Mangaka Akira Toriyama has passed away at the age of 68.
Akira Toriyama created one of the most successful manga of all time: Dragon Ball. Published in 42 volumes between 1984 and 1995, the manga has sold more than 260 million copies worldwide and was adapted into two anime series that aired 444 episodes between 1986 and 1996. From there, the franchise exploded into an array of other medias, including video games, 21 animated films, a live-action film, and two television anime series (Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super) that go beyond the stories told in the original manga. The protagonist, Goku Son, is one of the most recognizable anime characters in the world.
In addition to devastated fans, many well-known mangakas have expressed their grief on social media, citing Toriyama as their inspiration for creating manga of their own. For example, Tatsuya Endo, author of Spy x Family, writes:
“Without Toriyama-sensei I probably wouldn’t have set my sights on becoming a mangaka. Even now, I still think of myself as a child, looking forward to Dragon Ball every week.”
We at Fandom Spotlite offer our condolences to Toriyama’s friends and family, and thank him for his legendary contribution to manga and anime.
