Earlier this year, the anime world was stunned when we learned of the passing of Akira Toriyama. The legendary manga artist and character designer was best known as the creator of Dragon Ball, but his impact on the anime genre was felt by many.
Since his passing, there have been countless heartfelt goodbyes and emotional tributes posted by many in the industry who were inspired, influenced, and even affected in some way by Toriyama.
The latest, posted by YouTube anime artist Agent Mystery Meat, comes from New Challenger Productions (formerly Studio Stray Dog). The tribute, titled "AKIRA NO.1: A Farewell to the God Father of Manga," is a heartwarming anime short that serves as an emotional tribute to Akira Toriyama.
"As a child, Dragon Ball Z was all I had," an accompanying message from the team reads. "I have many things I'd like to say about him, things that aren't in this speech, delivered by the amazing Jordan Woollen (the voice of Vegeta in LEGEND – A Dragon Ball Tale). But you know, maybe I don't need to share them. I think that art is a very honest way to deliver to you what's inside someone's soul. So please accept this small tribute as my version of a eulogy, for the late Master Akira Toriyama. Rest in peace, power, and prosperity, my friend."
Toriyama passed away on March 1, 2024, from an acute subdural hematoma. Bird Studio announced his tragic death to the public a week later, resulting in an outpouring of grief from anime industry veterans and fans alike. Everyone who has ever enjoyed anime has, at some point, likely come across something created by or inspired by Toriyama.
Akira Toriyama first achieved mainstream recognition for creating the popular manga series Dr. Slump, but his most famous work is easily Dragon Ball. With over 260 million copies worldwide, it is one of the best-selling manga series of all time. It was adapted and divided into two anime series produced by Toe Animation: Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. The franchise continued to grow worldwide and expand with spin-offs, live-action and anime films, video games, theme park attractions, crossovers, and more.
Toriyama's passing has had a huge impact on the anime world, especially the Dragon Ball franchise. While Dragon Ball Daima is set to debut this fall, the Dragon Ball Super manga remains on hiatus with no confirmation on when it will return.