Akira Toriyama ​

Akira Toriyama is a Japanese manga artist and character designer. He first achieved mainstream recognition for his highly successful manga series Dr. Slump, before going on to create Dragon Ball - his best-known work – and acting as a character designer for several popular video games such as the Dragon Quest series, Chrono Trigger and Blue Dragon. Toriyama is regarded as one of the artists that changed the history of manga.

Quick Facts ​

• Known for his work in the manga and anime industry.
• Created the popular series Dragon Ball which has been sold in over 40 countries worldwide.
• Has won the Shogakukan Manga Award twice.
• Has sold more than 300 million copies of his works, making him one of the best-selling manga artists of all time.
• His Dragon Ball series played a significant role in globalizing the Japanese manga industry.

Background ​

Toriyama was born on April 5, 1955, in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. As a child, he showed an early interest in drawing. After graduating from high school, he went on to attend the Prefectural Industrial Design School. He worked for a few years in an advertising agency before beginning his manga career. His first successful manga series was Dr. Slump, which ran from 1980 to 1984 and was adapted into two anime series. However, it is his next manga series, Dragon Ball, that has become his most iconic work. It was published from 1984 to 1995 and has been adapted into several anime series, movies, and video games. Apart from his work in manga, he has also worked as a character designer for several popular video games.

Writing Style and Impact ​

Toriyama's art style is light-hearted and humorous, with characters often rendered in a playful style that contrasts with the serious storylines. He is best known for his work in the manga and anime industry, and his Dragon Ball series has had an enormous impact on the global popularity of these mediums. He has also been praised for his ability to create well-developed, unique characters that capture the audience's attention and imagination. His work was influential in introducing many western audiences to manga and anime.

Notable Works ​

• Dr. Slump (1980-1984)
• Dragon Ball (1984-1995)
• Dragon Ball Z (1989-1996)
• Dragon Ball GT (1996-1997)
• Dragon Ball Super (2015-2018)