We’re still reeling from the untimely passing of Akira Toriyama, the prolific creator of Dragon Ball. Now, his last speech has been translated, and we’re awash in emotions once again.
He’s a true icon, on the level of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, so naturally, the response has been global. We’ve seen football matches and national presidents pay tribute, and demonstrations into the tens of thousands.
Before he died, Toriyama was due to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, at a ceremony due to be held the weekend of March 8. He was notified of this honour in December, giving him time to prepare a speech, which has now been released to the public. Have your tissues handy.
Akira Toriyama thanks fans in his final speech
He recalls working with Toyoo Ashida for Kosuke-sama Rikimaru-sama, an anime project they co-directed. Akira learned how to streamline his own process from Toyoo, allowing him to create Dragon Ball much more effectively. He calls it a “truly fulfilling time”, and hopes Toyoo continues to rest peacefully.
“I hope you will enjoy watching the series, which I believe is not only intense and action-packed, but also full of plenty of substance.”
But it’s the last line that really hits home. Akira knew his health was declining, and he reveals he wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be around for. “Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has supported me so far!” he writes. “I am not sure how much more I can do, as I am not very confident about my health, probably due to my lifestyle when I was younger, but I will try my best to create more interesting pieces of work, so please continue to support me!”
Fans can see his Sand Land show on Disney Plus from March 20, while we wait for a more definitive release date on Dragon Ball Daima. Meanwhile, check out our guides onhow to watch Dragon Ballandwatch Dragon Ball Zto revisit the classic shows.
Anthony McGlynn is a Senior Anime Writer on Dexerto’s UK team. An expert on animes like Demon Slayer, Solo Leveling and My Hero Academia, he also has over 10 years experience covering games and pop culture for outlets such as Variety, IGN, Den of Geek, PCGamesN, PCGamer, The Digital Fix, and many more. You can contact him at: anthony.mcglynn@dexerto.com
