The mangaka Akira Toriyama, creator of world-famous series Dragon Ball And Dr Slumpdied at the age of 68 from a subdural hematoma, his publishing house and studio announced Friday.
“We are sincerely saddened to inform you that manga creator Akira Toriyama passed away on 1er March of an acute subdural hematoma. He was 68 years old,” Bird Studio, an entity founded by the mangaka, said in a statement published on X.
“We at Shueisha and the editorial department are deeply saddened by the sudden news of his passing,” read a statement from the publisher. “We would like to pay tribute to his great achievements, express our gratitude and offer him our sincere condolences.”
Born in Nagoya (central Japan) in 1955, Akira Toriyama was primarily known for manga Dragon Ball, created in 1984 and chronicling the life and adventures of martial arts prodigy Son Goku since his childhood. It was freely inspired by the Chinese novel of the 16the century The Journey to the West.
The manga has sold at least 260 million copies worldwide according to the specialist site Mangazenkan. It has generated numerous adaptations for television, cinema or video games and has had numerous sequels such as Dragon Ball Z or more recently Dragon Ball Super.
” In my opinion, Dragon Ball is like a miracle,” Mr. Toriyama declared in an interview with the daily Asahi in 2013. “He helped someone like me, who has a twisted and difficult personality, to do a decent job and be accepted by society. »
“Pleasing the boys of Japan”
However, he assured in this interview that he had “no idea” of the reason for the global success of this work.
“I just hope that readers will have fun reading my work,” he said, adding that he had “never worried about sending a message through” his mangas.
“When I drew the series [Dragon Ball]all I wanted was to please the boys in Japan,” he told the Asahi.
Mr. Toriyama was also the author of many other manga series, including Dr Slumppublished between 1980 and 1984 in the weekly Shounen Jumparound a little android girl with formidable strength created by a scientist.
The mangaka received the Special Prize of the 40th in 2013 for all of his work.e Angoulême International Comics Festival.
He had also created characters for several video games like the series Dragon Quest or the role-playing game of the 1990s Chrono Trigger.
Eiichiro Oda, creator of the manga One Piece, regretted in a press release the “too early” death of Akira Toriyama, which leaves “a great void”. “To think that I will never see him again… I am overcome with sadness,” Mr. Oda added.