Toriyama's creativity extended well beyond manga. He also designed characters for Dragon Quest, Square Enix Holdings' immensely popular series of role-playing games.
Yuji Horii, creator of Dragon Quest, said: "I am still in disbelief at the sudden news of Toriyama-san's passing. I have known him since I was a writer for Shonen Jump and asked him to draw images for the game when we were launching Dragon Quest. Since then, for 37 years, he designed characters and monsters, and drew so many fascinating characters that I can't even begin to count."
Toriyama's Dragon Ball is one of the iconic titles that helped Japanese manga culture gain global acclaim. American singer Chris Brown posted a photo of Toriyama on his Instagram with the message, "Thank you for shaping my childhood."
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi noted Toriyama's global appeal during a news conference on Friday. "He produced a number of manga works that are loved by many people at home and abroad," Hayashi said. "He played an extremely important role in demonstrating Japan's soft power."
A 33-year-old photographer who used to be a neighbor of Toriyama in his hometown in Aichi prefecture recalled a trip to Guam with Toriyama. "He improvised a story for us in a jungle," the neighbor said. "He was such a funny and nice man."
Toriyama used to always take his dog for walks, and the photographer would often bump into him and chat. "Once I asked him why he doesn't appear on TV. He said, 'It would bring trouble to [my] family if my face is known to the public.' I think he was a family-oriented father."
SOURCE:nikkei asia
