Akira Toriyama, ‘Dragon Ball’ Creator, Dies At 68

Akira Toriyama , an influential figure in the world of anime and creator of the Dragon Ball franchise, died at the top of the month, according to reports. Akira Toriyama, who did not relish the limelight, was said to still be working on several projects up until the time of his sudden passing.

Akira Toriyama was born in the capital city of Nagoya of a prefecture, Aichi, in Japan on April 5, 1955, as explained in an Associated Press report. Toriyama said that Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy and other manga series popular in the 1960s informed his interest in drawing anime, and he was also fond of series such as Ultraman .

Toriyama published his first manga in 1978 with Wonder Island but it was his Dr. Slump series in 1980 that launched him into becoming a star of his world. In 1984, Toriyama began the first manga run for Dragon Ball , which ran until 1995. The series was then adapted into an anime television series in 1986 and ran until 1989. The anime series received a sequel Dragon Ball Z , running from 1989 to 1996.

Beyond Dragon Ball , Toriyama also designed characters for the popular Dragon Quest video game series as well. Dragon Ball inspired several toys and video games which influenced an entire generation of fans and still holds sway in many circles today. That was evidenced in the outpouring of admiration and respect for Toriyama after the news of his death was announced by his Bird Studio company on March 8.

Akira Toriyama is survived by his wife Yoshimi Katō, and their son and daughter. He was 68.

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Photo: Getty