Akira Toriyama, creator of the beloved manga and anime Dragon Ball, has died, his production studio said in a statement Friday. He was 68.
The artist behind the long-running media franchise that popularized Japanese manga abroad, passed away on March 1 from an acute subdural hematoma, according to the statement.
His creations, which span more than 45 years, include Dr. Slump, Sand Land and the character designs for the Dragon Quest video games.
News of Toriyama’s death triggered an outpouring of condolences from other artists, many of whom grew up reading his work.
Toriyama proved to a disbelieving audience that “manga can be fun for both children and adults,” wrote One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda. “He showed that manga could travel the world.”
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