Fans, social media pay tribute to 'Dragon Ball' creator Akira Toriyama following death

Anime, manga and animation fans were left reeling this week when news broke that Akira Toriyama, the revered artist responsible for influential works like "Dragon Ball" and "Dragon Ball Z", had died at age 68.

Toriyama died on March 1 due to acute subdural hematoma, his manga and design production studio, Bird Studio, and Capsule Corporation Tokyo confirmed on Friday.

"We inform you this [sic] sad news, with gratefulness for your kindness during his lifetime," a statement from the studio said. Toriyama had a small, private funeral attended by family and close friends.

Toriyama created "Dragon Ball" in 1984, and the series went on to be regarded as one of the greatest mangas ever made, creating a major and lasting impact on pop culture. The anime series that followed has been credited as one of the most influential in recent animation history, creating iconic characters recognized the world over and setting a precedent for future works in the space.

The series and subsequent adaptions to video games and beyond were especially iconic to kids growing up in the '90s, many of whom regard "Dragon Ball" as a cornerstone of their childhood.

These fans flooded social media Friday, paying tribute to Toriyama and the impact his creative works had on their lives.

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Fans pay tribute to Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball

Many social media users shared their fond memories of Toriyama's works, saying he fostered their initial love of anime, created many of their fondest childhood memories and even inspired them to be artists themselves.

Some created art to honor Toriyama, like a simple post with a simple "thank you message" that wracked up 54k views and over 600 likes.

Others took heartfelt clips from the show and accompanied them with tearful messages, calling Toriyama a "childhood hero and an inspiration to all other anime/manga," and thanking him for making "the best anime moments ever."

Others simply reacted to the news, creating emotional posts grieving the loss. "This cannot be real!" one TikToker exclaimed, "I'm about to start crying."

"This was my childhood, this was one of my first animes," he continued. Thousands of commenters agreed, with one saying "One of the only humans in history to revolutionize the fictional medium as a whole. The amount of people he inspired is unreal. RIP Akira Toriyama."

Another commenter called him the "Stan Lee of anime," while yet another said, "REST in Peace, thank you for the best childhood memories you gave."

Many comments under a post announcing his death on Instagram honored his impact on anime culture in Hispanic and Latino communities as well, as Dragon Ball is hugely popular and influential in Latin America, with the main character Goku becoming a "Latino icon" to some.

Anime greats honor Toriyama

Other anime greats also released statements honoring Toriyama, as reported by industry site Anime Corner.

Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the hugely popular anime "One Piece" said in part: "It’s too soon. The void left behind is too large. The sadness overwhelms me when I realize I’ll never meet you again. From my childhood, I’ve admired you. I remember the day I was first called by name...with respect and gratitude for Akira Toriyama-sensei’s rich creative world, I sincerely pray for his peaceful rest."

Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of "Naruto," also chimed in, crediting Toriyama for inspiring him to make his now iconic series.

"I’m overwhelmed with a sense of loss even greater than when Dragon Ball ended… I still don’t know how to deal with this hole in my heart. I can’t even read Dragon Ball, my beloved manga, now. I don’t feel like I can write this message to Sensei properly," he wrote. "People around the world were still looking forward to Sensei’s works... Thank you, Akira Toriyama-sensei, for your many enjoyable works over 45 years. And thank you very much for your hard work."

Social media has made one thing clear since Toriyama's death: he won't soon be forgotten.