A year ago, the legendary mangaka Akira Toriyama passed away, leaving a huge void in the manga industry. The Dragon Ball creator has touched lives through his story and has revolutionized the shonen genre. But he is rather discreet about his personal life, especially his family.
And why should he not? Considering the public eye and media, the secrecy makes sense. However, it only means that the personal realm is rather less explored. And while that is the case, there are interesting stories behind it as well that tie up to his $27 billion franchise.
Akira Toriyama’s discreet family life
It is widely known that public appearances as well as interviews aren’t Akira Toriyama’s best suit. To come across an interview or an interaction itself is a rarity. However, with what we know, he has opened up about his background and penchant for creating manga.
Right from the get-go, Toriyama sensei was an avid manga reader and writer. He often cited Osamu Tezuka’s works as his favorite. He even quit his job at the age of 23 to pursue his passion for manga and would often ask his mother for money. This was revealed in his 1983 interview with Tetsuko Kuroyanagi.
Interestingly, he was raised in a middle-class family. Not much is known about her mother, but her father ran an automobile shop, which ties in well with the mangaka’s love for cars. His need to break the monotony made him quit his ad agency job and start writing manga, where he met his wife.
His wife Yoshimi Kato is a commendable woman who not only stood up for him in hard times but also supported him and the kids. She is a true force indeed, especially in terms of her input and vision as a mangaka. Yes, Kato san has had a longer career than her husband.
This was revealed by Toriyama in the interview. She penned mangas under the pseudonym Nachi Mikami, but that is not all. She inspired the legendary Kamehameha technique as well. They have a son, Sasuke, and a daughter, Kikka. However, he gained a worldwide “family” through his beloved manga.
Dragon Ball is more than a $27 billion franchise
At this point, Dragon Ball is more than its net worth. Yes, its popularity is undisputed, but the impact it has had on Shonen reshaped the demographic altogether. The series tugs on the readers and viewers’ heartstrings through the plot and characters.
Rivalry, camaraderie, and fights are some of the common tropes in shonen. But the story reveals resilience and determination. We see bits and parts of the mangaka’s struggles reflected in the characters. Overnight success isn’t the case with this franchise, especially with the number of rejections.
Currently, the franchise has a net worth of $27 billion, but its beginning was rather rocky. A series of setbacks and failures, including rejections, made the mangaka even more determined to conquer it. To conquer fears and evolve is something innate within the plot, but Toriyama practiced what he preached.
To this date, he has influenced the Shonen genre as well as millions of upcoming artists. His story is a tale of sweat and tears and a testimony of hard work and gradual success. The franchise is the highest grossing, but more than that, it is revolutionary, and we salute Toriyama sensei for it.
Dragon Ball series is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The manga is available for reading on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app.
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