"I Am Unworthy of Words": Weekly Shonen Jump Authors Honor Dragon Ball's Akira Toriyama

Shonen Jump's latest issue reveals how deeply Japan's leading manga artists are mourning the death of iconic Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama

In honor of the late Akira Toriyama, Weekly Shonen Jump's latest issue has dedicated space for several grief-stricken manga artists to say their last goodbyes.

Toriyama, who revolutionized the world of shonen anime with his iconic Dragon Ball franchise, died on March 1 after suffering an acute subdural hematoma. His death has deeply affected creators all over the world, but especially within the manga industry. Recently, a Shonen Jump news hub on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted a section from Weekly Shonen Jump 2024 Issue #17, which features heartfelt statements from Gege Akutami (Jujutsu Kaisen), Eiichiro Oda (One Piece), Yoshifumi Tozuka (Undead Unluck) and a myriad of other renowned artists throughout Japan.

Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece and Other Authors Farewell Akira Toriyama in Weekly Shonen Jump

"I am unworthy of words. May you rest in peace," Gege Akutami wrote. The brief yet poignant statement encapsulates the emotions of one of Japan's leading shonen artists, who started publishing his iconic Jujutsu Kaisen manga in March 2018. Since then, Studio MAPPA has adapted the comic into a popular anime series that has millions of fans eagerly awaiting updates on its upcoming third season. Eiichiro Oda, creator of the iconic One Piece franchise, similarly conveyed a deep respect for Toriyama's life and legacy. "Right now he's got a halo on his head and he's saying, 'sure is tough to be a mangaka,' while building models without a care in the world. I salute you," Oda wrote.

In addition to Toriyama's ability to create exciting action stories, he is also recognized for the lovable sense of humor embodied in many of his characters. "I will chase after you and your gigantic stature like Arale would. Forever," wrote Hitsuju Gondaira (Mission: Yozakura Family.) Arale, who first appeared in Toriyama's Dr. Slump manga, is an extremely powerful robot girl with a habit of recklessly charging forward, knocking innocent bystanders into the air. Arale canonically exists in the Dragon Ball universe and even went up against Vegeta in a popular gag episode of the Dragon Ball Super anime.