Dragon Ball: Toei Animation Releases Statement on the Death of Luis Mendoza

Toei Animation is busy these days with a slew of releases, but the company is taking time to pay [...]

Toei Animation is busy these days with a slew of releases, but the company is taking time to pay tribute to one of Dragon Ball's most beloved members. This weekend brought about the tragic news that Luis Alfonso Mendoza, the Latin Spanish voice of Gohan, was murdered. The actor was killed along with his wife and brother-in-law, leaving fans around Latin America and beyond in mourning. Now, Toei Animation is honoring Mendoza himself and thanking the actor for all his work.

Taking to Twitter, Toei Animation posted a brief message about Mendoza. You can read the memorial below:

"Rest In Peace Luis Alfonso Mendoza, a wonderful Spanish voice actor who lent his amazing voice to many fantastic characters, including our beloved Gohan. Thank you Luis for everything."

For those who are not caught up with the news, Mendoza passed away this weekend after being shot by a man he was having an argument with. Reports say the Dragon Ball actor was killed by the man after the pair had a dispute over the studio rental space which Mendoza was leasing out. After Mendoza was shot, the assailant killed the actor's wife and his brother-in-law before turning the gun on himself. According to reports, the assailant failed to kill himself with the self-inflicted wound, and there is no word on how the criminal investigation will go from here on out.

In the wake of Mendoza's death, fans of Dragon Ball have come together to celebrate his legacy. The actor has voiced Gohan for a long time and helped raise the franchise's popularity in Latin America. Today, Dragon Ball gets some of his biggest support from the region, so the loss of Mendoza hurts in the worst of ways. Toei Animation is feeling that pain in the wake of Mendoza's death, and they are grateful to have had the iconic actor lend his voice to Gohan for so many years.

Which performance from Mendoza stands out to you as a favorite? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

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