Late last night, the world discovered that it lost one of its giants. Akira Toriyama, the creator of the Dragon Ball series and renowned character designer on games such as Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest, passed away at 68 from a subdural hematoma on March 1. In the time since his passing was announced, people the world over have been sharing odes to Toriyama’s generational work and anecdotes that have resonated with them over the years, including peers such as One Piece and Naruto creators, Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto.
For my part, Toriyama was the first artist to ever teach me what “cool” meant. Trunks, a character from Dragon Ball Z that heralds from the future and carries a sword, was my working definition of cool throughout my childhood. The Dragon Ball series has been a staple in my household for about as long as I can remember. The sights and sounds of Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 transformation are burned into my brain from the sheer amount of times my brother would revisit it on YouTube. My cousins and I would watch the Spanish dubs every Saturday morning when I would visit the Dominican Republic. Games based on the series have always been a part of my life, from the GameBoy’s Legacy of Goku series to the oft-forgotten DS Dragon Ball Origins titles. And of course, I don’t think I would be the same person without the opening of Dragon Ball Z Budokai 3.
It’s safe to say that Toriyama meant more to us than we could ever put sufficient words to, but that hasn’t stopped many from trying.
It’s impossible to deny the influence of Toriyama’s work, whether it was in games, manga, or anime. In his time here, he moved the world in ways I can’t even begin to fathom. Thank you for everything, Toriyama-san.