Dragon Ball: Goku Actor Sean Schemmel Reflects on Akira Toriyama's Legacy
Dragon Ball star Sean Schemmel reflects on Akira Toriyama's legacy in the wake of their death.
This month has been one of the most difficult in Dragon Ball's history. Just over a week ago, the world learned about the passing of Akira Toriyama. The creator of Dragon Ball died at the start of March, leaving the industry and its fanbase to mourn on a global scale. Now, the English actor behind Son Goku is speaking out about the tragedy, and Sean Schemmel wants everyone to know Toriyama quite literally saved his life.
Not long ago, Schemmel took to a livestream where he addressed the death of Toriyama. It was there the actor admitted he took time responding to the news to gather his thoughts, and Schemmel wanted Toriyama's loved ones to have the space they needed to mourn.
Sean Schemmel talks about Akira Toriyama’s legacy and how his death affected him 🥲 pic.twitter.com/ELsR8nnJAw
— Evil Travi 🕷️ (@LilTravi2) March 15, 2024
"My first thoughts when all this went down was Akira Toriyama's actual family and the people he knew and the people of Japan at large... I did want to respect the public space for them to articulate their feelings," he shared.
Continuing, Schemmel went on to propose a moment of silence for Toriyama, and he stressed the Dragon Ball artist saved his life though the pair never met in real life.
"It hit me pretty hard from a lot of perspectives. The reason this stream is titled 'Akira Toriyama-sensei Saved My Life and I Never Even Met Him' is not a metaphor. It is quite literal," Schemmel shared. After all, the voice actor said he used his first paychecks from voicing Goku to begin therapy. By falling into Goku's world, Schemmel was able to tap into new ways to take care of himself. The actor says none of this would have happened without Goku, and it was Toriyama who imbued the Saiyan with an infectious positivity.
Of course, Dragon Ball fans across the globe can relate to Schemmel. Goku and Toriyama's other heroes have been a source of inspiration for millions. The artist's death still stings and will for years to come. But thanks to his beloved series, Toriyama's ethos will live on alongside his powerful legacy.
What do you think about this latest tribute to Toriyama? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!