The Dragon Ball fan community has been mourning for several days. On March 8, the news was announced that Akira Toriyama, the creator of the franchise, had died on March 1. The tragic information provoked millions of reactions worldwide. Now, the last interview given by the legendary Japanese artist has come to light.
The Tokyo Anime Award Festival announced in December 2023 that Toriyama would receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his achievements throughout his career. The event took place over the weekend and the mangaka was expected to come to collect the award and give a speech.
The event could not be carried out due to the death of Toriyama. However, before he died, he had given an interview to the festival that has now seen the light. In it, the creator of Dragon Ball reviewed his love for manga, as well as some personal anecdotes and previewed some of his upcoming works. “To be honest, I’ve never had much interest in anime, and even when my work was done in anime format, I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t watch it much, I apologize,” Toriyama began, making it clear that his true passion was always the manga format.
“About 10 years ago, I was suddenly asked to review the script for an animated Dragon Ball movie and I drew some simple designs for the characters and backgrounds. I thought, ‘I can leave the difficult parts to the team,'” he added with a laugh. . “Therefore, I am ashamed to have received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival. Thank you very much,” Toriyama thanked.
“One of my most unforgettable memories in animation work is when I met the late animator Toyo Ashida for an anime project called Kosuke-sama Rikimaru-sama, which was produced for Shonen Jump Original. This project had no manga, so A meeting was arranged. He was a kind person and we connected quickly. Every time I saw his drawing style, I was moved by his careful and skillful touch,” he recalled then.
“I thought, ‘Okay, I guess I need this kind of touch to speed up the drawing process and make Dragon Ball look a lot smoother.’ The drawing time was reduced to about two-thirds of what it used to be. We were influenced each other in many ways and I think it was a truly gratifying moment. I pray for the repose of Ashida-san’s soul,” he paid tribute to his deceased friend.
Later, Toriyama spoke about the next Dragon Ball anime, which will be released this year on the occasion of the manga’s 40th anniversary. “Dragon Ball DAIMA, which will premiere in 2024, was originally planned to be an original anime series without me, but because I gave advice here and there, I ended up getting deeply involved in the project without realizing it. Not only was I involved in the general story, but also in the worldview, character design, mecha and other aspects. I hope you enjoy watching the series, which I think is not only intense and action-packed, but also full of substance,” he hinted .
“Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has supported me so far. I am not sure how much more I will be able to do as I am not very confident in my health, probably due to my lifestyle when I was younger, but I will do everything “do everything possible to create more interesting works. So, please, continue supporting me!” he finally predicted, revealing that his health was already somewhat delicate and thanking his followers for their unconditional support over four decades.
Finally, Toriyama died on March 1 due to an acute subdural hematoma. The Dragon Ball website was responsible for making it public. The mangaka was 68 years old. His new project, Dragon Ball DAIMA, will premiere in autumn 2024, although a specific date has not yet been announced.
