Mexican TV Station Honors Akira Toriyama With Viral Dragon Ball Marathon

One of the biggest TV stations in Mexico is honoring the life of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama with a special marathon after his passing! It was unfortunately announced earlier this weekend that Akira Toriyama, creator behind franchises such as Dragon Ball, Sand Land, Dr. Slump and more, had passed away at the age of 68 due to acute subdural hematoma. Fans all over the world have been sharing their tributes to the famed creator in the wake of this news, and some countries are going all out with nationwide periods of mourning for the creator given his impact over the decades. 

It’s no secret that Akira Toriyama’s work on Dragon Ball far outreaches the shores of Japan, and the impact on Latin, Central, and South American countries in particular is something that can’t be understated. It’s a particularly huge franchise in Mexico (something that should have been demonstrated with the massive viewing parties in Mexico for Dragon Ball Super’s final episode), and one TV station in Mexico has gone viral for announcing a special Dragon Ball marathon in tribute to Akira Toriyama’s life. You can check out Azteca 7’s promo for the marathon below: 

RIP Dragon Ball Creator Akira Toriyama 1955-2024

The official statement from Bird Studio on Akira Toriyama’s passing on March 7th begins as such, “We are deeply saddened to inform you that manga creator Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1st due to acute subdural hematoma. He was in age of 68. It’s our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm. Also, he would have many more things to achieve. However, he had left many manga titles and works of art to this world. Thanks to the support of so many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative activities for over 45 years. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”

The statement concludes with, “We inform you of this sad news, with gratefulness for your kindness during his lifetime. Funeral service was held with his family and very few relatives. Following his wishes for tranquility, we respectfully inform you that we would not accept flowers, condolences gifts, visiting, offerings and others. Also, we ask you to refrain from conduction interviews with his family. Future plans for a commemorative gathering is not decided, we will let you know when it’s confirmed. We deeply thank you for your understanding and support as always.”

How are you paying tribute to Akira Toriyama? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on X (formerly known as Twitter)!