Akira Toriyama, Creator Of Legendary ‘Dragon Ball,’ Dead At 68

Legendary Japanese artist, character designer, and best-selling manga author of all time, Akira Toriyama, has died on March 1.

He was 68.

His production company Bird Studio reported Friday that the 'Dragon Ball' creator died of a blood clot in the brain. According to the studio, an intimate funeral service was held with only his family members and a few relatives.

The Manga series debuted in 1984, following the story of a boy named Goku who was on a journey to collect a total of 7 orbs called dragon balls for the purpose of protecting earth from powerful beings called Saiyans.

A sensation in the making, the anime was presented in 1989, becoming one of the most distinguished and esteemed pieces in Japanese media globally, selling 260 million copies, per the studio.

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The success of this anime continued to push forward with various sequels such as Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Z Kai, Garlic Jr. Saga, Broly, and more.

More than an art series, Toriyama's body of work managed to offer an intricate story line, developing characters from childhood to adulthood, who would later become family, warriors, and overall inspiring superheroes.

Many fans in Japan and around the world continue to pay tribute to the Dragon Ball icon.

"It's our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm. He would have had many more things to achieve. However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world," the art studio wrote in an open letter to fans via X, formerly known as twitter.

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The creator of the popular series 'Naruto,' Masashi Kishimoto, 49, and the creator of the cult-favorite anime 'One Piece,' Eiichiro Oda, have both credited Toriyama as their source of inspiration.

"He showed us all these things manga can do, a dream of going to another world." Oda, 49, said. The artist went on to say his death leaves "a hole too big to fill," in a statement obtained by the Associated Press.

Bird Studio thanked fans for 45 years of support to be able to continue his creative endeavors, hoping that "Akira Toriyama's unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come."