Dragon Ball Super’s very own Toyotaro just hit fans right in the feels with a powerful tribute to the late, great Akira Toriyama. Captioned with the simple but soul-punching line “Toriyama’s World Forever!!” the piece is a stripped-down, black-and-white master stroke that throws it back to the roots. No vibrant Super Saiyan glows or explosive auras here—just raw linework featuring a collage of Toriyama’s most iconic characters, stretching from his earliest works all the way to the Goku-shaped galaxy he created. It’s not flashy, but that’s what makes it hit harder than a Final Flash to the chest.
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Toriyama, who passed away at the age of 68 on March 1st, 2024, wasn’t just the creator of Dragon Ball—he was the architect of a global obsession. The franchise first kicked off in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1995, and the rest is history written in Ki Blasts and spiky hair. From the OG Dragon Ball anime in 1986 to the absolute masterpiece that was Dragon Ball Z in the ‘90s, Toriyama didn’t just change shonen manga—he rewired childhoods around the world. You can check out Toyotaro’s tribute to the late Dragon Ball creator below.
A Legacy That Crossed Worlds and Genres
Toriyama wasn’t just a manga juggernaut—he was a genre-bending creative force. His fingerprints are all over the blueprint of modern anime and gaming. Shonen pillars like Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach? All drinking from the same sacred spring. Video games like Chrono Trigger and the entire Dragon Quest series owe their iconic designs and flavor to Toriyama’s unmistakable style.
Now, with Toriyama’s passing, the fandom is echoing with tributes. Toyotaro’s illustration is just one of many, but it stands out because it feels personal. It’s the kind of homage that doesn’t need explosions—it just needs heart. And that’s why Toyotaro’s tribute cuts so deep.
The absence of color forces you to stare at the bones of the artwork—the expressions, the silhouettes, the nostalgia. Front and center is Goku, of course, because who else could carry that torch better? Around him, a parade of beloved characters remind us this wasn’t just a story—it was a universe that grew up with us. This is more than fan art—it’s a quiet, powerful reminder that Akira Toriyama didn’t just create a franchise. He created a world. One that lives on in every punch, every laugh, and every “Kamehameha” screamed by fans in their living rooms.
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Toriyama’s World of Power-Ups and Punches Lives On
But Dragon Ball isn’t just about the fights. Throughout the series, Toriyama baked in messages about grit, loyalty, and smashing your limits even when it seems impossible. It all started in the mid-‘80s, and now, nearly four decades later, Dragon Ball is still going strong like Goku’s plot armor. From kid Goku meeting Bulma and chasing Dragon Balls, to universe-bending showdowns, fans have been on this wild ride for generations.
Even when the manga wrapped up, the Dragon Ball engine never stopped. Spin-offs like Dragon Ball GT may have been divisive (looking at you, Super Saiyan 4), but the saga kept morphing. Enter Dragon Ball Super with boatloads of movies, and enough merchandise to power Capsule Corporation for the next 100 years.
Toriyama’s influence was—and still is—everywhere. Whether you discovered Dragon Ball through Saturday morning reruns, dusty manga volumes, or Crunchyroll marathons, one thing’s certain— it’s Toriyama’s world forever. And we’re just lucky we got to live in it.
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Image courtesy of Universal Pictures -
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