Akira Toriyama, world-renowned artist and manga author, passed away on March 1 due to a blood clot in his brain. 

Toriyama’s publishing company, Bird Studio, announced his passing on March 8 stating that there was a small, private service held by family and close friends. 

Toriyama first gained fame for his comedic work “Dr. Slump,” but is mostly known for the globally beloved franchise, Dragon Ball. 

Ever since 1984, Toriyama’s series has told the story of Son Goku and his friends as they protect Earth from threats ranging from galactic warlords to time-traveling robots.

Fans across the globe are mourning the loss of Toriyama, with even people from Buenos Aires coming together to participate in a spirit bomb, a technique from Dragon Ball that involves a large group of people raising their hands skyward, in order to honor the author.

Though Toriyama is gone, Dragon Ball will continue on with its current manga series, Dragon Ball Super. The series was entrusted to a close friend and coworker and a new series is scheduled for late 2024.