What happened to Akira Toriyama? Cause of death explored as Dragon Ball creator dies aged 68

Modified May 08, 2024 16:31 GMT

Akira Toriyama and the cause of death of the legendary Dragon Ball creator (Image via Toei Animation and Akira Toriyama).

Akira Toriyama, the legendary mangaka of the Dragon Ball series, has died at 68. The cause of death was confirmed Shueisha and Toei Animation confirmed the news, as has the author's entourage, which includes Toyotaro, his Dragon Ball Super manga partner.

A massive loss for the manga industry as a whole, Toriyama has been confirmed to have died of an acute subdural hematoma on Friday, March 1. Acute subdural hematoma is a type of bleeding that occurs between the surface of the brain and its strong outer covering. As per the official post by the Dragon Ball Z team, Toriyama "still had several works in the middle of creation."

Family members and a small group of relatives attended the funeral, according to official statements from the Dragon Ball website. Toyotaro, his partner and apprentice, shared a heartfelt message saying that his motivation for drawing manga was to be praised by Toriyama. It meant everything to him. Toriyama's studio, Bird Studio, wished for the legacy of the mangaka to live on with his timeless creations.

Dragon Ball author Akira Toriyama has died at the age of 68

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There are different types of subdural hematomas. The acute one, which resulted in the mangaka's death, is typically considered the most severe and occurs following a head injury. It develops within 24 hours of the initial trauma, and if not treated promptly, it can cause paralysis, loss of consciousness, or even death because of the increased blood pressure in the brain.

Also read: Why did Akira Toriyama stop drawing the Dragon Ball manga? Explained

No additional information about the cause of death was released and his funeral was carried amid a private gathering of family and close friends. Toriyama had always been a recluse and avoided public events, so his wish for privacy was respected in his final moments.

Goku in Super Saiyan form (Image via Toei Animation)

There is no debate that Toriyama was one of the most influential manga artists of all time. While he had already become a successful mangaka in the early 80s with his Dr. Slump series, it was through his next project, Dragon Ball, that he reached a whole new level in the cultural zeitgeist.

Whether it was through his paneling, battle sequences, storytelling, or characterization, Toriyama's work in Dragon Ball has stood the test of time and is arguably bigger now than it ever was in the past. It is often cited by successful manga authors as their biggest influence, and characters like Goku and Vegeta have become cultural icons beyond just Japanese entertainment.

Dragon Ball was also instrumental in popularizing anime all over the world, with the Z portion of the story redefining the medium for generations. And even to this day, the series is still reaching young audiences all over the world.

Akira Toriyama's legacy

Dr. Slump volume 6 cover art (Image via Akira Toriyama/Viz)

The Dragon Ball franchise's creator started his journey as a mangaka much before its beginning. Dragon Ball was not even Akira Toriyama's first popular breakout work; he caught the public attention with his work Dr. Slump (1980). This manga earned him his first Shogakukan Manga Award and motivated him to continue pursuing a career in manga.

Akira Toriyama's next major work would come in the form of a two-part kung fu Shonen manga titled Dragon Boy (1983). This work was so well-received that Toriyama changed the title to Dragon Ball in 1984, which would mark the start of a series that would continue over two decades and shape the image of the manga industry around the world.

Also read: The original Dragon Ball ending just might be the only perfect one in manga

He would also work on many other projects and even video game series like Dragon Quest in the meanwhile, but Dragon Ball would remain his most influential creation. Love for this series created a strong fandom worldwide and this was proved even in his death. Countries like China and El Salvador released official statements mourning Akira Toriyama's death, with the latter declaring a nationwide mourning.

Also read: Dragon Ball Z Kai's Toonami return has longtime fans in their feels