Akira Toriyama, Dr. Slump & Dragon Ball Manga Creator Passes Away

Fans globally have woken up to the heartbreaking news that legendary manga creator and pioneer Akira Toriyama has sadly passed away, according to an official statement made online. Toriyama, the creator behind one of the most globally recognized and beloved mangas, Dragon Ball, was highly influential through his works, inspiring multiple artists and popular works.

The official statement was posted to the Dragon Ball Twitter account on 8th March 2024, breaking the news of Toriyama's passing. It revealed that he was working on multiple projects "with great enthusiasm," according to Toriyama's statement in October 2023, including the upcoming Dragon Ball: DAIMA anime.

The statement confirmed that the manga creator had passed away on 1st March 2024 at the age of 68 "due to acute subdural hematoma." This condition is caused when there's a collection of blood between the skull and the brain's surface, which is the result of head injuries.

Following Toriyama's passing, an influx of heartfelt condolences and statements have been made, including those from One Piece manga creator Eiichiro Oda and Naruto manga creator Masashi Kishimoto. Oda recounted several memories of meeting Toriyama, including his final conversation with him.

For manga artists of my generation who have stood on the same stage, the closer I got to Toriyama's works, the more I realized that they had a greater presence. So scary. But I'm just happy to see the easy-going man himself again. Because we love Toriyama-sensei on a blood level. I would like to express my respect and gratitude to the world of creativity left behind by Professor Toriyama and pray for his repose in peace. I hope that heaven will be a pleasant world just as you envisioned it.

Kishimoto echoed these sentiments, expressing that he doesn't know "what to write or how to write about something so sudden" following the news of his teacher's passing. "I feel an even greater sense of loss than when Dragon Ball ended... I still don't know how to deal with this hole in my heart."

Now I can't even read my favorite Dragon Ball. I don't feel like I've been able to properly write this sentence that I want to convey to my teacher. Everyone around the world was still looking forward to seeing your work. If one Dragon Ball wish really comes true...I'm sorry... Maybe that's selfish, but it's sad, sensei.

While it's noted that Toriyama had been working on several projects before his untimely passing, he has indeed left behind an incredible body of work, including "multiple manga titles and works of art." These included multiple mangas, including Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump, and video game releases, Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, where he served as Character and Monster Designer.

Following the news of his passing, we send our heartfelt condolences to Akira Toriyama's family and relatives. We thank him for his incredible work, which has influenced manga and video games that millions around the world have interacted with and were a part of their childhoods.