We’re still reeling from the untimely passing of Akira Toriyama, the prolific creator of Dragon Ball. Now, his last speech has been translated, and we’re awash in emotions once again.
On March 8, 2024, it was revealed that Akira Toriyama, the legendary mangaka behind Dragon Ball, had died at the age of 68. A longtime artist and visual creative, he was behind two of the best anime shows ever in Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, as well as providing characters and other artistry for video games such as Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger.
He’s a true icon, on the level of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, so naturally, the response has been global. We’ve seen football matches and national presidents pay tribute, and demonstrations into the tens of thousands.
Before he died, Toriyama was due to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, at a ceremony due to be held the weekend of March 8. He was notified of this honour in December, giving him time to prepare a speech, which has now been released to the public. Have your tissues handy.
Akira Toriyama thanks fans in his final speech
“To be honest, I have never had much interest in anime, and even when my work was made into animated format, I feel embarrassed to admit that I did not watch much of it, apologies to the staff,” he says in a monologue meant for the Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2024. “Thus, it is truly embarrassing that I am the recipient of the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Thank you very much.”
He recalls working with Toyoo Ashida for Kosuke-sama Rikimaru-sama, an anime project they co-directed. Akira learned how to streamline his own process from Toyoo, allowing him to create Dragon Ball much more effectively. He calls it a “truly fulfilling time”, and hopes Toyoo continues to rest peacefully.
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Akira addressed returning to Dragon Ball after years away, first for Dragon Ball Super, and now for the upcoming anime Dragon Ball Daima. “Dragon Ball DAIMA, which will be rolled out in 2024, was originally planned to be an original anime series without me, but as I gave advice here and there, I ended up getting deeply involved with the project without realizing it,” he states.
“I hope you will enjoy watching the series, which I believe is not only intense and action-packed, but also full of plenty of substance.”
But it’s the last line that really hits home. Akira knew his health was declining, and he reveals he wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be around for. “Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has supported me so far!” he writes. “I am not sure how much more I can do, as I am not very confident about my health, probably due to my lifestyle when I was younger, but I will try my best to create more interesting pieces of work, so please continue to support me!”
Fans can see his Sand Land show on Disney Plus from March 20, while we wait for a more definitive release date on Dragon Ball Daima. Meanwhile, check out our guides on how to watch Dragon Ball and watch Dragon Ball Z to revisit the classic shows.
