Remembering Akira Toriyama, Creator of Dragon Ball
Akira Toriyama
Art by Darko-simple-ART; CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 DEED
The year of the dragon begins with the passing of a dragon. Akira Toriyama (1955–2024) was a manga artist most well known for his creation of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, with their anime adaptations finding critical success worldwide. Many librarians owe their love of manga, reading, and literature to Akira Toriyama because they loved his works. We owe it to Toriyama, to acknowledge his legacy, to the lasting influence he has had on all of our lives. Below, staff of The New York Public Library remember the legacy that was Akira Toriyama, with displays, staff testimonials and recommendations.
Works
Akira Toriyama had an extensive career as a manga artist. Toriyama's manga career expanded beyond just Dragon Ball and other series such as Dr. Slump and SAND LAND to video games such as Dragon Quest. Toriyama's work illustrating the legendary Dragon Quest video game franchise has had a lasting influence on the gaming industry itself. Fans of the Like a Dragon video game series know that Ichiban Kasuga's games play like Dragon Quest instead of the rest of the series, because the character was a fan of Dragon Quest!
Dragon Ball
by Akira Toriyama
Legend has it that if all seven of the precious orbs called "Dragon Balls" are gathered together, an incredibly powerful dragon god will appear to grant one wish. Unfortunately, the orbs are scattered across the world, making them extremely difficult to collect.
Enter 16-year-old Bulma, a scientific genius who has constructed a radar to detect the exact locations of the Dragon Balls. She's on a mission to find all seven orbs, but first she must convince young Son Goku to join her on her quest. With a monkey tail, super-human strength, and a magic staff for a weapon, Son Goku's ready to set out on the adventure of a lifetime...Dragon Ball Z
by Akira Toriyama
Five years have passed since the Tenka'ichi Budokai (Strongest Under the Heavens) fighting tournament, where Son Goku emerged as Earth's ultimate champion. Goku has since settled down with a wife and even has a son, Son Gohan. All seems peaceful, until one day when a mysterious visitor appears and reveals that Goku is actually an alien!
The visitor, Raditz, claims that Goku is a Saiyan Warrior, a member of the most powerful race in the universe. When the ruthless Raditz threatens to destroy Goku's family and the entire human race, Goku races to stop him and finds an unlikely ally in Piccolo, his old archenemy...Dragon Ball Super
by Akira Toriyama
Ever since Goku became Earth’s greatest hero and gathered the seven Dragon Balls to defeat the evil Boo, his life on Earth has grown a little dull. But new threats loom overhead, and Goku and his friends will have to defend the planet once again in this continuation of Akira Toriyama’s best-selling series, Dragon Ball!
Having defeated Boo, Goku is starting to get bored with his life on Earth. His wife, Chi-chi, wants him to get a job, but all he wants to do is train and fight stronger enemies. Elsewhere in the universe, the God of Destruction, Beerus, and his attendant Whis are traveling from planet to planet in search of food and entertainment. After blowing up some hapless victims, Beerus is reminded of a man from his dreams with the moniker “Super Saiyan God,” or something like that... The God of Destruction sets his sights on Earth to track down this mysterious man! Maybe this will give Goku something to do?Akira Toriyama's Manga Theater
by Akira Toriyama
From Akira Toriyama, the legendary manga creator of Dragon Ball, comes this special collection of short stories spanning the first few decades of his career. Serving as both a collection of his early works and a history of his life as a manga writer and illustrator, this giant tome is packed with everything you could ever want as a fan of classic shonen manga.
Dragon Quest Illustrations
by Akira Toriyama
Celebrate the imaginative art of 30 years of the Dragon Quest video games, as designed and illustrated by Akira Toriyama, legendary creator of Dragon Ball. Akira Toriyama brought the world of the renowned Dragon Quest video games to life through his creative, fun, and inventive design work. Thirty years of genius are on display in this stunning comprehensive hardcover collection of over 500 illustrations from the Dragon Quest video games.
Manga Inspired by Toriyama
Many manga artists found inspiration through Toriyama in their own journeys, and similarities can be found, especially with the creators of One Piece and Naruto. The legend of Toriyama lives through the new generation of writers, as they remember how much his legacy shaped their careers.
One Piece
by Eiichiro Oda
As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally gained the power to stretch like rubber…at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years, later, Luffy sets off in search of the “One Piece,” said to be the greatest treasure in the world...
Naruto
by Masashi Kishimoto
Naruto is a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. He’s got a wild sense of humor, but Naruto is completely serious about his mission to be the world’s greatest ninja!
