Earlier today, the world learnt that Akira Toriyama passed away on 1 March 2024, leaving behind a legendary legacy that has influenced so much of modern pop culture.

Dragon Ball has inspired many other famous IPs, including One Piece, Naruto and more.

Here are touching tributes from the creators of One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Quest and others (via Shonen Jump):

Dragon Quest Game Designer Yuji Horii:

<Yuji Horii>

I am still in disbelief at the news of Mr. Toriyama’s death, which was so sudden.
I’ve known Toriyama-san since I was a writer for Shonen Jump, and with the recommendation of Toriyama-san, the editor in charge, I decided to ask him to draw the game when we launched Dragon Quest.
In the 37 years since then, I have been involved in character designs, monster designs, and countless charming characters.
The history of Dragon Quest is based on Toriyama’s character designs.
Toriyama-san and the late Sugiyama-sensei were friends who worked on Dragon Quest for a long time.
That he would die…
I don’t know what else to say. I’m really, really disappointed.

Dragon Quest Game Designer Yuji Horii

Wing-Man and Zetman creator Masakazu Katsura:

<Mr. Masakazu Katsura>

I feel weak and have no energy.
I don’t want to comment on things like this.
But I’ll write something. If I start writing it out, it will probably end up being quite long since there are so many things I want to say, but I will try to keep it as concise as possible.
However, I’m not in the right mood, so please forgive my ramblings.

Even if I think back. I’m not exaggerating, I have nothing but happy memories of the times I went to visit her at home, the times she came to stay with me, and the times we went out to play, and every time I called her on the phone, I laughed until I was tired.
She was an interesting person.
She’s lewd, cute, nasty, and humble.

In my main job, manga, I did some collaborative work, but that was fun too.
But 99% of the time, we never talked about manga.
As a manga artist, the scenery I see and the level of the artist are so different that I never really thought about their greatness. I understand.
However, when I met him, I didn’t feel that in the slightest. It’s his personality. That’s why I still think of him more as a friend than a great manga artist.

Last summer, before I had surgery, she seemed to have heard about it somewhere and sent me an email.
Honestly, it’s rare for me to receive an e-mail from someone who seems concerned about my health.
We’ve known each other for 40 years, but this may have been the first time I’ve been treated so kindly by Mr. Toriyama. I thought it was going to snow. Usually we only joke or talk nonsense.
Well, this isn’t the time to worry about other people, at all.
When I called him a little while ago, I was feeling unwell and said, “Maybe he’ll pass away first, so please have a farewell party for me, Mr. Toriyama!Also, I’ll give you a speech, since I’ll give you a foil.” !”, but he didn’t keep his promise.

I really regret why I didn’t call you after you emailed me.
It’s a shame that I can’t make long phone calls anymore to talk nonsense.
I have a lot of things I want to talk about. There are many stories. As always, if you have no interest in a story, I would like to talk about it again, even if you just listen to it blankly.
It’s no good that you replied to my email asking to contact me again, and the last thing you said was OK. It hurts from the bottom of my heart.

Masakazu Katsura

One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda:

<Mr. Eiichiro Oda>

It’s too early.
The hole is too big.

The thought of never seeing you again fills me with sadness.
I’ve admired you so much since I was a child, and
I even remember the day when you called me by name for the first time. I also miss the day when I had a great time with Mr. Kishimoto on
the way home from the day when he used the word “friend” for us . I also remember the last conversation we had. He is one of the people who took the baton from the era when reading manga would make you stupid, and created an era where both adults and children read and enjoy manga. He showed us the dream that manga can do things like this and that we can go to the world. He gave it to me. It was like watching a hero push forward. The excitement and excitement he experienced when he serialized Dragon Ball is probably rooted in the childhoods of creators who are active in all industries, not just manga artists . That existence is a great tree. For manga artists of my generation who have stood on the same stage, the closer I got to Toriyama’s works, the more I realized that they had a greater presence. So scary. But I’m just happy to see the easy-going man himself again. Because we love Toriyama-sensei on a blood level. I would like to express my respect and gratitude to the world of creativity left behind by Professor Toriyama , and pray for his repose in peace. I hope that heaven will be a pleasant world just as you envisioned it.

Eiichiro Oda

Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto:

<Mr. Masashi Kishimoto>

Honestly, I don’t know what to write or how to write about something so sudden.
However, for now, I would like to express my thoughts and feelings to Toriyama-sensei, something I wish he would have asked me someday.

I grew up with Dr. Slump in the lower grades of elementary school and Dragon Ball in the upper grades, and it was natural for me to have his manga next to me as part of my life.
Even if I had a bad experience, watching Dragon Ball every week made me forget about it. It was a relief for me, a country boy who had nothing.
Because Dragon Ball was really fun!
It was when I was a university student. Suddenly, the Dragon Ball that had been a part of my life for so many years ended.
I felt an incredible sense of loss and didn’t know what to look forward to.
But at the same time, it was also an opportunity for me to truly understand the greatness of the teacher who created Dragon Ball.
I also want to create works like yours!
I want to be like my teacher!
As I followed in my teacher’s footsteps and aspired to become a manga artist, that feeling of loss began to disappear.
Because making comics was fun.
I was able to find new fun by following my teacher.
My teacher has always been my guide.
I admired it.
I apologize for the inconvenience, but I would like to express my gratitude to the teacher.
For me, he was the god of salvation and the god of manga.

When we met for the first time, I was so nervous that I couldn’t say a word.
However, after meeting him many times at the Tezuka Prize screening committee, we became able to talk.
As Dragon Ball Children, I and Mr. Oda went back to being children again, and when we talked excitedly about how much Dragon Ball was fun, as if we were competing with each other, I forgot how he looked a little shy and smiled. I can’t.

I have just received the news of the death of my teacher.
I feel an even greater sense of loss than when Dragon Ball ended…
I still don’t know how to deal with this hole in my heart.
Now I can’t even read my favorite Dragon Ball.
I don’t feel like I’ve been able to properly write this sentence that I want to convey to my teacher.
Everyone around the world was still looking forward to seeing your work.
If one Dragon Ball wish really comes true…I’m sorry…
Maybe that’s selfish, but it’s sad, sensei.

Thank you, Akira Toriyama-sensei, for all of your enjoyable works over the past 45 years.
And thank you very much for your hard work.

We are sure that the remaining family members are still deeply hurt.
Please take care of yourself.
I pray that Mr. Akira Toriyama rests in peace.

Masashi Kishimoto

In the meantime, head on over here for our tribute article celebrating the greatest and most iconic works of Akira Toriyama.