Anime has historically been a relatively divisive medium until entering the mainstream somewhat recently. However, even before the rest of the genre gained international acclaim, one series stood out from the rest. “Dragon Ball” is one of the 20th centuries most iconic franchises. On July 24, 2026 the series creator would posthumously receive an incredible honor.
Akira Toriyama is now officially a member of the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame. He is the 11th manga author to receive the illustrious honor, and many fans have been desperately waiting of their favorite creator to receive the recognition he so deserves. Toriyama’s legacy has undoubtedly influenced the world of anime in a major way, and will continue doing so for the rest of time.
Toriyama Is One of the Most Iconic ‘Mangaka’ of All Time
It is simply no stretch to say that Akira Toriyama is one of the most incredible and iconic manga creators of all time. His creation of the “Dragon Ball” series completely reshaped the anime genre and created tropes still referenced to this day. The manga and anime are some of the most remarkable series to come out of the early 90’s especially the sequel series, “Dragon Ball Z.” The sequel series built on everything that made the original great and really skyrocketed the franchise, and Toriyama, to international stardom.
GettyThe extent of Toriyama’s impact wasn’t fully realized until the author’s untimely passing in March 2024. There was an immediate outpouring of grief when Toriyama’s fate was first announced. Quickly, many of his peers created tributes in their own manga, while fans attempted to quantify what the franchise meant to them. Toriyama’s death would make international news, a true testament to his lofty career.
Many associate his success with the creation of the character, Goku. Goku is one of the most iconic and well-known anime characters of all time. Toyotarou, Toriyama’s student, is the current “Dragon Ball” mangaka and the one tasked with continuing Goku’s journey. That said, Toriyama would continue to collaborate on every franchise project until his tragic passing.
Toriyama is the 11th ‘Mangaka’ Inducted Into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame
Surprisingly, Toriyama is the 11th Mangaka to be inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame. Several of the other creators who have received the distinction are Junji Ito, Hayao Miyazaki and Katsuhiro Otomo. Each of these figures has completely reshaped the genre as a whole, and its extremely fitting Toriyama is finally among them. His inclusion is a testament to the fact that the Will Eisner Comic Awards cover far more than “typical” comics.
GettyA great deal of Toriyama’s acclaim comes from his iconic manga panels. He used his previous experience as a graphic designer to help make his characters pop off the page. The iconic mangaka combined his previous experience with his undeterred passion to create one of the most iconic franchises of all time.
All in all, it is incredibly refreshing to see Toriyama finally receive the acclaim he undoubtedly deserves. He created one of the most iconic franchises of all time, and had an undeniable impact on the genre as a whole. Toriyama’s posthumous honor is a clear testament to his international popularity and undeniable skills.