Twelve years ago the Village Hidden in the Leaves was attacked by a fearsome threat. A nine-tailed fox spirit claimed the life of the village leader, the Hokage, and many others. Today, the village is at peace and a troublemaking kid named Naruto is struggling to graduate from Ninja Academy. His goal may be to become the next Hokage, but his true destiny will be much more complicated. The adventure begins now!Bleach
by Tite Kubo
Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see ghosts, but this ability doesn’t change his life nearly as much as his close encounter with Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper and member of the mysterious Soul Society. While fighting a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans who display psychic energy, Rukia attempts to lend Ichigo some of her powers so that he can save his family; but much to her surprise, Ichigo absorbs every last drop of her energy. Now a full-fledged Soul Reaper himself, Ichigo quickly learns that the world he inhabits is one full of dangerous spirits and, along with Rukia—who is slowly regaining her powers—it’s Ichigo’s job to protect the innocent from Hollows and help the spirits themselves find peace.
Fairytail
by Hiro Mashima
Cute girl wizard Lucy wants to join the Fairy Tail, a club for the most powerful wizards. But instead, her ambitions land her in the clutches of a gang of unsavory pirates le by a devious magician. Her only hope is Natsu, a strange boy she happens to meet on her travels. Natsu’s not your typical hero—he gets motion sickness, eats like a pig, and his best friend is a talking cat. With friends like this, is Lucy better off with her enemies?
Other Classic Manga Series
These are manga series that either came out around the same time as Dragon Ball or were also part of the introduction to anime and manga for many library workers. When thinking of Akira Toriyama, some of these series were part of the introduction to manga for many of us librarians, leading us down this path. These manga are just a glimpse; ask your local librarian what their favorite is!
Akira
by Katsuhiro Otomo
Welcome to Neo-Tokyo, built on the ashes of a Tokyo annihilated by a blast of unknown origin that triggered World War III. The lives of two streetwise teenage friends, Tetsuo and Kaneda, change forever when paranormal abilities begin to waken in Tetsuo, making him a target for a shadowy agency that will stop at nothing to prevent another catastrophe like the one that leveled Tokyo. At the core of the agency's motivation is a raw, all-consuming fear of an unthinkable, monstrous power known only as Akira.
Katsuhiro Otomo's stunning science fiction masterpiece is considered by many to be the finest work of graphic fiction ever produced, and Otomo's brilliant animated film version is regarded worldwide as a classic.Death Note
by Tsugumi Oba
Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects—and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. Will Light’s noble goal succeed, or will the Death Note turn him into the very thing he fights against?
Fullmetal Alchemist
by Hiromu Arakawa
In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical “auto-mail” limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother’s bodies...the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.
Alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world; something between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in this power to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg…and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living steel. Now Edward is an agent of the government, a slave of the military-alchemical complex, using his unique powers to obey orders…even to kill. Except his powers aren't unique. The world has been ravaged by the abuse of alchemy. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher's Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are…Inuyasha
by Rumiko Takahashi
After falling into an old well and into ancient Japan, Kagome discovers that her destiny is linked to the dog-like half demon called Inuyasha! As Kagome learns more about her connection to the past and to Inuyasha, she comes into conflict with the terrible demons that are drawn to the Shikon Jewel, including Inuyasha's own half brother, Sesshomaru. Finding the shards of the Shikon Jewel is going to require powerful magic, strange allies, and a strong heart. Kagome's got plenty of heart, but she's going to need Inuyasha's help for the rest of it, and he may not be so willing to lend a hand!
Neon Genesis Evangelion
by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Once Shinji didn't care about anything; then he found people to fight for only to learn that he couldn't protect them or keep those he let into his heart from going away. As mankind tilts on the brink of the apocalyptic Third Impact, human feelings are fault lines leading to destruction and just maybe, redemption and rebirth.
Sailor Moon
by Naoko Takeuchi
Teenager Usagi is not the best athlete, she's never gotten good grades, and, well, she's a bit of a crybaby. But when she meets a talking cat, she begins a journey that will teach her she has a well of great strength just beneath the surface and the heart to inspire and stand up for her friends as Sailor Moon! Experience the Sailor Moon manga as never before in these extra-long editions (about 300 pages each).
Works that Inspired Akira Toriyama
Artists receive their inspiration from what is around them, and Toriyama had his fair share of works that inspired his journey to becoming a manga artist and further beyond. While Journey to the West inspired the story of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama was inspired by Jackie Chan's films throughout the series. However, Osamu Tezuka's works in Astro Boy and more are what led Akira Toriyama to start drawing the first place.
Astro Boy
by Osamu Tezuka
Can a robot have a soul? Built by a brilliant scientist to replace his lost son, but with powers beyond imagination, Astro Boy fights for the oppressed and helpless, whether they be human, alien, or robot. Exciting, whimsical, and touching, Astro Boy brings back the classic era of comics and animation, featuring tales that readers young and old will enjoy.
