Thank you Akira Toriyama

---Seems like Akira-sensei training is going smoothly! ---

Even from the day I was exposed to his work for the first time, I knew it was experiencing something special.

I was entranced by it, and I still remember that feeling clearly, even without fully understanding why, just witnessing mystical tale that had never been told to me before.

Like many, I grew up experiencing the fantastic and silly adventures of his wonderful cast of characters directly from his pen and imagination and it's been something that has stayed with me since.

The funny moments, the sadness, the suspense, failures and victories, the themes of constant self-improvement and breaking the limits to face new seemly Imposible challenges, all encapsulated in a period of time very dear to me, full of wonderful memories of people and friends that I might never meet again.

While at the time I didn't know that I was going to pursue an artistic path, I can't deny the influence of his work in my own, and probably it being at the forefront of my future love for Japanese media.

I don't think you need me to say that we will never be able to measure the legacy Akira Toriyama left behind. The reach his work had is unprecedent in the modern age. It'll be near impossible to replicate or witness something similar during our lifetime, and it will probably be felt for years to come.

I also like to think that everyone that got inspired by his work are now a small part of that legacy, and I hope we can make him proud by chasing our dreams and living our own fantastical adventure.

Gracias Akira Sensei, until we meet again.


AKIRA TORIYAMA (1955-2024)