Akira Toriyama, the manga artist behind the Dragon Ball series died on 1 March at the age of 68, according to a statement from the popular anime’s official website that was released today.
Toriyama reportedly succumbed to acute subdural hematoma, a condition in which blood builds up on the surface of and within the brain.
A funeral for the celebrated manga artist has already been held with his family and relatives in attendance. The anime creator’s Bird Studio pointed out that it has not yet made plans for a memorial event, although it noted that future updates would be provided.
The statement noted that Toriyama was in the process of working on a number of projects when he passed away and thanked his fans from around the globe whose support enabled him “to continue his creative activities for over 45 years.”
Prominent figures in the anime industry have posted statements to mourn his passing.
[See more: Six Studio Ghibli films you can’t miss (plus one bonus)]
“I grew up with your manga, which became part of my life,” said the creator of the popular anime Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto, whose words were cited in Nikkei Asia. “On bad days, the weekly Dragon Ball [series] would help me forget [my troubles]. As a country boy with not much else, it saved me.”
Born in Nagoya, Japan in 1955, Toriyama began his foray into the manga industry after entering a competition when he was 23. His success, however, did not come until 1980, when he serialised the manga series Dr Slump in the publication Weekly Shonen Jump.
He followed this up with Dragon Ball, a series inspired by the Chinese story of The Journey to the West. It became a worldwide phenomenon, spawning anime series, video games, films and merchandise.
Although Toriyama is best known internationally for manga and anime work, he also dabbled in video games, helping to design characters in acclaimed role-playing games such as Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest and Blue Dragon.
Despite garnering significant fame for his work, Akira Toriyama rarely appeared in the public eye.
He is survived by his wife, fellow manga artist Yoshimi Kato, and their two children.
