A legend is dead. Akira Toriyama, best known for creating the iconic Dragon Ball franchise died one week ago on Mar. 1 2024, though his family and friends have only now made the news public.
The 68-year-old Toriyama wasn’t suffering any longtime illness and his death appears to have arrived out of the blue, leaving the world of anime and manga in shock and mourning. Beyond Dragon Ball, Toriyama was also famed for his work as a character designer in the Dragon Quest video game series, as well as being one of the “dream team” trio behind the all-time great RPG Chrono Trigger.
But Toriyama will always be the man behind Dragon Ball, which he took from a manga serialized across 519 chapters in Weekly Shōnen Jump to a series of hit anime shows, movies and a dizzying amount of merchandise. Dragon Ball as a whole has made approximately $10 billion over the years, making it a cultural behemoth and is at the root of anime’s popularity outside Japan.
Akira Toriyama’s cause of death
Toriyama’s studio has confirmed that he died of an acute subdural hematoma. This is essentially bleeding within the brain, which increases pressure inside the skull and causes compression to brain tissue. Most acute subdural hematomas are caused by a head injury, which can be an incident that seems minor at the time but can rapidly develop into a life-threatening condition.
It’s not known whether Toriyama suffered a recent head injury (and we may never know if he didn’t tell anyone). However, in 2022 actor and presenter Bob Saget died from a similar condition after falling and hitting his head. Saget went to bed and then died in his sleep from an acute subdural hematoma.
The Dragon Ball website confirms that Toriyama’s funeral has already place and was a private affair, attended by only his family and a small group of friends. In a message of tribute, they add:
“He would have many more things to achieve. However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”
Like many, we’re going to revisit some classic Dragon Ball over the weekend to pay tribute to the great man. Maybe we’ll fire up the Super Nintendo to enjoy some Chrono Trigger while we’re at it.
If you want our guide on how to watch Dragon Ball in order, check it out here.
RIP Akira Toriyama, 1955-2024.