Death of a Dragon

A self-portrait by Akira Toriyama from Dragonball volume 1

Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1st, 2024 at the age of 68. 

Like the rest of the world, I learned about Toriyama's passing when it was announced on March 7th. 

Reading that shit hurt. I'm sure there's more eloquent ways to express that but I won't be able to find those words for a while. 

I have been a Toriyama obessive since I was 7 years old and stumbled across a channel playing Dragonball episodes in spanish at 5am. I didn't understand why that kid had a tail, why that guy was green, or what the hell anybody was saying but I wanted to climb into my television and live in that world. A few years later I would find his manga and that would be a wrap - my fandom was cemented.

There will undoubtedly be a litany of tributes and thinkpieces written about Toriyama's passing. His impact on the pop-culture of the late 20th century cannot be understated. From his design work on videos, his decades long manga career and the global impact of Dragonball as an anime, his fingerprints are everywhere.

Like I mentioned in a previous post, the Viz Big collection of the Dragonballs volume 1-3 was the first comic book I purchased in 2024. I wanted to start the year off with a comic I loved by a creator I adored. I've always considered him my creative northstar. To this day I am as impressed by his art as I was as a child. Nobody draws clothing and vehicles the way he does. Nobody designs characters like he does. Like he did. 

From Dragonball, vol 1, Chapter 1

There's so much to say and no real time or way to say it without being repetitive. I could talk about afternoons spend watching DBZ on Toonami with my little brother and cousin. The hours we poured in games like Budokai. The cash we forked over at Anime Import shops for Buu Saga subs when we just got tired of waiting on dubs. 

But mostly I keep thinking about a presentation I did for art class in the 7th grade. We'd be assigned to present on our favorite artist. Of course I picked Akira Toriyama. I made a big poster board with panels cut out of Shonen Jumps and art off the internet. Nobody in my class knew what the hell Dr. Slump was, they didn't care about Dragon Quest or Chrono Trigger. Even the ones who knew Dragonball by way of DBZ had no idea the show had originated from a comic. 

And I remember how oddly resentful our teacher was about the whole thing. Her only real comment was "Lets try to pick someone a less contemporary next time." It left me with such a strong resolve to never, ever hold back about how much I like the shit I like. 

It is undeniable that the vibes of 2024 have been rancid. The news of Toriyama's passing only contributes to that. It is hard to wake-up everyday and face a world that only seems to reward cruelty, violence and false-hoods.  But in Dragonball Toriayama created world that reminds us of what is lurking beneath the shadow of blood and death: a world where strength breeds kindness, where rivals can become best friends and the solidarity of all living thing can triumph over any evils.

I am sorry that Akira Toriyama did not live to see us uncover the world he it revealed to us. I hope that the outpouring of grief, gratitude and inspiration by his fans worldwide becomes more than just words. We have been shown the path, but we must choose to walk on it. 

My condolences to the Toriyama family, I wish them nothing but peace and privacy at this time. 

And more than anything else, I hope Akira Toriyama is in paradise as he envisioned it.

A self-portait of Akira Toriyama as "Robotoriyama." I hope the nudie mags in heaven are extra filthy.