Akira Toriyama, creator of ‘Dragon Ball’, dies at 68

Akira Toriyama, one of Japan’s leading comic book authors and best known for the highly successful manga and anime franchise “Dragon Ball,” died on March 1. He was 68.

His death was confirmed on Friday by his manga and design production studio, Bird Studio, and Capsule Corporation Tokyo, in a statement rack that the cause was an acute subdural hematoma, in which blood accumulates between the skull and the brain.

Mr. Toriyama’s oeuvre, which also includes “Dr. Slump” and “Sand Land” are recognizable far beyond Japan’s borders and have influenced generations of manga artists and cartoonists. At the time of his death, he had several projects in the works, the studio said.

His best-known work, ‘Dragon Ball’, follows a young boy named Son Goku who sets out on a journey to collect the seven wish-granting Dragon Balls. Since its inception in the 1980s, it has spanned 42 volumes, sold millions of copies worldwide and become one of the most famous manga, inspirational television, film and video game adaptations.

A full obituary will be published soon.