How Akira Toriyama Changed The World 

First Berserk, then YuGiOh, now Dragon Ball. RIP to the men that made these great things possible

Man, you really cannot understate how important dragon ball is for latin america. It got tongue point where it wasn't even a show anymore, it was a part of culture like our food or our clothing

“When does a man die? When he is hit by a bullet? No! When he suffers a disease? No! When he ate a soup made out of a poisonous mushroom? No! A man dies when he is forgotten!” ― Eiichiro Oda

Goku really is a universal language at this point. Had a guy come into work who barely speaks English but 100% understood me when I complimented him on his SSJ3 Goku shirt. The fact two random people from two different walks of life from literally two different countries can be like "Fuck yeah, Goku!" is astounding.

He was eulogized by the Chinese government. That's an insane amount of respect when you consider how fragile relations are between China and Japan. It's like Vegeta publicly praising Goku for his accomplishments.

"Work hard, study well and eat and sleep plenty. That's the Turtle Hermit way to learn." The Turtle Hermit Way RIP Toriyama-sensei and thank you for that mantra that shaped my 35 years on this planet.

Akira Toriyama is the GOAT.

13:20 "so that's where Sonic got it from" thank you for opening my eyes to this, I somehow never noticed

There's a joke I like to tell my foreign friends: the two biggest religions in México, are catholicism and Dragon Ball. But honestly it's barely a joke with how ubiquitous Dragon Ball is in latin american culture. Dragon Ball was far from my introduction to anime as a child, contrary to most of my peers, but it's the one that stuck with me the longest as an adult and I will probably remember it for the rest of my life.

That few seconds of the ending of the og dragonball just unlocked a core memory

There's this quote in One Piece that goes something like "A man dies when he's forgotten." Akira Toriyama is going to live forever.

"Okay, I'm a big boy, I'm emotionally stable enough to watch this" *hits play* "I was wrong. I need tissues."

Like a wise friend said to me in the university: "first DRAGON BALL then studying" RIP the truly GOAT

I'm from the country Chile in South America. I spent my summer working at a small stand selling and promoting a health insurance for a hospital on schools. A day after after the news hit, I was there waiting for the hour in which parents go pick up their kids as class is over. Wanting to kill time and perhaps as my own little weird way of sorting out my feelings over the whole thing, I picked up a notebook with empty pages I have and started to sketch a headshot of Goku. I'm not the greatest artist, some may say I'm pretty much an amateur (including myself) but still, just felt compelled to draw him, softly chuckling to myself about how despite Toriyama's influence having been such a part of my life yet I never attempted to draw goku before. Suddenly the bell rings and the kids start to come out of the classrooms as the entrance gates of the school (where my stand was located) opened and parents started arriving, waiting for their kids. As this happened I left the notebook open while picking up the necessary papers I needed for my work, but as the first client walked towards me, a grown man around his late 30s early 40s maybe, to renew his insurance subscription his eyes drifted towards my finished sketch and said. "Hey! Is that Goku?" I answered yes, it was. He chuckled to himself and gave me a nice prise for my drawing, and then said "I'm really sad about what happened to Mr. Toriyama. The man was a legend." I agreed and then proceeded to get back to the business at hand with him. With the sale done, another parent, perhaps older, approached with his kids, also noticing the sketch and commenting how he and his kids were so sad about Toriyama's passing, but also happy that he could still share Dragon ball with his kids. Then another and another, parents of all kinds would comment on it when arriving at my stands. Some kids too mentioned how they watched Dragon ball and Dragon Ball Z because their parents showed them, or cause they saw it on some rerun on a chilean tv station, or that they saw the guy in Fortnite and then checked the show and became big fans. Evesdropping a bit noticed how I somehow had accidentally create a topic of discussion about nearby parents, talking about their experiences with the franchise, as well as the kid and that's how it hit me so hard: So many people, of all kinds of ages, no matter if anime fans or even folks that grew out of animation entirely, still had fond memories of watching Dragon Ball and it being somehow they could pass down to the younger generation. It was a rather strange experience, which can also be thought to be fake, but it was incredible. Over here, Dragon ball is that powerful, and I'd believe it's just as much worldwide. Toriyama created something absolutely magical.

