Several manga artists shared emotional reactions to the news that renowned mangaka Akira Toriyama died. Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto was among those who commemorated Toriyama following his death.
Dragon Ball Artist Akira Toriyama Died at 68
On March 8, 2024, Toriyama's manga and design studio, known as Bird Studio announced the death of Akira Toriyama a week earlier, on March 1, due to acute subdural hematoma.
The studio celebrated Toriyama's artistic contributions to the world of manga and urged fans to respect his family's privacy at this time.
While no specific events are planned to commemorate the creator's life, Bird Studio mentioned that another announcement will be issued if such an event is scheduled at a later date.
Masashi Kishimoto's Reaction to Toriyama's Death
Akira Toriyama is best known for his classic shounen manga Dragon Ball, which influenced many other contemporary creators.
Among those are Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, and Masashi Kishimoto, who created Naruto.
In commemorating Toriyama, Kishimoto shared an inspiring and moving story that details how Dragon Ball and other works by the late creator comforted him and informed his career.
The 49-year-old creator of Naruto admitted that it is hard to express his feelings about Akira Toriyama's death, and instead focused on the profound impact the mangaka's life and works had on him.
Kishimoto grew up reading Dr. Slump and later Dragon Ball and new issues were always a source of joy and comfort.
He went on to express the sense of loss he experienced when Dragon Ball ended. By that time, Kishimoto was a university student.
Soon, he found out that following his idol's footsteps and creating his own manga alleviated his sadness about the end of Dragon Ball.
As he grew into his own manga career, Kishimoto cherished the opportunity to meet Toriyama in person.
Kishimoto closes his statement by expressing his profound sadness and his hope that Toriyama's family might find comfort and peace.
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