Akira Toriyama was a Japanese manga artist and designer who had a net worth of $50 million at the time of his death on March 1, 2024, at the age of 68.
Akira Toriyama was renowned for developing the highly successful manga series “Dr. Slump” and “Dragon Ball.” The latter is one of the highest-selling manga series ever and has led to a vast media franchise with numerous anime adaptations, films, and video games. Toriyama’s influence extends to character design in various video games, such as the “Dragon Quest” series, “Chrono Trigger,” and “Blue Dragon.”
Early Life And Education
Akira Toriyama was born on April 5, 1955, in Nagoya, Japan. An artist from a young age, he was heavily inspired by the Disney film “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” and Osamu Tezuka’s manga series “Astro Boy.” Furthermore, he enjoyed the television series “Ultraman” and the Gamera Kaiju films. As a teenager, Akira Toriyama attended a creative design high school. After graduating, he worked at an advertising agency for three years designing posters.
Career Beginnings In Manga
Upon leaving his advertising agency position, Toriyama ventured into the manga field by submitting one of his creations to an amateur contest in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. Unfortunately, the timing was not favorable for his submission. However, his debut came with “Wonder Island,” which was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1978.
The subsequent year saw the release of “Today’s Highlight Island” and “Tomato the Cutesy Gumshoe,” the latter marking his first female lead character—a decision he initially hesitated to make.
Dr. Slump
Buoyed by the positive reception of “Tomato the Cutesy Gumshoe,” Toriyama took a bold step by introducing another female lead character in his manga series “Dr. Slump.” Serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1980 to 1984, the series follows the escapades of a quirky professor and his formidable robot girl, Arale.
“Dr. Slump” became immensely popular in Japan, propelling Toriyama to fame and earning him the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award. The manga’s success also paved the way for an animated adaptation.
Dragon Ball
Inspired by his passion for kung fu films, Toriyama initially created the kung fu shōnen manga “Dragon Boy” in 1983. This concept evolved into the iconic series “Dragon Ball,” serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 to 1995.
“Dragon Ball” transcended borders to become a global sensation, ranking among the best-selling mangas with over 300 million copies sold worldwide. Its success gave rise to a vast media franchise encompassing anime adaptations, movies, video games, and extensive merchandising. The franchise is widely recognized for popularizing anime in the Western world.
Other Manga
Toriyama’s creative portfolio extends far beyond “Dr. Slump” and “Dragon Ball,” encompassing a range of manga titles. These include one-shot works like “Pola & Roid,” “Mad Matic,” “Chobit,” “Mr. Ho,” “The Elder,” and “Karamaru and the Perfect Day.” In the late 1990s, he ventured into short serials with “Cowa!” and “Kajika.” This trend continued into the 21st century with works like “Sand Land” and “Jaco the Galactic Patrolman.”
In 2008, Toriyama collaborated with Masakazu Katsura on the one-shot “Sachie-chan Good!!,” followed by a reunion in 2009 for the three-chapter one-shot “Jiya.”
Video Games
In 1986, Toriyama began his role as a character designer for the role-playing video game “Dragon Quest,” a position he maintained throughout every subsequent installment of the series. His talents also influenced other video games, as he contributed as a character designer for titles such as “Chrono Trigger,” “Tobal No. 1” and “Tobal 2,” “Blue Dragon” and its sequels, and “Jump Force.” Moreover, he lent his creativity to character designs in “Dragon Ball FighterZ” and “Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.
Other Design Work
Akira Toriyama has designed many other projects over the years in multiple media. Among them are different album covers, logos, book covers, and packaging and poster art. He also dived into the world of automobiles in 2005 to design an electric car for CQ Motors known as the QVOLT. Only nine of the one-person vehicles were manufactured.
Honors And Legacy
Thanks to the worldwide acclaim of “Dragon Ball,” Toriyama is hailed as one of the most influential manga artists in history. His work has inspired numerous other artists, with creators like Eiichiro Oda of “One Piece,” Masashi Kishimoto of “Naruto,” and Tite Kubo of “Bleach” citing him and his iconic series as major influences.
In recognition of his contributions to the arts, Toriyama was honored with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 2019.
Personal Life
In 1982, Toriyama tied the knot with Yoshimi Katō, a former manga artist known as Nachi Mikami. Their family includes a son and a daughter. Known for his reclusive lifestyle, Toriyama resided in his home studio in Kiyosu, preferring to stay out of the media limelight. Apart from manga, he had a fervent interest in motorcycles, cars, and various animals.
Tragically, Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1, 2024, at the age of 68, reportedly due to an acute subdural hematoma.