Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama has died at the age of 68 due to a hemorrhage near his brain, his studio said Thursday.

Toriyama died on March 1 due to the medical condition known as acute subdural hematoma, the Dragon Ball studio said in a statement on social media.

The Dragon Ball 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 left many manga titles and works of art to this world. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation will remain loved by all for a long time to come.”

The Dragon Ball comic was released in 1984 and became a huge success, with spin-off films, games and cartoons.

The statement continued: “Thanks to the support of so many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative activities for more than 45 years.

“We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation will remain 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,” asking for privacy for his family and for fans to refrain from visiting, sending flowers, gifts or other offers.

No decision has yet been made on a “memorial event” in Toriyama’s memory, the studio said, adding that it will provide further information as it becomes available.

“We sincerely thank you for your understanding and support, as always,” the studio said in closing the statement.

Dragon Ball centers on Son Goku, a boy who searches for a collection of magical dragon balls during a battle to protect the planet from the Saiyans, a group of alien humanoids.

The martial arts-influenced franchise also features popular characters such as Piccolo, Bulma and Krillin.

In the late 1980s, it was adapted into an anime show by Toei Animation, which he said achieved enormous success on an international scale. The Hollywood Reporter.

Toriyama had also been busy working on video games in the anime genre, including Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest, according to the outlet IGN.

Toriyama was rumored to be working on a Dragon Ball Z spin-off called Dragon Ball Daima, focusing 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 “very involved beyond his normal capabilities” in working on the details of the high-profile project.

Iyoku said Toriyama had planned “all new episodes for the storyline, so look forward to the start of the series,” which will be released this fall.

Toriyama was born on April 5, 1955 in Nagoya, Japan and began his career by submitting his work to Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine, according to THR.

He was first published in 1978 with a comic called Wonder Island, based on an ex-World War II kamikaze pilot who was stranded on a place called Wonder Island. The following year he released a sequel titled Wonder Island 2.

Toriyama enjoyed early success with the manga Dr. Slump, which would serialize Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1980-1984.

Dr. Slump was set in a location called Penguin Village, which according to THR focused on a female robot and her creator.

The breakout success sold more than 35 million copies and would be adapted into an animated TV series from Toei Animation between 1981 and 1986.

A number of fans took to social media on Thursday evening to express their emotional condolences for Toriyama and respect for the contributions he has made in his field.

‘Wow. This man was a legend, a unique talent that impacted so many lives,” said a tweet from the account @DotoDoya. “Shocked and sad, but his legacy will live on for thousands of years, I’m sure.”

A tweet from @zentreya read: Incredibly saddening. I also recently watched DB. Many memorable characters and worlds were created. Thank you for helping spark the imagination of others and giving strength to others. Rest in peace.’

One user posted a Dragon Ball-related GIF of a character crying, saying, “I’m literally crying. Rest in peace to the goat of all goats.”

One user said: ‘Legends never die, RIP Akira, you created one of the best shows ever and touched so many of our hearts growing up. Thanks for everything.’

Another user said, “Rest in peace Akira Toriyama, you will be forever missed,” accompanied by a Dragon Ball-related image of a character with a halo.

Another fan described Toriyama as “a legend,” adding, “Thank you Akira Toriyama for entertaining and inspiring so many of us. Rest in peace.’

One fan said, “Thank you Akira Toriyama. You have touched so many lives and inspired millions around the world. May you rest in peace, you will NEVER be forgotten.”

One user noted the enormous reach and impact of Toriyama and the Dragon Ball franchise, saying: ‘This is so heartbreaking, he and his work have played a huge role in the lives of me and many others.

‘Rest in peace and thank you for all the wonderful memories.’

One fan said: ‘Worst news this year. He was everyone’s hero. Thank you Akira Toriyama. This hurts. What a legend.’

One fan called the news of Toriyama’s death “incredibly heartbreaking to read,” and marveled at the widespread impact he made on his field.

“He was a generational genius who influenced my youth and so many others in such a meaningful way,” the user said. ‘His legacy will never fade and he will continue to inspire generations to come.’

