‘Dragon Ball’ Creator, Akira Toriyama, Passes Away at 68

March has brought incredibly sad news in the announcement of the passing of Akira Toriyama. Dragon Ball Z’s official X (formerly known as Twitter) account confirmed the news on Thursday.   “We are deeply saddened to inform you that Manga creator Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1st due to acute subdural hematoma,” the post reads. An acute subdural hematoma is a condition where the blood collects between the skull and the surface of the brain. Toriyama was only sixty-eight years old and was still actively working not just in the manga industry (on Dragon Ball Super illustrated by Toyotarou) but with animation projects like Dragon Ball Diama as well. The news shocked the world as Dragon Ball, Toriyama’s greatest series– is a globally loved, and the mangaka will be sorely missed. I grew up with Dragon Ball (and Dragon Ball Z, GT, and all that came afterwards)  the latter’s manga and anime adaptation and spinoff series were some gateways into the world of Japanese anime for many of my generation. Son Goku is the Shonen grandpa like figure that inspired so many loved Shonen heroes like Naruto, Luffy, Ichigo and more that came after him. Goku is perhaps one of the recognizable anime characters of the more modern age and work he has been featured in contained multitudes: comedy, martial arts, action, adventures, and enough moments between comrades, families, and friends. I may have grown up with Dragon Ball, but that iconic franchise is not where my interest in Aki…