Akira Toriyama, who created the Japanese animation series ‘Dragon Ball,’ has reportedly tragically passed away at the age of 68. Toriyama is widely regarded as one of the most influential manga authors of all time.
Toriyama reportedly passed away due to a blood clot in his brain. The news has broken the hearts of Japanese animation fans around the world.
Manga is defined as comics or graphic novels that originate in the Nation of Japan. A funeral service, which was attended by a few friends and family members, has already occurred.
Dragon Ball debuted in 1984, over 40 years ago. It depicted a character called Son Goku. In 1989, it became a television series. Altogether, over 260 million copies of Dragon Ball have been sold since its creation, making it the one of the most successful Japanese animations of all time.
His company Bird Studio said about his death,
It’s our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm. He would have had many more things to achieve. However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world.
NBC News reports on his death,
In a news briefing, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said the government was “deeply saddened by the news” and offered his condolences to the late author’s family.
Toriyama “served as an opportunity for Japanese content to be widely recognized around the world, leading to an increase in inbound tourism,” he said. “I believe that Mr. Toriyama’s work has played an extremely important role in demonstrating Japan’s soft power.”
Famous Japanese actors Yuki Kaji and Toshio Furukawa also conveyed their gratitude in posts on X.
Toriyama entertained millions of people across the world, and can widely be attributed as the one of the men responsible for the current popularity of Japanese animation.
How Did Akira Toriyama Die?
The legendary Japanese animator died of blood clots in the brain. He was just 68 years old. Toriyama had spent his life furthering the art of Japanese animation. He had unfinished work when he passed away.
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