Who is the creator of the Dragon Ball series?
The Dragon Ball anime and manga is a famous series created by the well-known Japanese artist Akira Toriyama. Sadly, he recently passed away at 68 years old because of a severe brain injury.
Toriyama was born in Nagoya, Japan, in 1955. He loved drawing since he was a child. When he was 23, he tried to become a manga artist by joining a contest. Even though he didn't win, he didn't give up. He sent his drawings to another magazine. In 1978, his first manga, Wonder Island, was published. He also made a sequel, but both didn't do well.
However, he kept drawing and created Dr. Slump, a funny series that became very popular. He won one of Japan's top manga awards for it. Dr. Slump became an anime on TV. After that, he started Bird Studio.
In 1984, Toriyama created the Dragon Ball manga, which made him famous worldwide. He also did artwork for popular video games like Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger.
What is the Dragon Ball series about?
The series mixes martial arts and comics for young adults. The manga gets ideas from Chinese and Hong Kong action movies and Japanese stories. It introduces fans to Son Goku, a young fighter searching for seven magic orbs that bring out a special dragon.
The series also shows Son Goku's friends and enemies and how he protects Earth from various threats. For many fans, Son Goku's journey from an awkward student to a strong hero is like their own path of overcoming doubts as they grow up.
Dragon Ball manga ended in 1995 but became a huge brand. It led to an English comic series and anime series, including Dragon Ball Z, plus many movies and video games.
How have people reacted to Akira Toriyama’s death?
Many fans, including Japan's government spokesperson, Yoshimasa Hayashi, paid tribute to Akira Toriyama. Even the creators of Naruto and One Piece, famous manga and anime series creators, have expressed sadness.
Although Akira Toriyama passed away, his works will be remembered forever.
