A few weeks after the death of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, all the WSJ mangakas have come together to pay their respects in the latest issue.
The creator of Dragon Ball, one of the most popular anime and manga franchises in the world, died at the age of 68 due to acute subdural hematoma. The news was revealed in a statement issued by Shonen Jump a week later.
Toriyama originally published Dragon Ball in 1985 and actively worked on it for over four decades. It’s worth mentioning that he was one of the most influential figures in the anime and manga industry.
Several artists and actors paid tribute to the legendary mangaka. Although it’s been a few weeks since then, the Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 17 will include other tributes from other artists.
Weekly Shonen Jump Author Comments at the passing of Akira Toriyama on March 1st, 2024.These messages are all published in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #17. pic.twitter.com/eTf4awLZ6S
— Shonen Jump News (@WSJ_manga) March 22, 2024
The post includes comments from 20 WSJ mangakas, including One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Kagurabachi, and so on.
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One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda’s statement was included in the Shonen Jump announcement. However, the latest issue features an entirely different statement. “Right now, he’s got a halo on his head, and he’s saying ‘Sure, it is tough to be a mangaka’ while building models without a care in the world. I salute you.”
Additionally, Oda also announced a three-week hiatus after Toriyama’s death. Toriyama and Oda have both admired each other’s works for decades. Oda is planning to take this time off and focus on his health.
The issue doesn’t include a comment from Kohei Horikoshi, the creator of My Hero Academia. The series is on break this week and will return in Issue 18. The mangaka will likely pay his tributes in the next issue.
Following the creator’s death, Dragon Ball Super manga is also on an indefinite hiatus after Chapter 103.