Dragon Ball: Spy x Family Creator Shares Tribute to Akira Toriyama

Spy x Family's creator has shared an emotional message for Akira Toriyama following the famed Dragon Ball creator's passing. It was unfortunately revealed this weekend that Akira Toriyama has passed away at the age of 68, and fans and other creators from around the world have shared their feelings about the famed creator's passing. Toriyama has not only crafted works like Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump, but his influence has been felt in many other works throughout the decades since. This includes even the other major creators within Shueisha's many magazines that have gone on to inspire fans themselves. 

Spy x Family creator Tatsuya Endo was one of the many Shueisha creators and artists who shared their feelings about Akira Toriyama following the creator's passing, and revealed the following statement in a message to fans on social media, "If it weren't for Akira Toriyama, I probably would have never set my sights on becoming a mangaka. Even now, when I think about the 'reader's perspective,' I always think back to my childhood days when I excitedly looked forward to Dragon Ball every week. Thank you for all the wonderful work. I sincerely pray for the repose of Toriyama-sensei's soul."

RIP Akira Toriyama 1955-2024

Publisher Shueisha's statement on Akira Toriyama reads as such, "Akira Toriyama, who published many works in Jump magazines, has passed away. We at Shueisha and the editorial department are deeply saddened by the sudden news of his passing. The manga that he drew, such as Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, Sand Land, and many others have been read and loved all over the world, transcending national borders. His fascinating characters and his overwhelming sense of design have greatly influenced many manga artists and creators. We would like to express our gratitude to him for his great achievements and pray for his soul to rest in peace."

If you wanted a way to pay tribute to Akira Toriyama's works by revisiting some of your favorite Dragon Ball episodes, you can now find Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball Super now streaming with Crunchyroll with many of the movies available with both a Japanese and Englsh dubbed audio track available. How are you feeling at this time? Let us know in the comments and share some of your favorite memories with Toriyama's works as we honor his life.