It’s amazing how someone you’ve never met can have such a profound impact on your life.

When I was in elementary school, I went on a 5th grade camping trip. It was only for a few days, but it was the first time I spent that long away from my family. It was both new and strange for me. The counselors put us all in groups and sent us to our cabins to get settled into our bunks. Though I was with some of my usual friends, the experience forced me to interact with other kids I usually didn’t socialize with.

One vivid memory I have is of one of my cabin mates playing with some action figures he brought from his home. I didn’t recognize the figures, but something about them intrigued me; their design was like nothing I had seen before. They were cool, but not in the G.I. Joe “action hero” or Transformers way. There was something unique. I would later find out from the boy (whose name I’ve since forgotten 😅) what show the figures were based on. Those figures were my first exposure to “DragonBall”.

The next time I would see the characters was while watching television. Those once motionless figures were now zipping around the screen in vibrant animation that I couldn’t tear myself away from. I was intrigued before, but now I was hooked.

In case anyone’s not familiar with the show, Dragonball centers around the protagonist, Goku, and his many friends. Although he appears human, Goku is part of an alien race known as the Saiyans (all of whom sport a monkey-like tail). Throughout the series there are several villainous threats to Goku, his friends, and the world.

The show itself is full of characters that offers valuable life lessons that myself and other fans reflect upon in our lives.

Goku, the optimistic figher who always believes there’s a way to succeed, even when everyone else has lost hope.

Vegeta, who despite always being one step behind Goku, sees every defeat as fuel that pushes him to train even harder to become that much stronger.

Piccolo, the fighter who once served as an antagonist in the series, proves himself to be a wise and valuable ally. Despite the past, everyone deserves a second chance.

The eleven year old Gohan comes to unlock and master his true potential in one of the most memorable moments in the entire series. Great power can come from anywhere, even the most unlikely of sources.

Cheesy as it sounds, remembering how these characters carry themselves sometimes serves as a motivator for me during difficult times (or trying to get that last rep in at the gym). Even as an adult I can go back to this series and find something to inspire me.

Since becoming a fan, the series has had a strong, positive impact on my life. I’ve made lifelong friends through our mutual appreciation for the show. I still remember rushing to the game store with one of my closest friends (more of a brother) to get the latest videogame from the series. We’d stay up for hours playing, commenting on how well the game portrayed the scenes from the show, or how it compared to the previous game. It was always an event when the latest one came out.

The series (along with other franchises) fueled my interest in coming to Japan, where I’ve been living for the past seven years. Being in the country where it was created has allowed me to enjoy it in a new way. There’s nothing quite like going into a book shop and seeing rows of manga dedicated to the series, or walking on the street and see a statue of Goku. My wife and I also saw the latest movie (DBS: Super Hero) together, which we got to see in Japan before it released in the States. Occasionally I come across a coworker or a student (children and adults) who are also fans of the series, and we spend anywhere from a few minutes to several hours discussing our favorite characters or moments from the series.

All of these experiences, as well as others I could go on about, are thanks to the imagination and creativity of one man: Akira Toriyama.

Sadly, Toriyama-san passed away on March 1st of 2024 at the age of 68. Such an unexpected passing shocked the fan community as a whole, no exception to myself. A pioneer of his time, it is said that without DragonBall, manga and anime would not exist in the form it does today.

Though his passing brings about saddness, through the grief shines a light. Around the world fans have gathered together to celebrate the legacy of Akira Toriyama. One notable instance is from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Here, fans gathered in cosplay and united to honor the legend by raising their hands to the sky, a pose often made by the series protagonist, Goku.

Not only groups of fans, but celebrities and athletes around the world have voiced their thanks and respect for Toriyama-san. One of the most notable instances I’ve seen is French president Emmanuel Macron posting a short, but sweet sentiment online, along with a framed drawing signed by Toriyama-san addressed to Macron.

To see communities and figures gather in this way worldwide speaks to the impact this man had, and continues to have on the world. I have no doubt that fans will continue to enjoy and create larger communities surrounding this franchise.

After his passing, I took a trip to a used book store here in Japan to pick up some Dragonball manga and games (adding to my already extensive collection).

Going through some of the chapters, I am gaining a new appreciation for the series. Though most of my experience with the franchise is through the anime and videogames, I occasionally flip through some of the manga. I find reading the manga gives me a chance to slow down and really take in the story and the characters. Since the anime and videogames usually had other people involved in the story and development which altered the final product in one way or another, in some ways reading the manga feels like a more direct link between Toriyama-san and the fans. The way he brought life to the characters through his simplistic yet charming style, along with his whimsical and captivating storytelling, it’s easy to see why so many manga artists drew inspiration from him.

I’m happy that there is still lots of work from Toriyama, both new and familiar to me, that I and his millions of fans can continue to enjoy.

Thank you Toriyama-san, for making the world a little brighter.