Akira Toriyama, the manga artist behind the Dragon Ball Series and Dr Slump, has unfortunately passed away at the age of 68, as his production team made the official announcement.

Information ; Dear Friends and Partnershttps://t.co/85dXseckzJ pic.twitter.com/aHlx8CGA2M

— DRAGON BALL OFFICIAL (@DB_official_en) March 8, 2024

According to the announcement, Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1st, 2024, due to acute subdural hematoma.

The announcement also mentions that he still had several projects that were in progress but is now regrettably unable to finish.

Following his wishes of tranquility, a funeral service was held for Toriyama with only his family members and a few friends. Plans for commemorative gatherings have yet to be decided, but the production company promises that it will let the public know when it is confirmed.

Akira Toriyama is known for his influence in the manga industry, with many regard him as one of the authors who changed the history of manga, and he has served as an inspiration for many manga artists.

His manga series, Dr.Slump, won the Shogakukan Manga Award for best shounen manga in 1981, selling over 35 million copies and receiving an anime adaptation. However, the artist is well-known for Dragon Ball, which is one of the most popular and successful mangas in the world, with over 260 million copies sold worldwide.

Toriyama also worked as a character designer for several popular video games such as the Dragon Quest series, Chrono Trigger, and Blue Dragon.