Anime fans woke up to tragic news on March 8, after learning of the untimely demise of legendary creator Akira Toriyama. Toriyama’s name may not be well-known outside of the anime community, but his work certainly is.
Even viewers who’ve never set sights on a single anime in their lives are aware of the Dragon Ball franchise, which serves as arguably the most well-known anime on the planet. It is what people without a background in the medium conjure in their brains when anime comes up in conversations, and, love it or hate it, there’s no denying the impact Toriyama’s work has had.
He was a big inspiration behind a number of the world’s biggest manga artists and creators, including Eiichiro Oda. The One Piece creator has long cited Toriyama as one of the single biggest influence on his popular manga, and his love of Dragon Ball continues to show through in his work. News of Toriyama’s untimely demise sparked an instant panic in the anime and manga community, and prompted fans to check in on their favorite creators.
Is Eicchiro Oda dead?
Dragon Ball has been ongoing since the mid-’80s, and in its 40 years in circulation the franchise has birthed more than a half-dozen spin-offs, continuations, and crossovers. Its a hugely impactful franchise, and without it, One Piece wouldn’t exist.
Thankfully, and despite the grief he’s no doubt grappling with, One Piece creator Eicchiro Oda is still with us. He’s alive and well at 49 years old, and still poised to polish off his mega-popular manga’s run within the next few years.
One Piece is a truly expansive manga, stretching its story over 108 volumes so far, with a number still planned for the future. The manga is set to reach a conclusion within the next few years, but its still far from complete. Were Oda to pass away before it reached a satisfying conclusion, One Piece fans around the globe would be devastated. While Toriyama’s passing is inarguably tragic, his fans have the satisfaction of knowing that his story has reached several wonderful ending points over the years, allowing them the closure of knowing where the story concludes — for the most part.
The same isn’t true for One Piece, which makes news of Oda’s good health all the more vital. Thankfully, there are no reports that the beloved creator is anything but thriving, which should see fans up to their eyeballs in One Piece content for at least a few more years.
