without mincing words, toriyama was perhaps one of the most visionary creators out there, defining the look and feel of japanese media. dragonball inspired many people all over the world to read manga, watch anime, and learn how to animate. dragon quest is the essence of all jrpgs. japanese media wouldn't be big without his works.
so many people i follow, mainstream and subculture, are indebted to toriyama. he is a legendary creator who shouldn't have died this young. rest in peace to this legend.
One of the reasons I talk the way I do about manga on here is that while it seems like an easy job, the pressure of near-constant deadlines and relatively low pay, especially for authors just starting out, makes it nearly impossible to have a sustainable career in it while prioritizing good health. Anyone I've ever heard talk about the industry has been very open about how grueling it is.
Toriyama's work of course spanned multiple genres and industries, and his career will probably be spoken of among future generations the way we might talk about Tezuka in terms of how influential he was, but even 68 feels far too soon, especially for an author of his stature.