Toriyama is survived by his wife Yoshimi Kato and two children.

• Australian Olympic team kit unveiled for the Paris Games
• Uniforms feature native print and Japonisme yagasuri
• Yagasuri is a nod to ASICS’ Japanese heritage

By Madeleine Achenza for Nca Newswire and James Cooney for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 7:08 PM EST, March 6, 2024 | Updated: 8:12 PM EST, March 6, 2024

A US Marine plane that crashed during the Second World War has been discovered in the South Pacific, 80 years after it went missing, DailyMail.com can confirm.

The twisted wreckage of a Douglas SBD Dauntless was found in the jungles of Papua New Guinea in January by locals who had heard stories of a nearby crash for generations.

Photos of the aircraft’s serial number (35971) match a Dauntless that crashed on January 14, 1944 with pilot Lt. Billy Ray Ramsey and gunner Sgt. Charlie J. Sciara on board.

The two Marines were officially declared dead within a year of the crash, but their remains have not been recovered and both remain listed as missing in action (MIA).

US Department of Defense officials told DailyMail.com this week that they are aware of reports of the wreck and are currently working to get a team of investigators to the site.

Photos from the crash site on New Ireland Island show the engine, propeller and wreckage of the crashed plane scattered across the jungle floor.

According to locals who discovered the wreckage, human remains were also found near the wreckage, but their identities have not yet been confirmed.

“The story was told and passed on to us by some of our grandparents that there was a plane crash in the mountain part of the jungle, but they didn’t know where exactly it crashed,” said local Kilala Kindau, who led the team that made the discovery.

Kindau said his team conducted a search through the jungle from December to January before locating the wreckage.

Kindau said his team found a serial number on the wreckage and sent it to the US embassy, ​​which confirmed the plane was American.

“The plane crashed and broke into three pieces, trapping the pilot inside and unable to escape,” he said.

That matches stories of the tragic final mission of Ramsey’s Dauntless, who was assigned to Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 236, also known as the “Black Panthers.”

On January 14, 1944, the light bomber took off from Munda Airfield on New Georgia with Ramsey at the controls and Sciara as rear gunner.

The target was Japanese shipping near Rabaul harbor, and the strike force consisted of 36 Dauntless aircraft and 18 TBF Avengers, escorted by 73 fighters.

War records show that the mission encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire and was intercepted by multiple waves of enemy fighters.

‘Lt. “The tail of Billy R. Ramsey of this squadron was shot off by anti-aircraft fire as the flight approached the target area,” according to the squadron’s war diary.

When last seen, the plane was “in a flat turn,” according to the diary.

It was initially believed that both Ramsey and Sciara died in the crash, but after the war ended, information came to light showing that Sciara survived and was captured by Japanese forces.

“After the war, my parents received a letter from the Marine Corps stating that Sergeant Charles Sciara did not die on January 14, 1944,” Sciara’s brother John Sciara said in a memorial post on Pacific wrecks.

“He somehow survived the crash and was captured by the Japanese and died in an unknown prison camp,” he added.

‘They say he might have died of malaria and beri-beri on February 22, 1944. He was probably killed by the Japanese,” the brother said. “My family was very upset after the war and didn’t really know what to believe.”

John was only ten months old when his brother died and he never saw him alive. Sergeant Sciara, a native of Brooklyn, was twenty when he died in a POW camp.

“They and many others gave up their tomorrow for our today,” John said in the online tribute.

Ramsey, the pilot from Eastland, Texas, is believed to have died in the crash. He was posthumously promoted to captain and earned the Purple Heart.

Both Ramsey and Sciara are commemorated on the tablets of the missing at the American Cemetery in Manila. Sciara also has one commemorative marker at Arlington National Cemetery, in section H.

DailyMail.com was unable to locate the surviving relatives of Ramsey or Sciara.

The Dauntless was a multirole naval reconnaissance aircraft and dive bomber manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 to 1944, flying from both aircraft carriers and airstrips.

The constructor number on the wreck – 4610 – matches information about Ramsey’s Dauntless available online.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Defense, is charged with recovering U.S. military personnel who are prisoners of war or missing in action.

