Akira Toriyama, legendary creator of series including Dragon Ball, Sand Land, Dr. Slump, etc. passed away on March 1, 2024, at the age of 68.
The official Dragon Ball website reported that Toriyama’s death was due to a subdural hematoma (a serious condition where blood accumulates between the skull and the surface of the brain). The official statement, signed by Bird Studio and Capsule Corporation Tokyo Co., Ltd., and posted to X (formerly Twitter) reads: “Dear friends and partners. We are deeply saddened to inform you that manga creator Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1 due to acute subdural hematoma. He was 68 years old.”
The message continued: “We are extremely sorry that he still has a number of works that are in the process of being created with a lot of enthusiasm. Besides, he has much more to achieve. However, he left behind many manga titles and works of art to this world.” . Thanks to the support of so many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative work for more than 45 years. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique creative world will continue to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”
“We bring you this sad news and we are grateful for your kindness throughout his life. The funeral was held with his family and very few relatives. In accordance with his peaceful wishes, we respectfully inform you that we will not accept flowers, condolence gifts, visits, offerings, etc. In addition, we request that you do not make any calls. Interview with his family. Future plans for memorial gatherings have not yet been determined. We will let you know when that is confirmed. We thank you very much for your concern, understanding and support.”
Toriyama’s departure will certainly be a shock to many people. He recently spoke humbly, excitedly, and strongly about the upcoming anime adaptation of his Sand Land series. He revealed that he wrote the series as a reaction to the flashy Dragon Ball, instead wanting his future work to be about “loving little worlds and peaceful stories, quiet about liberal heroes.” From 1978 to present, with the Dragon Ball Super manga and many other series, Toriyama has fascinated audiences with his gentle, pure and lovely characters. He is remembered as one of the most influential people in modern manga, with his works overcoming language barriers and attracting a large global following.
Rest in peace, Akira Toriyama.