The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga
by Helen McCarthy
Osamu Tezuka has often been called “the god of manga” and “the Walt Disney of Japan,” but he was far more than that. Tezuka was Walt Disney, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Tim Burton, and Carl Sagan all rolled into one incredibly prolific creator, changing the face of Japanese culture forever. Best known for Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, Tezuka was instrumental in developing Japanese animation and modern manga comics.
The Art of Osamu Tezuka is the first authorized biography celebrating his work and life and featuring over 300 images—many of which have never been seen outside of Japan. With text by respected manga expert Helen McCarthy, The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga pays tribute to the work of an artist, writer, animator, doctor, entrepreneur, and traveler whose curious mind spawned dozens of animated films, and over 170,000 pages of comics art in one astonishingly creative lifetime.
Monkey King: Journey to the West
by Cheng'en Wu
A shape-shifting trickster on a kung-fu quest for eternal life, Sun Wukong, or Monkey King, is one of the most memorable superheroes in world literature, known to legions of fans of the most popular anime of all time, Dragon Ball, and the world's largest e-sport, the video game League of Legends. High-spirited and omni-talented, he amasses dazzling weapons and skills on his journey to immortality: a gold-hooped staff that can grow as tall as the sky and shrink to the size of a needle; the ability to travel 108,000 miles in a single somersault. A master of subterfuge, he can transform himself into whomever or whatever he chooses and turn each of his body's 84,000 hairs into an army of clones. But his penchant for mischief repeatedly gets him into trouble, and when he raids Heaven's Orchard of Immortal Peaches and gorges himself on the elixirs of the gods, the Buddha pins him beneath a mountain, freeing him only five hundred years later for a chance to redeem himself: He is to protect the pious monk Tripitaka on his fourteen-year journey to India in search of precious Buddhist sutras that will bring enlightenment to the Chinese empire.
Joined by two other fallen immortals‚Pigsy, a rice-loving pig able to fly with its ears, and Sandy, a depressive man-eating river-sand monster—Monkey King undergoes eighty-one trials, doing battle with Red Boy, Princess Jade-Face, the Monstress Dowager, and all manner of dragons, ogres, wizards, and femmes fatales, navigating the perils of Fire-Cloud Cave, the River of Flowing Sand, the Water-Crystal Palace, and Casserole Mountain, and being serially captured, lacquered, sautéed, steamed, and liquefied, but always hatching an ingenious plan to get himself and his fellow pilgrims out of their latest jam.Never Grow Up
by Long Cheng
Everyone knows Jackie Chan. Whether it's from Rush Hour, Shanghai Noon, The Karate Kid, or Kung Fu Panda, Jackie is admired by generations of moviegoers for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and mind-bending stunts. In 2016'after fifty-six years in the industry, over 200 films, and many broken bones' he received an honorary Academy Award for his lifetime achievement in film. But at 64 years-old, Jackie is just getting started.
Now, in Never Grow Up, the global superstar reflects on his early life, including his childhood years at the China Drama Academy (in which he was enrolled at the age of six), his big breaks (and setbacks) in Hong Kong and Hollywood, his numerous brushes with death (both on and off film sets), and his life as a husband and father (which has been, admittedly and regrettably, imperfect).
Jackie has never shied away from his mistakes. Since The Young Master in 1980, Jackie's films have ended with a bloopers reel in which he stumbles over his lines, misses his mark, or crashes to the ground in a stunt gone south. In Never Grow Up, Jackie applies the same spirit of openness to his life, proving time and time again why he's beloved the world over: he's honest, funny, kind, brave beyond reckoning and'after all this time'still young at heart.
NYPL Staff Remember the Legend
Akira Toriyama Display at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library
Photo: Linda Yau
Back in the 1980’s, a bit of time before Dragon Ball, there was another series that is attributed to Akira Toriyama, Dr. Slump. This series completely changed my life in terms of enjoying a culture, watching anime, and reading manga. Many people can speak about Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z and that is true, because that was a very big hit that influenced a lot of people into knowing about Japanese animation. But Dr. Slump was the series that launched Mr. Toriyma’s career. In this series, Mr. Toriyama, self-inserted himself as a gag character as a bird, or as a robot, or as a nameless character wearing a face mask, made a deeper impression on me. Now Arale-chan, the main character of Dr. Slump does appear in Dragon Ball, and she does appear in works beyond her original series, which is a 18 volume manga series. From Mr. Toriyama’s Dr. Slump series, I can say, was my first anime I enjoyed as a child. Anime and manga is a lifelong personal hobby and passion I enjoy greatly that reflects in the work that I do as an Adult librarian. –Linda Yau, Adult Librarian, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library
Akira Toriyama Display at the Bronx Library Center
Photo: Jonathan Shapiro
There is too much to say about Toriyama, from his influence on manga to his brilliance as a draftsman and character designer to the way he breathed Japanese and Chinese mythology into a new life across global pop culture. Almost anywhere in the world, people recognize Goku, as the massive tributes in Argentina on the news have shown. But among the ki attacks and rapid fire martial arts fights, beloved and parodied for their excessive screaming and muscles bulging out to Schwarzeneggar-esque degrees, I find that one underappreciated part of Dragon Ball, and all of Toriyama's work, is his humor. Dragon Ball's a funny series, often in a super crass and silly way. The fans who remember the early series remember the ridiculousness of Oolong's wish or Goku's sparring with Krillin remember the belly laughs that came along with them. Even once it became a battle manga, we still got to enjoy Frieza's Ginyu force being named after everything you'd find in the fridge, or Vegeta's transformation from genocidal warlord into earthbound wife-guy.
