Akira Toriyama

Lore & Background

Akira Toriyama was born in the town of Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. He drew pictures from a young age, inspired by works such as One Hundred and One Dalmatians and Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy. After working at an advertising agency for three years, he quit and entered the manga industry, submitting works to Weekly Shōnen Jump. His first published work, Wonder Island, appeared in 1978 but finished last in reader surveys. Despite initial failures, he continued drawing, and his editor Kazuhiko Torishima encouraged him to create a female lead character, leading to the success of Dr. Slump (1980–1984), which earned him the 1981 Shogakukan Manga Award and sold over 35 million copies in Japan.

Reader's Guide

Akira Toriyama's significance lies in his creation of Dragon Ball, a series that became a global phenomenon and is considered a key work in the history of manga and anime. Its success helped drive manga circulation to record highs in Japan and expanded the international audience for anime. His earlier work, Dr. Slump, established his reputation and demonstrated his ability to blend humor and adventure. Toriyama's influence extends beyond manga into video game design, where his character designs for franchises like Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger became iconic. His legacy is marked by his posthumous induction into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame and his decoration by the French government, reflecting his lasting impact on popular culture worldwide.

Did You Know?

• Toriyama earned the 1981 Shogakukan Manga Award for Dr. Slump.
• Dragon Ball sold 260 million copies worldwide.
• He was a character designer for the Dragon Quest series, Chrono Trigger, and Blue Dragon.
• He was posthumously inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame in October 2024.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"I was an avid anime watcher until I was about 10, when I moved to manga. I think I am influenced by Osamu Tezuka's and Walt Disney's works which I watched during that time, such as Tetsuwan Atom and 101 Dalmatians." — Akira Toriyama "Drunken Master (the first one). If I hadn't seen this movie, I would never have come up with Dragonball." — Akira Toriyama "Actually, I have a lot of hobbies, but I've kept up with model-building the longest. In particular, I love military models." — Akira Toriyama "Shōnen Jump: Several readers have asked if Namekians are plants. Of course, based on their names, they seem to be slugs... but they are green, they have a strange method of reproduction, and they live on water." — Akira Toriyama