A spokesperson said on Wednesday: ‘DPAA has received multiple reports that wreckage possibly linked to missing personnel has recently been discovered in New Ireland and Papua New Guinea.

‘We are working to get a team of investigators on site as quickly as possible.

“As the agency responsible for recovering the remains of Americans missing from past conflicts, DPAA is committed to following suit.”

By Bridie Pearson-jones For Mailonline

Published: 02:30 EST, 13 February 2024 | Updated: 03:33 EST, 13 February 2024

Japan takes a moment to promise this Us this: Taylor Swift will be able to make it to Super Bowl LVIII.

After a flurry of concerns that Swift, 34, would not have enough time to travel the world in time for football's biggest night after her four concerts Eras tour During his stay in Tokyo, the Japanese embassy promised on social media on Friday, February 2, that the pop star would not encounter any problems.

“The Japanese Embassy in the United States is aware of recent media reports regarding the steps Taylor Swift will need to take to travel from Tokyo to Las Vegas after her February 10 concert in time to face the Kansas City Chiefs seen play in Super Bowl LVIII. ,” read a statement – ​​with an official Japanese embassy seal on the letterhead – shared via X. “Despite the 12-hour flight and the 17-hour time difference, the embassy can be confident Speak now to say that if she leaves Tokyo in the evening after her concert, she should arrive comfortably in Las Vegas before the Super Bowl starts.”

The statement continued: “We know many people in Japan are excited to experience Taylor Swift's Eras tourso we wanted to confirm that everyone involved can be Fearless knowing that this talented performer can wow the Japanese crowd and still come to Las Vegas to support the Chiefs as they take the field for the Super Bowl, dressed in Red.”

The embassy captioned the pledge: “Statement from the Japanese Embassy regarding Taylor Swift's reported travel from Japan to the United States. Are you ready?” referring to Swift's hit single “…Ready for It?” from her 2017 album, Reputation.

Swift's travel plans became a topic of discussion after her boyfriend, Travis Kelcehelped lead the Kansas City Chiefs to victory in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, January 28. They will now take on the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 11, just one day after Swift wraps up her final performance in Tokyo.

Months before the Chiefs even secured their spot in the Super Bowl, Drew Barrymore America did a good job explaining exactly how Swift was able to arrive in Las Vegas in time for the big game, which starts at 6:30 PM ET, during a November 2023 episode of her talk show.

“If she left Tokyo at midnight. The flight is about 11 hours and 35 minutes from Tokyo to Vegas, so she could arrive at 10:30 PM, but on February 10, which would give her a full night's sleep,” she claimed, according to her calculations.

Japanese Embassy Statement on Taylor Swift's Reported Travel from Japan to the United States Are you ready? pic.twitter.com/wFKadehTJk

— Japanese Embassy DC (@JapanEmbDC) February 2, 2024

Of course, for this to work, Swift would have to fly commercially and most of the time she uses her private jet. However, United Airlines is offering its fans the opportunity to travel from Kansas City to Las Vegas on flights celebrating Swift and Kelce's romance. The outbound flight on Saturday, February 10, will have the number 1989, which is both the title of Swift's fifth studio album and the year she was born. The return flight on Monday, February 12 is flight number 2287, which combines Swift's single “22” and Kelce's NFL jersey number.

The world has been fascinated by Swift and Kelce's relationship since they started dating in the summer of 2023. Although the pair have spoken candidly about each other on a few occasions, they stepped straight into the spotlight following Kelce's AFC win, with Swift running onto the pitch after the match. and in the athlete's embrace. The couple exchanged “I love yous” and a sweet hug to celebrate the moment, and Swift told Kelce, also 34, that she had “never been so proud.”

While some NFL fans have taken issue with Swift attending a large number of Kelce games — the Super Bowl would mark her 13th, which is the pop star's lucky number — the only thing Swift is concerned about is showing up to to encourage her husband.

“There's a camera about a half mile away, and you don't know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera puts you on the air, so I don't know if I'm being shown 17 times or once,” shared Swift TIME in a December 2023 profile. “I'm just here to support Travis. I have no idea if too much of me is being shown and I'm pissing off some dads, Brads and Chads.”