That line towards the end about not being ready for Toriyama to leave us.... It hits different for me as someone who at 21 has had to confront the mortality of my own dad. He hasn't departed like Toriyama Sensei has yet thankfully, its just really affecting to see that sentiment worded so perfectly at just the right time

I'm from the US. My cousins are from Uzbekistan, Serbia, and Belize. The one anime we all loved and could all bond over as kids, back before we got good at each other's languages, was DBZ. It was the first anime I watched with my mom back before Geoff's channel got her into anime. I can't even begin to guess how many of my fondest childhood memories are owed directly to this man. In my mom's culture, when someone dies, you don't say 'RIP', you say, 'may their memory be a blessing'. And I think his is. We are blessed to have been able to see his art and enjoy his work. And that blessing will keep on going, even though he's no longer with us.

As a Latin American, NEVER underestimate how much we love Dragon Ball (there are videos explaining why)

I've said this before, but it's not an exaggeration to describe Akira Toriyama as a Tolkien-level influencer on the world of popular culture. Very much so, Toriyama can be said to have had a comparable influence on the anime and manga industry to Tolkien's level of influence on western fantasy media. This shy little Japanese nerd, with endless love for art and storytelling, permanently, and broadly, changed the world of commercial artistry forever. When you consider the multi-billion-dollar international success of anime and manga, and the utterly ubiquitous presence of international, anime-inspired media cropping up in so many countries around the world, a significant portion of that global, cultural tsunami can be attributed to Akira Toriyama. One shy little man, who wasn't afraid to draw something a little different from what his friends and peers were drawing at the time. Most would be laughed off the stage for ever daring to reach for the heights he soared to, in terms of popularity and influence. And he did it almost by accident.

Toriyama's death is the first time a celebrity died where i have to fight back tears whenever i see his work or see him mentioned. I grew up on the other side of the planet and vaguely knkw what he looks like based one one picture. I hope the rest of the world appreciates him as much he deserves to be appreciated

I will never forget of that clip of the DBS final episode broadcast and the bunch of fans cheering "FREEZER! FREEZER! FREEZER!". it was glorious.

Honestly the affect Toriyama's work had on my life is hard to explain. Ever since I read it, Dragon Ball has been my favorite manga, and Dragon Quest is one of my favorite game series ever. His work had amazing energy and childlike creativity to it, but done so professionally and thoughtfully. Truly a generational talent. You'll be missed Mr. Toriyama.

Toriyama is the perfect example of how artists have more influence over humanity and culture than any king could hope to

I never realized until now how much Akira Toriyama loved giving his characters a hat with one word on the front.

I knew Toriyama was a legend, but I learned through this video that I only had a surface level understanding of how much of a legend he was. Rest in peace Toriyama. May your legacy never be forgotten.

I’ve never been the biggest Dragon Ball fan but I can’t deny his impact. If Osamu Tezuka essentially invented Shounen manga with Astro Boy then Akira Toriyama reinvented it with Dragon Ball, a gag manga about a monkey boy and his friends looking for wishing balls inspired by Journey to the West. Toriyama’s death has the impact of Stan Lee or Jack Kirby’s death. R.I.P. to a literal legend. May King Yemma let you into Heaven with no issues.

Akira Toriyama was a once in a lifetime talent. He’ll be sorely missed.

8:33 Toriyama was a master because that simple gag of Goku cutting a sword in half with a stick is just pure visual comedy and storytelling. No words necessary.

Toriyama is a name where only a very, VERY few can be said in the same breath with others. We're talking the likes of Tezuka, Nagai, Tomino, and Miyazaki. Men who practically created entire genres on their own. He's well earned his position alongside the greatest grandfathers of anime and manga, and has been there for MANY years.

