RIP Akira Toriyama

[The Unholy Dragon]

https://www.ign.com/articles/akira-toriyama-creator-of-dragon-ball-and-manga-pioneer-dies-at-68

 

68 is way too young. 

Without Dragon Ball, there's a real argument about whether or not manga and anime explode in North America the way they did. 

One of the most influential creators ever and genuinely a great one.

Truly awful news.

[J.H.]

I woke up to this news. I'm typing this while trying not to cry. Arguably one of the most important cartoonists of his generation.

I don't have the words right now...

James

Edited March 8 by J.H.

[J.H.]

He had so much in the pipeline too!

Advising for DBS manga, Dragon Ball DAIMA was still in development. Work on the next DQ game, the Sand Land game and rumors of whatever is going with Chrono Trigger... he wasn't finished. He could've just rested on his royalties after DB ended but his imagination was furtive. 

Hell, before he died Tezuka had declared that Akira Toriyama as his "heir apparent". 

James

[Teflon Turtle]

14 hours ago, The Unholy Dragon said:

Without Dragon Ball, there's a real argument about whether or not manga and anime explode in North America the way they did. 

One of the most influential creators ever and genuinely a great one.

 

6 hours ago, J.H. said:

Arguably one of the most important cartoonists of his generation.

It's funny, I was just having a similar conversation with a friend last weekend. In terms of the popularization of anime in the West (or I guess we could confine ourselves to the US) Gen Fukunaga should get some credit for starting Funimation. But, that company needs things to distribute. Dragonball Z was that anime. Just about every friend I had in Jr. High/High school would rush home from school to get Toonami on for DBZ. 

For me, I don't think there's any question that the Dragonball series and Toriyama are responsible for anime taking off in the English-speaking world. I think it's safe to say that the vast majority of people who got in to anime and manga did so through DBZ. It's generational now. That same friend I mentioned earlier has a son: he got the kid interested in DBZ, and the son owns the entire manga series, artbooks, etc.

As for Toriyama himself being one of the most important of his generation: again, for me anyway there is no question or argument. The art for the Dragonball series was drawn between 40-30 years ago, and it absolutely holds up today.

To this day, I can look at something Toriyama drew and it just...makes me feel better, no matter what. I'm sad that he's gone, but that feeling I get when I take in his work won't change so long as I've still got eyes that can see.

He's a worldwide comics GOAT candidate, and he belongs on the Mount Rushmore at the very least. 

[odessasteps]

What’s funny that another candidate for popularizing anime in the US is Sandy Frank. 

[J.H.]

9 hours ago, Teflon Turtle said:

To this day, I can look at something Toriyama drew and it just...makes me feel better, no matter what. I'm sad that he's gone, but that feeling I get when I take in his work won't change so long as I've still got eyes that can see.

THIS!!!

Certain artists work hit a specific emotion or sense awe/wonder 

Kirby fills the latter slots, Romita Sr could get you to pump a fist when Peter Parker overcomes adversity. 

Tezuka makes you marvel at his sheer creativity. Matsumoto awakens a romantic sense of adventure. You feel the passion from Kurumada or tension building to a showdown with Tetsuo Hara.

Whenever I look at something bycAkira Toriyama, even in the bloodiest fight, all I feel is joy

James