Bird Studio, the company Toriyama founded in 1983, announced on Thursday that Toriyama passed away on March 1 from an acute subdural hematoma. He was 68 years old. But the legacy of his work lives on across entertainment. After film director Hayao Miyazaki, Toriyama is perhaps the most influential Japanese artist of our time. He brought manga and anime to the global mainstream, breaking down the walls that once sealed Japanese storytelling.
In a statement, Byrd asked the public not to express any condolences “in accordance with Toriyama's wishes for peace” so that his family can mourn in peace. The company said, “We sincerely regret that there were several works in progress that we were passionate about.'' However, he left behind many manga works and works of art in this world. Thanks to the support of many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative career for over 45 years. ”
Toriyama's most famous work is the Dragon Ball manga series, which he started in 1984. This manga is inspired by the classic Chinese epic Journey to the West, but with a twist that focuses on humor and martial arts. His work achieved worldwide success with the animated television show Dragon Ball Z. This series was so popular that the main character Goku could even claim that: Macy's Thanksgiving Parade balloon condition.
Starting in 1996, a Cartoon Network programming block called Toonami introduced “Dragon Ball Z” to millions of American homes. For many outside of Japan, this was their first taste of a “shonen” style story. Shonen means boy, and stories often feature these characters on a hero's journey that emphasizes perseverance and friendship.
At the time, American television didn't have the kind of expansive, slow-building story that Dragon Ball Z had. Cartoon shows rarely tried to tell a story, even over multiple episodes. But “Dragon Ball Z” acquainted young millennial viewers with serialized TV shows decades before Netflix binge-watching became popular (and years before “Lost”). The show's arcs have unique names, such as “Freeza Saga” and “Cell Saga.”
Toriyama's works were so popular in Latin America that Goku has long been considered a kind of folk hero. Last year, the Los Angeles Times published a smart and humorous essay titled “Celebrating Goku, a Latin Icon.'' Japanese TV programs were aired a lot in Latin American countries because they were cheap, and the rest is history. Goku slipped into the mind of another viewer. “Perhaps Goku is something like a saint,” JP Brammer wrote in his essay. “For me, he's like, “Because Abuela doesn't threaten anyone in La Chancla,'' or if a story is tailored to the Latinx community, it's okay, so when someone tries to tell me that the story isn't Latinx enough. It doesn't work because Latinos don't like to support other Latinos. ”
As an artist, Toriyama had a sharp and unique way of depicting humans. They followed the classic rules of comics: exaggerated expressions that clearly convey emotion. However, Toriyama was louder and more intense than anyone else. Although his face was easy to spot, much of Toriyama's storytelling was in the way he drew his hands. Toriyama's most iconic hand gesture is to hold Goku's wrist firmly and place his palm in an open position as he fires a mountain-destroying fireball. This style of magical martial arts would later inspire the entire fighting video game genre, especially the fireballs in Street Fighter 2. Today, Toriyama's fighting style is ubiquitous in action stories. (He also inspired the boxing match in “Creed 3.”)
Although his inspiration for spiky-haired characters is obvious and ubiquitous, he also popularized the external depiction of ki, the spiritual energy flowing through the human body. In the West, the “power” of Star Wars was invisible and a matter of faith. Toriyama imagined spiritual energy exploding, filling our bodies with light and fire. He envisioned the human spirit as a powerful, visible entity and made it feel real.
Athletes often cite “Dragon Ball” as an inspiration, as Toriyama focuses on telling stories about determination and grit. Older stories about Spider-Man and Batman focus solely on interpersonal relationships and other conflicts. However, the “Dragon Ball'' narrative created an overall story arc and a multi-part narrative, especially with themes of training and self-improvement. What would be a throwaway training montage in other stories, Toriyama uses as an opportunity to build character and tension.
Beyond television, Toriyama applied his art and style to other fields as well. Right around the time Dragon Ball was starting, he was asked by a Japanese software company to create Fantasyland. Toriyama will work with Enix to create Dragon Quest, one of the most influential video games of all time. He was the lead artist on his NES role-playing game “Chrono Trigger,'' which is often cited as one of his best games of all time.
Toriyama spread ripples big and small. For example, it was Dragon Ball that gave us the concept of individual characters having “power levels.” The phrase “over 9,000” became an indelible internet meme.
On Thursday night, artists and animators from the three industries that inspired Toriyama shared their common work. Demonstration by animator of “Spider-Man” The fireball he gave a character named Miles Morales. Many noted that Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog both drew inspiration from Toriyama's characters. Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the One Piece series, has succeeded Toriyama.
Oda wrote, “The excitement and emotion felt through the Dragon Ball series will forever be ingrained in the youth of creators in this industry.'' “His presence is like a great tree. …May the heaven he envisions be the most joyful place for him.”