It's not an exaggeratintg to say how the majority of the media we see today; whether they be manga books, comics games and even western shows wouldn't be the same if Toriyama didn't exist. He popularized the comedic way artists draw poop for God's sakes, thank god Geoff you mentioned that by the way. He really did influence a lot of modern pop culture, a true Pioneer of his time Hell I'll go so far as to say, his paneling still holds up as one of the best in the entire medium, not just manga and comics, but _art_ itself. The way his art speaks out to you and guides your eye almost across his panels and composition is truly one of a kind. That man changed all of us one way after another, and we should be eternally grateful for it

I was talking with my Mom recently about Toriyama's legacy, and though I agree that DBZ is important for the history of video games and anime, really his biggest influence was the Royal Road story archetype at the heart of DBZ. This is obviously something that is ancient in the East, but it wasn't really known or used in the West until DBZ broke through and made it popular. Before that the major Western archetype was the Hero's Journey. But now you can find royal road stories everywhere in English-language fiction.

At moments like these that I'm glad I was born in Latin America, we didn't even have censorship. Here in Brazil, the dubs are so iconic, the localized songs slap so hard that you can only sing a small part that you are sure to find someone who can sing the rest alongside you Dragon Ball is so popular in Latin America in a way that people from the outside don't understand, it has influenced so many things. Akira Toriyama was truly a genius, and I'm glad that I was able to grow up and learn from his work.

It's as I told my friends. Calling DBZ and Toriyama influential, is an understatement. Bro literally fucking changed the entire world forever. May Toriyama rest well, fly high, and let his influence reign on forever.

Just like Broly, Akira Toriyama's impact on anime will always be seen as Legendary.

This video fully made me cry. As an aspiring fighting game developer, I hadn’t processed the degree to which Toriyama’s work paved the way for the thing that literally gets me out of bed in the morning, and that’s like not a debt I can ever repay to him

The fact that Toriyama had already reached GOAT status before DragonBall says a lot.

This man was and will always be a legend. I am a South African, and he shaped my childhood with Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. I STILL watch it at the age of 27! He reached every part of the world, and I have never met anyone who doesn't know what Dragon Ball is. RIP Akira, and thank you.

Your comments on Toriyama's graphic design influence reminded me of a comment by Art Spiegelman, creator of Maus: "Comics isn't words and pictures; it's poetry and design"

Toriyama will never leave our memories, and his influence will never leave our media. Dragon Ball has shaped my life for the better, as it has for countless others. Dragon Ball was and will continue to be an inspiration for many. Toriyama will forever be unforgettable in our hearts and minds, as will the gifts he gave to us. I could go on and on, but I've said enough to get my point across. Rest in Peace to the one and only Father of Shonen, Akira Toriyama.

As much of a legend he was in the shonen and video game industry- it takes his death to realize just how influential he was in society and media as a whole.

I hadn't considered the trope of "magical boy manga" before, but it just instantly clicked as you listed those examples

RIP to the GOAT

I'm from Chile and I can say all over Latin America, we cried Toriyama's passing, here DB is HUGE and we had it in order and also Dr. Slump

I loved how the save file for the PS2 games was an actual capsule 💊 at least it was for whichever version I played

and then in between Toriyama's passing and me watching this video, my favorite japanese artist, Mutsumi Inomaata, also died at 63, driving home the whole point about overwork and artists in a "oh i had to stop the video there to cry" sort of way.

Arguably the greatest mangaka to ever live. There have been a lot of great ones before & after him, but no one transcended international borders & cultures like he did with Dragon Ball & Dragon Quest. Even a ton of Western works - in both animation, film, TV, gaming, etc - wouldn't exist without his inspiration.

Stan Lee: "Akira Toriyama." Akira: "Stan Lee." Stan Lee 🤝 Akira Toriyama Rest in Peace Creators of Legends. Thank you for spending your life on creating characters for us to enjoy. Your works are incredible and impact a lot of people.