Dragon Ball is funny enough, but I don't want to sell short the ways Toriyama left me gasping for air. Dr. Slump is the funniest anime of all time, and it's wild that few Americans have seen it (go to Japan and it's another story). The madcap adventures of a little robot girl in a world full of scatological delights and skewerings of pop culture. It's like a cross between Spongebob and Calvin and Hobbes with an odd sci-fi twist. I think my favorite part of Toriyama's humor is how personable it feels, like half the stuff is just there because it made him laugh. Nothing was calculated with him, though that hardly kept him from being a shrewd businessman. He loved samurai movies, but also spaghetti Westerns and Hong Kong martial arts, tossing in the tense, drawn out stand offs of the former and the wild, frenetic part-slapstick-part-deadly-action of the latter. His works were truly the result of an artist who believed in translating what he loved about comics, movies, music, and everything that brought him joy over the course of a life that was cut too short.
On the day the news broke, we in the Teen Zone of the Bronx Library Center cobbled together the best memorial we could do. Rest Well in Other World. –Jonathan Shapiro, Young Adult Librarian Trainee, Bronx Library Center
Akira Toriyama Display at Van Nest Library
Photo: Tabrizia Jones
Dragon Ball Z was the first piece of pop culture that I recognized as Japanese when I was a kid. And like so many other people my age, it drove towards other media: books, manga, music, etc; originating from Asia. DBZ was always a topic for discussion in everyone's middle school. –Rene Lora, Young Adult Specialist II, West Farms Library
Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon were my first introduction to anime. Growing up on a small island, I fondly remember gathering with my siblings to watch DBZ. It was a cherished family bonding time that sparked my love for anime and inspired me to become a voice actor (A dream of mine). Thank you, Toriyama-sensei, for blessing us with such incredible art. DBZ isn't just an anime to us; it's a cultural phenomenon. It paved the way for other anime and profoundly shaped my childhood. Vegeta was the first anime character I truly adored. I'll always be a dedicated DBZ fan. Rest in peace, Toriyama-sensei, you've done an amazing job! –Kadian Reid, Adult Librarian, Bronx Library Center
Akira Toriyama Display at Kingsbridge Library
Photo: Nicole Celic
I personally feel that another part of my childhood has been taken from me. For myself and many who grew up in the 90s, Dragon Ball was that title that introduced us to the world of anime (along with Sailor Moon). The story of Goku, the saiyan who not only fought to save his home and his loved ones from dangers all over the universe but also showed that strength can come from compassion. Look at his friendships and rivalries with Piccolo and Vegeta: They were once his enemies but they later became members of his trusted Z-crew. Goku is one of the most admired characters in anime and manga, and he has been since 1984 when Dragon Ball was first published in Weekly Shonen Jump. Goku is a hero admired by everyone, transcending generations young and old. And we have Toriyama-sensei to thank for that. –Renee Scott, Senior Young Adult Librarian, Washington Heights Library
Akira Toriyama Display at Van Nest Library
Photo: Tabrizia Jones
Akira Toriyama was a trailblazer not only because he showed a new way to read in books called manga but he also exposed people of all ages to a whole new world of shows and TV, a new culture other than their own! Dragon Ball has influenced and paved the way for new genre animators and mangaka artists. He will be truly missed. –Marissa Morales, Information Assistant, Parkchester Library
The news of Akira Toriyama's death got me thinking of the times that I watched Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z when I was a kid. I would watch episodes repeatedly when I was a teen. I would play Dragon Ball Z games on PlayStation 2. I still play new Dragon Ball Z games as an adult from time to time. I would relate to the characters and their choices. When I think of Goku, I see him always smiling and having a positive attitude, Vegeta: not abandoning yourself and having pride in where you come from, Piccolo: having discipline and showing that people can change, Krillin: having fun is also part of training, Gohan: always fighting for those you care about, Master Roshi: He taught us to work hard, study hard, eat well, play well, and sleep plenty! I just want to say, Thank you Akira Toriyama, thank you for making my childhood special. –Freddie Mendez, Young Adult Librarian, Washington Heights Library