Akira Toriyama, Beloved Dragon Ball Creator, Dead at Age 68

Akira Toriyama, the genius mind behind the Dragon Ball franchise, has died, according to an announcement on the official Dragon Ball X (formerly known as Twitter) account.

The post revealed that Toriyama’s cause of death was due to an acute subdural hematoma and that the mangaka passed away quietly on March 1. In addition, the official notice shared that a funeral service had already been held, with close friends and family in attendance. There is no decision as to how they will commemorate his life for the fans and thank everyone for their support during this difficult time.

Toriyama, born April 5, 1955, launched his successful manga-making career with the series Dr. Slump. His most famous work is the Dragon Ball series, which went on to become one of the most popular manga worldwide, with over 260 million copies in circulation. The international success of Dragon Ball led to a global franchise that includes TV anime, movies and video games.

In addition to his work on Dragon Ball, Toriyama also designed characters for major franchises, including Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger. In 2019, he received the prestigious French award Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his contribution to the arts.

Toriyama is survived by his wife, Yoshimi Kato, and two children. His family requests that fans not send flowers, condolence gifts, or other offerings and express hope that his work will continue to be loved for generations to come.

Source: X, formerly known as Twitter