“Dragon Ball” is one of the best-selling manga franchises of all time, having inspired numerous anime series, films, and computer games since its first serialization in 1984.
Toriyama died on March 1 because of a blood clot on the brain, a statement posted to the official “Dragon Ball” account on X, formerly Twitter, said.
“It’s our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation,” said the statement attributed to Toriyama’s Bird Studio, which praised the artist’s “great enthusiasm”.
“He would have many more things to achieve. However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world,” the statement added.
“We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”
“Dragon Ball” tells the story of a youngster named Son Goku who collects magical dragon balls to aid him and his comrades in their quest to protect the Earth from evil forces.
Toriyama was already well-known for his comedic manga “Dr Slump” in the early 1980s when he created “Dragon Ball,” which he claimed was inspired by Chinese-style kung fu flicks.
Toriyama was a member of the design team for the tremendously successful “Dragon Quest” games, as well as the beloved 1990s cartoon “Dragon Ball Z”.
Not all spin-offs have been successful, with the live-action 2009 film “Dragonball Evolution” underperforming at the box office and getting scathing criticism.
Shueisha, the publisher whose weekly “Shonen Jump” magazine serialized the “Dragon Ball” comics, said it was “greatly saddened by the sudden news of his death”.
‘Big shoes to fill’
Toriyama was born in 1955 in Japan’s central Aichi region and graduated from an industrial high school, according to Animage Plus, a subsidiary of the anime magazine Animage.
He worked at an advertising agency in Nagoya for three years before launching his career as a professional manga artist in his early 20s.
In an interview with Japan’s Asahi newspaper in 2013, Toriyama described himself as a “difficult” individual.
“‘Dragon Ball’ is like a miracle, given how it helped someone like me who has a twisted, difficult personality do a decent job and get accepted by society,” the actor remarked.
He told the newspaper that he had “no idea” why “Dragon Ball” had become such a global sensation, claiming that his comics were “dedicated to entertainment”.
“I just hope that readers will have a fun time reading my works,” he said, adding he had “never been preoccupied with getting a message across through my manga”.
“When I was drawing the series, all I ever wanted to achieve was to please boys in Japan,” he said.
The news of Toriyama’s death immediately made headlines in Japan, with many fans expressing their grief.
Eiichiro Oda, creator of Japan’s major “One Piece” manga franchise, said in a statement that Toriyama’s death was “too soon” and had left “too big shoes to fill”.
“To think I’ll never see him again… I’m overwhelmed by sadness,” Oda said.
Fans paid tribute with art posted under the statement on X, including of Son Goku ascending to the sky with angel wings and a halo.
“You have touched so many lives and inspired millions throughout the entire world,” one wrote, while another said: “Thank you for making my childhood awesome.”
Anime journalist Tadashi Sudo told AFP that for many manga artists, Toriyama was “a role model”.
“Toriyama knew exactly what everybody wants to read — adventure and the growth of characters,” he said.
“Many people — not only creators in Japan, but those abroad — saw in his works the culmination of what entertainment should be like,” Sudo said.