I'm from Chile but due to my parent's work we've had to move A LOT across the region, so I've lived in Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia... and there was always a constant in every single one of those countries, Dragon Ball, something I could always talk about with classmates and helped me make friends no matter which country we were Rest in peace Toriyama, legend among legends

Geoff, you're such a talented essayist, this isn't the first time you've moved me to tears, and I'm sure it won't be the last. A lovely tribute to a legend. 🧡

Here in México, Dragon Ball has always been an icon, something everyone has heard about, watched, and even cried to. Even before I was born, it was already one of the most important shows in Mexican pop culture, dare I say even general culture. Maybe he didn't get to know this, or perhaps he did! I don't really know. But my God, he gave us hope, joy, anger and passion with every arc and storyline Goku had to go through. He'll always be a legend for us, and his legacy will be kept deeply intertwined with our culture. May your soul find eternal rest, Toriyama.

It has been about 2 weeks now since we all found out about his death, and initially I felt a wave of sadness hit me all at once. I’m not ashamed to say I teared up and cried a little, sitting at my desk at work. Because like so many others have said, this man defined my childhood and his work brought an unquantifiable amount of happiness to me. And with that, each time an Anituber I watch makes a tribute to Akira Toriyama. I have that same wave of sadness envelope me, as I hear their stories of what he meant to them and it makes me cry all over again. It is insane that a person whom I have never met or knew personally could make me feel the almost the same emotions as someone I knew passing away. And what is crazier than that is, I am not alone im with these feelings. Millions and millions of people are feeling the same way. The world has really lost someone important.

“I’m quite not ready to say goodbye yet…” we are all like this still…

Within just the first two minutes I could already feel myself starting to tear up from this video. I'm glad I held off until the end and was able to focus on the *incredible* life he led instead, I learned so much from this video and it's such a beautiful, loving tribute. The world has suffered a painful loss, but that's nothing compared to the things it has *gained* from having Toriyama in it. He will be missed, but it's safe to say he will never be forgotten. ❤

His work is like a tree, constantly growing and expanding into the world above and below. As it does so, it will come to create seeds that other creators shall use to make their own works. Then, if we’re lucky, a hundred years after the debut of Dragon Ball, and entire forest of works will have sprung up around this original tree. Seriously, without Toriyama, our world wouldn’t be recognizable

I never knew Toriyama changed the way we draw poop. Thanks for that tidbit, Geoff.

Part of what made Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z huge in Latinamerica is that we didn't have big executives thinking "kids here won't understand", the localization team in Brazil and Mexico made a great job dubbing the dialogues and songs respecting the original but modifying jokes when necessary. Also most TV networks didn't have their own "cartoons" so it was cheap to buy japanese anime and just play it before news (cheap and depressing) or big soap operas (cheap and dumb). So for many of us growing up here, Dragon Ball was the only tv show that was a glimpse of hope and art.

I remember living in a small town in Mexico and hanging out with my neighbor who was a few years older than me and would have Dragon Ball merch. He was the one who got me into DBZ because he had figurines that looked so cool. I was already into cartoons, but until I got my own TV, my mom and I would be fighting on who would get to use the TV since she wanted to watch her telenovelas and I was trying to watch DBZ and Ranma 1/2. Thankfully they always had reruns, so I probably saw the Namek arc like 6 times. Goku's Super Saiyan transformation still gets to me no matter how old I get

Dragon ball z is literally the first anime I ever watched, seeing such a legend go seriously hurts but his work will forever be remembered

I'm at work and I'm crying. Thank you for this. Dragon Ball was one of, if not the most, influential story of my childhood and teenage years. Being able to grow up with his stories, especially with my best friend who died a year ago, was one of the best joys of my life and one of the few happy memories I have is coming home from school and watching it on my uncle's old fan subbed vhs tapes. I will never forget what his work means to me.

I still can't get over how insane it was that the US started so many folks off with Z. That was like starting folks off with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, and then releasing all the preceding movies a couple of years later just to give everyone the backstory. It says something about the inherent strengths of Toriyama's storytelling that Dragon Ball Z could do exactly that and still become a classic. Salute to the certified champion.

23:58 No, I was expecting "Cha La Head Cha La," but your words still stand, funny anime man.

