In memory of Akira Toriyama

Words cannot describe the levels of sadness that weigh on my heart to know that one of the biggest creative figures in my and many others’ childhoods is no longer with us.

Hearing this news makes me think back to the first time I saw something Dragon Ball-related as a kid and was immediately enamored by it. That of course was when I saw my cousin’s toy collection during a Christmas reunion at their house at the age of 7. From the moment I saw those Vegeta and Goku figurines, I was immediately entranced by Toriyama’s design style even if it was diluted as something else.

Shortly a year later during another Christmas in my town, I would receive a copy of the Budokai PS2 game and that would be my first proper introduction into Akira Toriyama’s world of Dragon Ball even if it was a cliff notes version of it. A game with Japanese audio and English subtitles. But that didn’t matter from then on I was officially a Dragon Ball fan from that point onwards.

As a lover of Toriyama’s art style and his cavalier writing, I’ve made it no secret that I’ve had some difficult thoughts regarding his writing decisions in Dragon Ball, but be that as it may, I still hold a great amount of respect for him for essentially writing stories out of pure imagination without a grand thought-out plan. There is something very admirable about having full confidence in your creative ideas, playing with them, and seeing them slowly evolve. To label Toriyama as a landmark creator in the world is an understatement since the reach of Dragon Ball’s influence in other forms of media over the generations ranging from Western comics & animation, fan art, American sports culture, video games, and even other anime/manga is astounding.

For being a series that took inspiration from Sayuki and Journey to the West, Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has certainly gone through its journey to the West and beyond to touch the hearts and minds of others. This man’s work and contributions to the development of the world of manga and anime can’t be overstated, and while we mourn his passing, I think it’s also fair to celebrate the good creative work he’s done and take inspiration from not just Dragon Ball, but from his other shorter-lived works liked Sand Land & Dr. Slump to his creative designs and involvement in JRPGS like Chrono Trigger or the Dragon Quest franchise.

What more could I add to this? With a heavy heart, I’ll still look back on the fond memories of this man’s works that contributed to my childhood, but to pay tribute to him I’ll move forward with my life, taking inspiration from some of the lessons he has imparted on generations of people in both Dragon Ball and other works.

Rest easy, Toriyama-sensei. And I hope you teach a dinosaur to ride a ball in a better place.

Words cannot describe the levels of sadness that weigh on my heart to know that one of the biggest creative figures in my and many others’ childhoods is no longer with us.

Hearing this news makes me think back to the first time I saw something Dragon Ball-related as a kid and was immediately enamored by it. That of course was when I saw my cousin’s toy collection during a Christmas reunion at their house at the age of 7. From the moment I saw those Vegeta and Goku figurines, I was immediately entranced by Toriyama’s design style even if it was diluted as something else.

Shortly a year later during another Christmas in my town, I would receive a copy of the Budokai PS2 game and that would be my first proper introduction into Akira Toriyama’s world of Dragon Ball even if it was a cliff notes version of it. A game with Japanese audio and English subtitles. But that didn’t matter from then on I was officially a Dragon Ball fan from that point onwards.

As a lover of Toriyama’s art style and his cavalier writing, I’ve made it no secret that I’ve had some difficult thoughts regarding his writing decisions in Dragon Ball, but be that as it may, I still hold a great amount of respect for him for essentially writing stories out of pure imagination without a grand thought-out plan. There is something very admirable about having full confidence in your creative ideas, playing with them, and seeing them slowly evolve. To label Toriyama as a landmark creator in the world is an understatement since the reach of Dragon Ball’s influence in other forms of media over the generations ranging from Western comics & animation, fan art, American sports culture, video games, and even other anime/manga is astounding.

For being a series that took inspiration from Sayuki and Journey to the West, Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has certainly gone through its journey to the West and beyond to touch the hearts and minds of others. This man’s work and contributions to the development of the world of manga and anime can’t be overstated, and while we mourn his passing, I think it’s also fair to celebrate the good creative work he’s done and take inspiration from not just Dragon Ball, but from his other shorter-lived works liked Sand Land & Dr. Slump to his creative designs and involvement in JRPGS like Chrono Trigger or the Dragon Quest franchise.

What more could I add to this? With a heavy heart, I’ll still look back on the fond memories of this man’s works that contributed to my childhood, but to pay tribute to him I’ll move forward with my life, taking inspiration from some of the lessons he has imparted on generations of people in both Dragon Ball and other works.

Rest easy, Toriyama-sensei. And I hope you teach a dinosaur to ride a ball in a better place.