Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball creator, dies at 68 [Video]

Akira Toriyama, the Japanese manga artist behind the iconic Dragon Ball comics, passed away at 68.

The publishing company Shueisha Inc. announced on Friday, March 8, 2024, that Akira died from acute subdural hematoma.

Born on April 5, 1955, in Nagoya, Japan, Akira’s first published work was called Wonder Island seen on Weekly Shonen Jump in 1978.

His big break came in 1980 with the publication of Dr. Slump, a Japanese manga series featuring a girl robot named Arale Norimaki.

BECOMING A HOUSEHOLD NAME

In 1983, Akira dropped a two-part manga series titled Dragon Boy published in the magazine, Fresh Jump.

Dragon Boy eventually became Dragon Ball in 1984, instantly captivating readers in Japan before skyrocketing to international fame, earning the status as one of the highest-grossing manga series of all time and “the most influential” within the manga industry.

Dragon Ballcrossed over from the pages of comic books to animation, movies, video games, and merchandise items, making it a pop culture icon …