- Sad news of creator’s passing was delivered by Dragon Ball’s studio
- Toriyama died March 1 from medical condition called acute subdural hematoma
- Fans took to social media in droves to pay tribute to Toriyama
Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama has died at the age of 68 as result of bleeding near his brain, his studio said Thursday.
Toriyama died March 1 as result of the medical condition known as an acute subdural hematoma, according to the Dragon Ball studio in a statement on social media.
Dragon Ball’s studio said it was their ‘deep regret’ that Toriyama ‘still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm,’ as ‘he would have many more things to achieve.
‘However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.’
The comic Dragon Ball came out in 1984 and evolved into a massive success, with spinoff films, games and cartoons.
Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama has died at the age of 68 as result of bleeding near his brain, his studio said Thursday. Pictured in May of 1982
Toriyama died March 1 as result of the medical condition known as an acute subdural hematoma, according to the Dragon Ball studio in a statement on social media
The statement continued: ‘Thanks to the support of so many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative activities for over 45 years.
‘We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.’
The studio said that ‘a funeral service was held with his family and very few relatives,’ requesting privacy for his family, and for fans to refrain from visiting, sending flowers, gifts or any other offerings.
No decision have been made in regards to a ‘commemorative gathering’ in Toriyama’s memory, the studio said, adding that it will provide further information when it’s available.
‘We deeply thank you for your understanding and support as always,’ the studio said in wrapping up the statement.
Dragon Ball is centered around Son Goku, a boy who is on a quest to assemble a collection of magic dragon balls amid a fight to protect the planet from the Saiyans, a group of alien humanoids.
Toriyama also had been busy working on anime genre video games including Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest, according to the outlet IGN.
At 23, Toriyama submit an entry to Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine in an amateur manga creator contest, the outlet reported.
Dragon Ball is centered around Son Goku, a boy on a quest to assemble magic dragon balls amid a fight to protect the planet from the Saiyans, a group of alien humanoids
A massive illustration of the character was seen at a convention in Barcelona, Spain in November of 2019
A Dragon Ball-themed float was among those on display during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC in 2019
The Dragon Ball-inspired float was back in action in November of 2022 in the parade in NYC
Toriyama was rumored to have been working on a Dragon Ball Z spinoff called Dragon Ball Daima, focused on the characters Goku and Vegeta.
At New York Comic Con 2023 last fall, Dragon Ball Daima executive producer Akio Iyoku said on a panel that Toriyama had been ‘deeply involved beyond his usual capacity’ working on the details of the high-profile project.
Iyoku said Toriyama had ‘planned entirely new episodes for the storyline so please look forward to the start of the series,’ which is scheduled to come out this autumn.
Toriyama is survived by his wife Yoshimi Katō and two children.