The first drone footage of an escaped Japanese snow monkey has been captured, showing the animal walking through the forest – just 300 meters from the park.

After four days on the run, the primate, nicknamed Kingussie Kong, has still managed to evade capture after escaping from its enclosure at the Highland Wildlife Park, Kingussie, on Sunday morning.

Keepers said the Japanese macaque is slowly moving closer to the park and although they were able to track the macaque for 45 minutes using drones on Tuesday, it was not in a position from which they could retrieve it.

Now footage has emerged of the monkey, also known as the Japanese macaque, making its way through the undergrowth in Inverness-shire woodlands, just yards from the park.

A series of images show the monkey enjoying its wild environment. In one he sits comfortably looking around before taking a leisurely stroll further into the trees, while in another he wanders into deep undergrowth.

A source at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which owns the park, said a drone picked up footage at the end of their search on Tuesday afternoon, just before darkness fell.

He said: 'They watched him for about 45 minutes but they were not in a position to shoot the monkey safely so chose not to, and then the light faded and they had to end the search for that evening stop. '

But with a yellow warning from the Met Office for high winds on Wednesday and gusts of up to 85mph possible, the weather conditions will mean it will not be possible to use the drones, although the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said the search will continue. Get on.

Keith Gilchrist, living collections manager at Highland Wildlife Park, said: 'After continued help from @bhwildlifeconsultancy we were able to track the macaque for 45 minutes yesterday using drones.

'Unfortunately he wasn't in a position where we were confident we could bring him in safely, but he's getting closer to the park.

'Our team will be out again today, but given the strong winds we will not be able to fly drones, but will use thermal imaging cameras.

'We continue to ask locals to bring in any obvious potential food sources such as bird feeders or food waste.

'Although the macaque is not believed to be dangerous to people or pets, our advice is not to approach it, but if any sightings occur, contact our hotline on 07933 928377.'

A source added that that had been the case one unconfirmed sighting so far this morning, adding: 'If true then he's still close to the park so fingers crossed he just goes back in.'

Caretakers are also patrolling the area where the monkey was spotted, but their efforts to capture it have not been successful so far.

It is breeding season in the park and the animal is said to have escaped from its enclosure around 7am on Sunday after challenging another primate.

Since then there have been a number of sightings, with one of the first in the nearby village of Kincraig where it was seen stealing from garden bird feeders.

However, over the four days he was seen closer to home, and the keepers were optimistic he was heading home.

The source said: 'We don't know what a macaque's instinct is, but at its farthest point it was four kilometers away and now it seems to have come within 300 meters of the park, so it suggests it must have some idea that that is his home. '

The keepers also hoped that when he hears a whistle they use to attract the macaque flock during feeding times, he will hear it too and it will attract him back to the enclosure.

Staff hope the animal – known for its intelligence – will figure out that the gate is only electrified on the inside and can get back inside safely.

And just in case he returns of his own accord, they're doing five staffings a day instead of the usual two.

Snow monkeys are the northernmost non-human primates in the world and are well adapted to freezing temperatures. In the wild, they huddle together in roosts for warmth in winter and soak in hot springs to stay warm.

A couple who spotted the monkey in their backyard this weekend described the experience as “so surreal.”

Carl Nagle, 49, and his partner, Tiina Salzberg, 50, spotted the monkey from their patio doors in Kincraig near Kingussie on Sunday morning.

He nibbled on the nuts in their bird feeder and sat on the garden fence for about 15 minutes before running away.

Ms Salzberg, head of strategy at a marketing consultancy, said: 'We watched in awe at how upsetting it is to see a Japanese snow monkey in your garden in a village in the middle of nowhere.

'It was absolutely wild, both of us elbowing each other trying to get the other out of the way so we could get the best video and camera angles.

“It was incredible, I'm sure, once in a lifetime.”

Mr. Nagle said, “It's just the most surreal thing. I've seen snow monkeys in the wild, but you don't expect to see them in your backyard in the Highlands.'