One-Year Anniversary of Akira Toriyama's Passing

The world lost Akira Toriyama–a legendary and important Japanese anime and manga author–on March 1, 2024. Considered one of the most influential magna authors in history, he produced the likes of Dr. Slump, SAND LAND, Wonder Island, Pola & Roid, Mad Matic. He was best known for creating Dragon Ball (1984-1995), a martial arts-inspired series.

Gone too soon at the age of 68, Toriyama died from a subdural hematoma, a type of bleeding near the brain that can happen after a head injury.

The Dragon Ball manga–a Japanese style of graphic novels, comics and cartooning– made its debut in the weekly Shonen Jump magazine on December 3, 1984 and was followed up with its anime adaptation on February 23, 1986. The story follows the life of Son Goku who was inspired by Son Wukong from the famous Chinese novel Journey to the West. He travels the world with a girl named Bulma to find the seven magical Dragon Balls and have a wish granted by a Shenron, a magical dragon. Along the way, they meet new friends and fight enemies.

Due to the success of Dragon Ball, Toriyama went on to create Dragon Ball Z, Kai, GT, Super, and Daima as the next installments of the franchise. 

Dragon Ball was groundbreaking in the West because it was the gateway to discovering Japanese culture along with introducing a generation to anime. It differed from other Western cartoon shows in its unique characters, world-building and influence on popular culture. This in turn transformed the world of anime and made an incredible mark on the medium in the following ways:

Storytelling

Toriyama blended martial arts, fantasy, comedy, and adventure in his story to appeal to a wide audience. The series showed a new imagined world with memorable characters, epic battles, and overarching story arcs.

Character Design

Toriyama’s character designs are iconic; from the spiky hair of Goku to the simple-yet-villainous design of Frieza. These designs are recognized by both anime and non-anime fans alike. He used color in unique ways as he learned that separating colors instead of blending them made the art cleaner and coloring illustrations easier.

Action Sequences

Dragon Ball’s action sequences set a new standard for anime. Toriyama’s choreography and inventive martial arts set a benchmark for intense, exciting, and memorable fights not only in the franchise but in anime and manga as well.

Global Cultural Impact

Because of Dragon Ball’s popularity and success, it introduced anime to an internationally broad audience. Dragon Ball first aired on Cartoon Network’s Toonami which helped popularize other anime shows in western markets. It not only contributed to the success of anime globally but also helped put Toonami on the map.

Impact on Anime

Toriyama influenced other shows in  anime and manga, such as One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach. Many authors cite Toriyama as an inspiration for their stories and reference Dragon Ball in their creative process. Toriyama’s impact on the medium is felt through the generations and continues to be a major inspiration for storytellers everywhere.

The news of Toriyama’s passing a year ago caused an outpouring of grief among admirers of his works.

Eichiro Oda–Japanese manga artist and creator of One Piece via Anime Hunch

“It’s too soon. The hole that has been left is too big, when I think that I will never see him again, sadness washes over me.

“I had admired him so much since I was a child, and I even remember the day he first called me by name. I also fondly remember the day we walked home after he used the word ‘friend’ to refer to us, and the day we had a great time with Kishimoto.

“I also remember the last conversation we had. He took the baton from an era where people were told that reading manga would make them stupid, and he was one of the people who created an era where adults and children could enjoy reading manga. He showed us that manga could do so much, and that it could take us to the world. It was like watching a hero charging forward. 

“For manga artists of my generation who stood on the same stage, we realized that the closer we got to Toriyama’s work, the greater it became. It was scary. But still, I’m just happy to be able to meet the carefree man himself.”

Masashi Kishimoto–Japanese manga artist and creator of Naruto and Boruto via Anime Hunch

“I grew up with Mr. Toriyama’s manga, Dr. Slump, in elementary school and Dragon Ball in high school.

“It was natural for me to have Mr. Toriyama’s manga next to me as a part of my life. Even when I was feeling down, the weekly Dragon Ball always made me forget about it. It was a salvation for me, a country boy with nothing to do. That’s how much I enjoyed Dragon Ball! 

“When I was a college student, Dragon Ball, which had been a part of my life for so long, suddenly ended. I was overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of loss and didn’t know what to look forward to. But at the same time, it was an opportunity for me to realize from the bottom of my heart the greatness of Mr. Toriyama, who created Dragon Ball.”

Tite Kubo–Japanese artist and creator of Bleach via X

“It's the death of someone I've read since I was a child, someone who works in the same magazine as me, and someone I'm deeply influenced by. 

“I've always believed that creating things means expanding your sensibilities and expanding your life. This is because I believe that as long as the work exists, the author is not dead.”

Fans can still enjoy Toriyama’s stories. His last project, Dragon Ball Daima, which originally aired in 2024 as a 20-episode series, is available on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and Netflix.

And there is good news for Dragon Ball fans; as Toyotaro–the illustrator of Dragon Ball Super manga, will carry on as the series mangaka. Even though Toyotaro has big footsteps to follow from the man who inspired generations, this gives hope for the future of Dragon Ball.

Anime as an art form will continue to thrive after the death of Toriyama. Dragon Ball sparked a fire in many authors across the globe who looked up to him and wanted to model his genius. As far as anime fans, Dragon Ball  will most likely be the first show recommended to watch.

Toriyama will be remembered as one of the most influential manga authors in history and Dragon Ball will go down as one of the greatest anime and manga series of all time. He will continue to be an inspiration everywhere. Even though he may be gone, as long as Dragon Ball still exists, Toriyama still lives on, according to Tite Kubo, fellow manga artist.

From your many fans around the world, thank you Toriyama for being our inspiration and making our childhood magical. We will miss you.