the 2010s, Dragon Ball experienced a major revival. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods was released in 2013, marking Toriyama’s return to active involvement in the franchise. He worked closely on the story and character designs.
Dragon Ball Super began in 2015 as both a manga and anime series, continuing Goku’s adventures beyond the original manga’s ending. Toriyama provided story outlines and character designs, while Toyotaro handled the manga artwork.
Dragon Ball Daima has ended, but many questions remain unresolved regarding Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta, Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Dragon Ball Super. The franchise continues to generate new content even after Toriyama’s passing.
FAQs
What was Akira Toriyama’s most famous work?
Akira Toriyama’s most famous work was Dragon Ball, which ran from 1984 to 1995. The series has sold over 260 million copies worldwide and spawned multiple anime adaptations, movies, and video games that continue to this day.
When and how did Akira Toriyama die?
Akira Toriyama died on March 1, 2024, at age 68 from an acute subdural hematoma. He had been scheduled to undergo surgery for a brain tumor in February 2024.
What video games did Akira Toriyama design characters for?
Toriyama designed characters for the Dragon Quest series (1986-2023), Chrono Trigger (1995), Blue Dragon (2006), and various Dragon Ball video games. His distinctive art style became integral to the Dragon Quest franchise’s identity.
Did Akira Toriyama create anything besides Dragon Ball?
Yes, Toriyama created Dr. Slump (1980-1984), Sand Land (2000), Cowa! (1997-1998), Kajika (1998-1999), Nekomajin (1999-2005), and Jaco the Galactic Patrolman (2013), among numerous other manga series and one-shots.
What inspired Akira Toriyama’s art style?
Toriyama was influenced by Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy, Disney’s One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Jackie Chan films, and Star Wars. His clean line work and dynamic character designs became his signature style.
Was Akira Toriyama involved in Dragon Ball Super?
Yes, Toriyama provided story outlines and character designs for Dragon Ball Super, which began in 2015. He worked closely with artist Toyotaro on the manga version while overseeing the anime adaptation.
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