As a 90's kid who was introduced to manga and anime through Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama's unexpected death shook me more than I could've ever imagined. Today I went to a festival in a small town on the small european country I live in. The whole day was dedicated to japanese culture (mostly manga and anime, but also cosplay, folklore, music and so much more). As I processed that probably none of this would have ever been possible without Toriyama-sensei I looked at the tattoo stand they put together for small premade symbolical pieces of the genre. The artist was kind enough to make me a custom piece of Toriyama's signature avatar (edit: the exact same one as 5:33) with a halo, as tribute. It will forever be in my calf, holding the iconic 4 star ball (which also reminds me of my late grandmother, in whose house I started watching DB after school). He truly brought people and cultures together through his amazing work. May he rest in peace.

My first experience with Dragonball Z all those years ago on YTV was the exact same world-changing boot to the head that you described. I had never seen anything like it, and didn't know that anything COULD be that amazing, and it made a permanent impact upon my life. Akira Toriyama's works are just *like that* , that's just what they *do* to people. What an amazing creator he was.

Omg that old Canadian version of the Dragonball theme took me back...🥲 The Dragonball Z one too. Sailor Moon and Dragonball Z were my first introductions into anime growing up and it was a great start. Big influences on my tastes over the years and my love for manga as well. R.I.P Akira Toriyama 🫡😭 a true legend

Thank you for making this. It's been showing up in my feed for at least a week now and I kept ignoring it because I figured it'd just talk about Dragon Ball, but I think you actually understand what this man did, globally, nationally, and personally. I've never grieved a celebrity death like I have for Toriyama, and I'm glad to see someone with such a large following express what he accomplished.

A legend like this didnt deserve to be taken away this soon.

Toriyama. Thank you for everything. May we see you again in other world

The impact he’s made on fitness too was wild. Got me in the gym for sure.

One thing I still remember about reading the manga was how fast I ran through it. I still remember all the beats but it’s so easy to binge read

He práctically shaped the world as we know it! What a legend❤❤❤❤❤

I really didn't have any aspirable characters in my life growing up and I don't think I would have figured out what being a man meant to me without dragon ball I'll never be able to thank Akira Toriyama enough I haven't even cried in literal years and he really left me with one last gift

It’s been like a week since Toriyama’s passing but it still doesn’t feel real that he’s actually gone from this world. Even if you never watched a single episode of Dragon Ball, his influence is everywhere in pop media anymore. I mean, just weeks before his passing, I bought Reese Puffs specifically bc Goku was on the damn box! (Well that and it was on sale but like, I tend to prefer generic with that cereal.) Trunks was one of my earliest anime crushes too, and his introduction is still hands down one of my favorites of all time. I just. I don’t really know how else to handle this other than continuing to love his work, admire his impact, and look forward to the last works he had a hand in as well as any future reverberations from his influence.

I knew this video would be coming. I thought I was emotionally prepared for it. I was not. Thank you sir for your contribution to this emotional conversation.

Dragon Ball Z is one of those shows that I can't recommend to new anime fans, its grievously long and features almost parody level of shout based fighting. but its so close to my heart. The Gohan highschool arc is a permanent happy watch, and whenever the world is cold I will watch episodes 200-208 just to feel good. Mr Toriyama you will be missed.

We only just lost Kazuki Takahashi back in '22. It's too soon to also lost Toriyama-sensei. We're slowly losing all of the people who had an enormous hand in shaping our childhoods, our passions and even our adulthood. Toriyama hit particularly hard as DB has been a constant since I first saw it on Toonami and went onto binge OG DB and the entirety of DBZ during my early high school years. Thanks for everything Toriyama-sensei. Rest easy, you've done more than enough to deserve some peace.

Damn it Jeff. His passing hadn't really hit me until I watched this video. I am legit crying right now. Thank you for this video & I hope that everyone is holding in there. We'll need all of you in the days to come to get through it all this ❤

The greatest manga author, the greatest anime. I'm not who I am today without Akira Toryiama. One Piece is my favorite anime, but it doesn't exist without Dragon Ball's influence. I'm not an author without Akira Toriyama. We, as an anime fanbase, don't love anime the way we do today without his influence in the genre, along with gaming, pop culture, multimedia, and so many other areas. RIP, Toryiama-sensei, you will dearly be missed by so many. I pray that your family is at peace.

