Akira Toriyama's studio announced his death on Friday. AFP
Akira Toriyama's studio announced his death on Friday. AFP
Akira Toriyama's studio announced his death on Friday. AFP
Akira Toriyama's studio announced his death on Friday. AFP

Akira Toriyama: Late manga pioneer's seven greatest works beyond Dragon Ball


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Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, has died aged 68.

The news was announced on Friday by his studio, citing a type of bleed near the brain as the cause.

While the manga series, first launched in 1984, was his best-known creation, his prolific work on other series helped shape the industry for ever.

Here are seven of his other comics, games and stories that continue to have an influence.

Dragon Ball comics first appeared in 1984. AFP
Dragon Ball comics first appeared in 1984. AFP

Dr Slump (1980)

A visitor looks at an Japanese artist Akira Toriyama's Dr. Slump comic book at the 27th Manga Fair 2021 in Barcelona on October 31, 2021. (Photo by Pau BARRENA / AFP)
A visitor looks at an Japanese artist Akira Toriyama's Dr. Slump comic book at the 27th Manga Fair 2021 in Barcelona on October 31, 2021. (Photo by Pau BARRENA / AFP)

Toriyama's breakthrough manga is a charming and fantastical comedy that showcases his stunning art and delightful sense of humour. Following a young robot who lives in a small village with an array of anthropomorphic animals and the man who built her. This fish-out-of-water story established much of the style and vibe that fans would come to love about Dragon Ball.

Dragon Quest (1986)

Dragon Quest (1986). photo: wikipedia
Dragon Quest (1986). photo: wikipedia

Toriyama wasn't solely a comics mastermind, he also made a huge impact on the games industry. His first foray into gaming came with Dragon Quest, which would launch a global franchise still going strong today.

His unique eye for character design and creature work was put to great use as he crafted both the human and monster designs as well as the famed box art. Following the hero Roto, the game leaned into the genres that defined Toriyama's career.

Chrono Trigger (1995)

Chrono Trigger (1995)
Chrono Trigger (1995)

Almost a decade later, Toriyama would play a part in creating another celebrated franchise when he teamed up with Final Fantasy's Hironobu Sakaguchi and Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii. This time-travelling adventure RPG became a hit on the Super Nintendo and is still regarded as one of the most important and influential games of its day.

Kajika (1998)

Kajika (1998)
Kajika (1998)

Putting his unique spin on a redemption story, Toriyama introduced readers to the titular young child who was born evil and, after committing a truly terrible act, has to spend the rest of his life becoming good. True to form given it's a Toriyama story, it's funny, sweet and steeped in intricate and fantastical lore. This is an easy read too as it's only a single volume.

Sand Land (2000)

Sand Land (2000)
Sand Land (2000)

Another single-volume entry into Toriyama's canon, this Mad Max-style story is set in a world where water is scarce and survivors battle harsh conditions. As a ragtag group head into the desert, they're unexpectedly forced into a resistance against their cruel king. Sand Land was recently adapted as a video game and an anime original video animation.

Blue Dragon (2007)

Blue Dragon (2007)
Blue Dragon (2007)

More than 20 years after Dragon Quest, Toriyama returned to gaming with this Japanese role-playing game. Blue Dragon brought a more traditional turn-based play style found in classic Japanese role-playing games to the Xbox 360. While the game wasn't a huge success on release, it's since garnered quite a following and inspired two seasons of an anime of the same name with awesome character designs by Toriyama.

Jaco the Galactic Patrolman (2013)

Jaco the Galactic Patrolman (2013)
Jaco the Galactic Patrolman (2013)

Toriyama excelled at crafting found family tales and he brought that skill to this short-lived series. It's an unexpected buddy comedy about a retired scientist whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a futuristic alien policeman. While this is technically a prequel to the Dragon Ball series and takes place in the same world, it's different enough to stand-alone as its own creation.

10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

if you go

The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip 
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles. 

Updated: March 08, 2024, 8:54 AM