I had a completely different post planned, but something else struck me unexpectedly this week – one of the greatest names in the Japanese manga community, Akira Torikyama, has passed away.

Even if you didn’t know his name, you probably knew his work. He was most well-known for creating the Dragon Ball series, a piece of work that helped shape modern storytelling.

I actually grew up on the lesser-known works of Toriyama, particularly Dr. Slump, which accompanied me through most of my childhood. Toriyama was an admitted “pantser” when it came to his stories, having mentioned more than once that he rarely plans more than a chapter ahead. This explains why Dragon Ball, his most famous work, is a chaotic mess in terms of consistency and backstories, but at the same time, he free-wheeling approach to character development and worldbuilding injected endless fun into his stories and always left readers coming back for more.

Toriyama passed without completing his latest Dragon Ball series. As a life-long fan, I know there are many like me who will miss his presence and hope his work can be carried on.