I've heard it said that a man isn't dead while his name is still spoken. With the influence he has had on the world, Toriyama may be, in at least one way, immortal.

Had to stop and come back later cause i was listening while driving and went "im disrespecting this by only listening"

I was legitimately in denial until I watched this video. I know I'm absolutely not alone in saying this, but Akira Toriyama is THE reason I love anime. I know this probably sounds weird, but thank you, Jeff. You just made me cry my eyes out. You just helped me accept it.

I could never feel more grateful for a man who taught that even at my lowest point, I should never give up and keep pushing forward. That's what Dragon Ball Z and Gohan's journey really taught me when looking back onto it. I never truly realized how much of an impact DBZ had on me until I played Dokkan Battle and watched DBZA in its entirety. Those made me go back to watch Dragon Ball Kai, the version of DBZ I grew up on. Thank you Akira Toriyama for giving me the willpower to keep pushing me forward no matter what. RIP ❤

It’s not a stretch to say the world as we know it wouldn’t be the same if Toriyama didn’t exist. His work and influence can’t be described as anything short of legendary and I can only express thanks and gratitude to have been able to experience what he shared with the world. May he rest in peace.

Celebrity deaths don’t really hit me. And I’ll be honest I didn’t expect this one to either. It was only after I sat down and processed it while seeing RU-vid recommending me classic moments from DBZ that I realised just how much of an impact on my life and the world he had. Hell there is even a reference to his work IN MY OWN CONTENT. Then the tears started. RIP Toriyama-sama. Great video.

Akira is a modern day Tolkien. His work will go on to inspire millions more than he already has.

I always respect the amount of research you put into these videos. This is a perfect celebration of Toriyama's career.

Been waiting for this. RIP.

The Latin America OP of Dragonball has lived rent-free in my mind since i was 5/6. I can barely remember the lyrics besides the start but the beat. "Vamos a buscar, las esferas del dragon." Pretty sure it is probably the original Japanese OP but translated to Spanish, as that is the one thing that has always been consistent with the spanish dubs of Latin America back in the day. Nothing was ever changed, only translated.

I just got done playing Tenkaichi 2 with my nephew. While for many others in my family this was Easter & my niece & uncles birthday. For my nephew & I, this was the last day of the month Toriyama died. Tenkaichi 2 is what got my nephew into dragon ball & ever since then its been our favorite anime for a very long time. Thank you, Toriyama, may this be a worthy tribute. Thank you for changing my life...for good...

No, *you're* crying! Excellent video Geoff. I too grew up with DBZ on Toonami, then it fell out of favor with me between 2003 and 2017 due to a stupid and misguided attempt to "let childish things die". I got back in just in time to see DBS Broly in the theater with a bunch of like-minded individuals, and it was awesome. Toriyama is one of the best there's ever been, easily.

Thank you for putting this out. Thank you for taking the time to do it so well. Rest in peace Akira Toriyama , thank you, thank you, thank you.

We cant even fathom how much of a genius legend akira is.

Even if he didn't change the world (he did), he definitely changed mine. Hell, he MADE mine.

Akira Toriyama has brought together many different people of many different backgrounds. Best of wishes to his family, thank you for all the memories Toriyama, rest in peace.

Can't wait for Daima this Fall

Watching because I love Toriyamas work, commenting because I want your hoodie.

The Canadian theme song lives rent free in my head, so many memories watching this on YTV growing up

When my drawing teacher heard of Toriyama’s passing he brought in some of his books of Toriyama’s artwork and the drawing tools he used when he drew his characters and explained a bit of Toriyama’s drawing methods. My teacher said he was one of the reasons he got into comic and animation drawing. Toriyama’s influence is that great and his death will be felt by millions if not billions of people.

17:04 I know the man was influential, and a massive influence to everyone including me... but holy shit WHAT?

There's a reason they called him the Great Teacher. Thank you for everything, and rest well, Toriyama-sensei.

A source of inspiration and motivation for many.......

What a fantastic and heartfelt video, Geoff. RIP Akira Toriyama.