Tribute

 My heart ached tonight as I read the news that Akira Toriyama died tonight. I nearly broke into tears several times tonight just thinking about it. I've never met him. I doubt I could even pick him out of a lineup. But Toriyama was a major part of my childhood and even my adult life.

Akira Toriyama is best known for creating Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Super. Dragonball Z was my favorite TV show as a kid. My friend and I watched the anime, bought magazines that spoiled the American audiences about Cell and Buu, and played the games. Like so many preteen boys at the time, I've tried to do a Kamehameha innumerable times. I don't recall, but I've probably tried as an adult, too. My friend group tried to buy the Burger King toys one summer, which is how we learned you don't need a kid's meal to get a toy at fast food restaurants. I've been a fan for over twenty four years, and that's not gonna stop. Even the joke version from Team Four Star has become a major part of my lexicon.

But he's also the character artist for Chrono Trigger. CT was my favorite game for twenty years. It's a game that many have tried to replicate, but none have. I've spent hours looking and marveling at his drawings for Magus, Schala, and Marle. I still enjoy looking at niche characters who have official art, all drawn by Toriyama.

As an adult, I do the same with his artwork for Dragon Quest. Bianca, Nera, the dancer sisters, etc. That makes me look like a pervert, but look, I like his stuff. Dragon Quest may not have had a massive effect on my life, as I've only recently experienced it, but DQV is in my top fifteen favorite games. It's damn good, and everyone should play it.

I've never played it, but I've read Blue Dragon is one of the best RPGs on the 360. That's not saying much, but it is well regarded.

And this is overlooking his less known projects. Toriyama has been quite prolific, even during the production of Dragonball.

All three of those franchises are pivotal aspects of a lot of nerd or weeb culture. Dragonball made anime popular in the West. Dragon Quest made RPGs cool in the east. And Chrono Trigger is the standard of RPGs, period. Dude is weeb prime, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude. Nobuo Uematsu was the soundtrack of my childhood, and Akira Toriyama was my ocular enjoyment.

But it's not just nerd culture he's affected. I've read a lot of MMA fighters got into the sport because they wanted to be Goku. The same for professional wrestling. Even Rafael Nadal was inspired by him. Nobody is cooler than Goku.

I'm no critic, but all of his flaws mean very little to me. He seemed to be a humble man who took pride in his work and listened to those around him. I don't know anything about his personal life, but I've never heard anything controversial about him. Toriyama sounded like a good man, and the world is a darker place without him. His contributions to manga, anime, video games, and sports make him someone whose contribution to everything is hard to point down. He's inspired so many through his works. And that he had two games in development is even more heartbreaking. Sand Land looks like it could be fun, and I'm sure Dragon Quest XII is gonna be great. There's also Dragonball Daima, which he was excited about. I know I'm a nobody, but thank you, Toriyama-san.

I don't know why I was inspired to write this, but maybe I'll stop almost crying soon. Rest well, sir. You've earned it.