The first story called Dragon Ball was published in 1984, two years later the anime started in Japan and the rest is history. In his home country, Son Goku’s adventures influenced numerous other artists, while in the rest of the world they served as an exciting introduction to the world of manga and anime. Fans owe all of this to the creator of the series: Akira Toriyama. March 1st is Father of Dragon Ball died at the age of just 68.
Official Dragon Ball site confirms creator Akira Toriyama’s death
Akira Toriyama succumbed to an acute subdural hematoma a week ago and was buried surrounded by close family members. This is reported by the Japan Times. Dragon Ball’s official website states:
It is our deep regret that he still had several works in the making with great enthusiasm. He could also have achieved many more things. Nonetheless He left this world many manga titles and works of art.
Akira Toriyama celebrated his first successes with Dr. Slump
Akira Toriyama was born on April 5, 1955 in Nagoya and began tracing manga in elementary school. After applying to several shōnen magazines, his first own work, Wonder Island, was published in 1978.
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He gained greater fame through the Manga series Dr. Slump, which appeared between 1980 and 1984. The adventures of a girl robot and her inventor were adapted as an anime series during its release.
The influence of Dragon Ball is still felt today
Inspired by Kung Fu films with Bruce Lee and the Chinese story Journey to the West, Akira Toriyama then created his most famous hero: Son Goku.
In the manga series, the boy with the monkey tail goes in search of the seven dragon balls with the girl Bulma. This resulted in an 8,000-page story and one of the most successful Japanese franchises ever.
Toei Animation
The Dragon Ball anime started in 1986
The Dragon Ball anime series popularized the drawn moving images in Germany and other countries, Son Goku conquered the cinema, video games and children’s rooms worldwide. The manga’s original run ended after almost 11 years in 1995, but the influence of Akira Toriyama’s creation extends to the present day.
Mangas like One Piece, Naruto and others were inspired by Dragon Ball, imitating its enormous popularity and attracting the attention of Hollywood producers. All three have or will receive live-action adaptations.
Akira Toriyama continued working, drafting shorter stories, designing a car and returned to Dragon Ball several times. However, the Dragon Ball creator shied away from the public. The official announcement of his death states:
We sincerely hope that the world of Akira Toriyama’s unique works will be loved by everyone for a long time. Please accept our deepest gratitude for your kindness and friendship during his life.