BREAKING: Popular Icon Akira Toriyama is dead

The renowned creator of Japan’s widely celebrated “Dragon Ball” comics and anime, Akira Toriyama, passed away at the age of 68, as announced by his production team on Friday.

The iconic “Dragon Ball” series, first serialized in 1984, stands as one of the highest-selling manga franchises, giving rise to numerous anime adaptations, films, and video games.

Toriyama, also known for his earlier work “Dr Slump,” had a profound impact on the entertainment industry.

His death on March 1 was attributed to a brain blood clot, leaving several of his ongoing projects unfinished.

Toriyama’s legacy includes contributions to the beloved “Dragon Ball Z” and the successful “Dragon Quest” games. Despite some less successful spin-offs, his influence on manga and anime remains profound.

Born in 1955 in Japan’s Aichi region, Toriyama, who described himself as a “difficult” person, began his career as a professional manga artist in his early 20s after studying design at an industrial high school and working in advertising for three years in Nagoya.

The news of his death deeply saddened publishing house Shueisha, known for serializing “Dragon Ball” in its “Shonen Jump” magazine.