Akira Toriyama, the artist behind the masterpiece anime series Dragon Ball, passed away last Friday, 1 March, due to acute subdural hematoma. He was 68.

The Dragon Ball creator’s death was announced by Shueisha Inc., the publishing firm handling the globally popular manga franchise.

Toriyama is considered to be one of the greatest manga artists of all time. He created Dragon Ball, which became a hit and sold over 260 million copies worldwide.

Inspired by the Chinese literary piece Journey to the West, the story of Dragon Ball revolves around Son Goku, a boy with extraordinary strength, and his journey to complete the seven dragon balls as he fights different evildoers who want to destroy the Earth. Once the seven dragon balls are completed, the wish-granting dragon Shenron is then summoned.

Toriyama was born on 5 April 1955 in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture. At six years old, he learned how to draw as a hobby and developed it over the years. He debuted in the realm of manga in 1978 after submitting his work to Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine.

That same year, Toriyama created Wonder Island, his first published work. Five years later, released Dragon Boy, which eventually became Dragon Ball, an anime series acclaimed by millions worldwide.

As the news regarding Toriyama’s death spread, his co-creators in the manga industry expressed their sorrow and sadness.

Eiichiro Oda, the creator of another excellent anime series, One Piece, expressed his grief over Toriyama’s sudden passing.

“It’s too early. The hole is too big. Sadness washes over me when I think I will never see him again,” he said in a statement.

“I have admired him so much since I was a child, so I remember the day he called me by name for the first time,” Oda added, referring to the time he was referred to as a friend by Toriyama.

Cartoon Network also expressed sadness over the passing of the acclaimed manga creator on the social media application X.

“Rest in peace to the manga legend Akira Toriyama. The artistry and monumental impact of Dragon Ball will live on in the hearts of fans and creators for generations to come,” the cable television channel captioned its tweet.

“RIP Legend” trended on Twitter as fans worldwide expressed gratitude and admiration for Toriyama and his masterful mango creation.