Akira Toriyama
A visionary storyteller whose intergalactic martial arts epic, Dragon Ball, reshaped global pop culture and inspired generations of artists.
1955–2024 (age 69)·Japanese manga artist·Birthday: April 5·Baby Boomers
Biography
Akira Toriyama began his career with a mischievous sense of humor, finding success with the absurdist comedy 'Dr. Slump.' But it was his pivot to action that changed everything. In 1984, he launched 'Dragon Ball,' a series that started as a whimsical quest inspired by 'Journey to the West' and evolved into a planet-shaking saga of super-powered warriors. Toriyama's genius lay in his kinetic, clear-lined art and his mastery of escalating stakes, creating a template for the 'shonen' battle manga that dominates today. His influence is immeasurable; 'Dragon Ball' became a worldwide phenomenon, its characters and the concept of 'powering up' embedded in the DNA of video games, animation, and comics across continents. He remained a beloved, somewhat reclusive figure, his work speaking with a louder voice than he ever did publicly.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Akira was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Akira Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Akira's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2024Died at 69
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
Key Achievements
- Created 'Dragon Ball,' one of the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 260 million copies sold worldwide.
- Designed the characters for the immensely popular 'Dragon Quest' video game series, defining its visual style for decades.
- His early series 'Dr. Slump' won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1981.
Did You Know?
He named the hero Goku after the Japanese word for 'awareness of emptiness,' a concept in Buddhism.
He was an avid car and motorcycle enthusiast and incorporated vehicle designs into his work.
He initially intended to end 'Dragon Ball' after the Frieza saga, but continued due to its popularity.
““The truth is, I just draw whatever I feel like drawing.””
