Akira Toriyama, the creator of the Dragon Ball franchise and character designer for video games like Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest, has died at the age of 68.
News of this came from a statement posted on the official Dragon Ball website and issued by Toriyama’s Bird Studio, which confirmed his passing on March 1 due to acute subdural hematoma. The announcement expresses regret that he still had multiple projects in the works at the time of his death, and laments the loss of all he would have gone on to achieve. It also acknowledges the many beloved works he produced over the course of his 45-year-long career.
A funeral has been held with family and “very few relatives,” and the announcement requests that people not seek to interview his family, or donate flowers, condolence gifts, or make any other offerings. Toriyama’s family has “not decided” if it will hold any sort of future commemorative gathering at this time.
The full announcement as published on the Dragon Ball site reads as follows:
Toriyama’s work has spanned manga, anime, and video games, and his art style has become instantly recognizable over the years. While Dragon Ball and its various sequels, spin-offs, and video games are arguably his most iconic, his character designs also defined the look of the Dragon Quest series and the games Chrono Trigger and Blue Dragon.
Some of his posthumous works will include the upcoming Sand Land RPG based on the 2000’s manga of the same name, and the upcoming Dragon Ball anime titled Dragon Ball Daima, which features a chibi art style and sees major players like Goku and Vegeta returning.
Following the announcement, fans and collaborates have posted several tributes to him on social media, including long-time cast members like Christopher Sabat, who has voiced Vegeta, Piccolo, and several other characters in the Dragon Ball series.