Akira Toriyama dead: Dragon Ball Z creator dies at 68 after brain hemorrhage as family holds secret funeral
THE creator of the Dragon Ball Z comic series has died at the age of 68 after suffering a brain haemorrhage.
Akira Toriyama was one of the most influential and best-selling Japanese comic artists of all time.
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He died on March 1 of an acute subdural hematoma, a type of bleeding near the brain, his studio said Friday.
Toriyama was the author of the hugely popular and influential titles Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z.
The series was first released in 1984 and has spawned numerous anime series, films, and series Computer Games.
Dragon Ball Z was popular in Britain in the late ’90s and ’00s, when it was regularly shown on Cartoon Network.
Toriyama’s Bird Studio said the 68-year-old was “still in the middle of creating several works with great enthusiasm.”
“He would have many more things to achieve. However, he left behind many manga titles and works of art to this world,” they said.
“We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation will continue 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”.
They said no decision has yet been made on a “memorial event” in Toriyama’s memory.
Publisher Shueisha, whose magazine published the Dragon Ball comics, said it was “very saddened by the suddenness news of his death”.
Eiichiro Oda, creator of Japan‘s flagship One Piece manga franchise said Toriyama’s death was “too soon” and left “too big shoes to fill.”
“When I think I’ll never see him again… I’m overwhelmed with sadness,” Oda said.
Dragon Ball functions a boy named Son Goku who increases his powers by collecting magical balls of dragons to aid him and his allies in a battle for the Soil from evil enemies.
The 1990s saw the release of the beloved cartoon Dragon Ball Z, and Toriyama was also part of the design team for the massive ‘Dragon Quest’ games.
In an interview with JapanToriyama said in the Asahi newspaper in 2013 that his comics were “dedicated to entertainment”.
“I just hope that readers will enjoy reading my works. I don’t want anything else for them to achieve,” he said.
Toriyama added that he had “never been concerned with conveying a message through my manga”.
He also said he had “no idea” why “Dragon Ball” had become such a big hit worldwide.
“When I drew the series, I just wanted to please the boys in Japan,” he told the Asahi.