Postby Shiyonasan » 1 month ago
Long before I became an Astro Boy fan in 2011, I was a massive Dragon Ball fan. I remember starting to watch Dragon Ball Z in 1999 (25 years ago!!) on Toonami on Cartoon Network and stuck with the series from there. I'm still a big Dragon Ball fan, though a bit more casual these days. I still love Dragon Ball though as much as I ever have and I will for as long as I live.
I'd argue that Akira Toriyama was the "Osamu Tezuka" of the late 1980s through the early 2020s after Osamu Tezuka passed in 1989. He changed so much of manga and anime culture during that time and was revolutionary in doing something not any manga authors before him really did, and it really took off from there as many manga authors cite Toriyama as an influence on them.
Rest in peace Akira Toriyama. Your colossal impact on the world of manga and anime will never be forgotten. Thank you for bringing happiness to millions around the world through your stories and characters.