Since the passing of Akira Toriyama this past March, his loyal fans have been wondering if there were ever plans to create an art museum in his memory. A spark of hope began when they shared that Toriyama‘s publisher, Shueisha, and the Aichi Prefecture should collaborate to set the project blueprint.
The Aichi Prefectural Government’s Arts and Culture division later responded, “We had no such plans.” Soon, their governor, Hideaki Ōmura supported Akira Toriyama’s fans in a press conference on June 3rd and stated, “We [Omura and Fanbase] want to see such a facility built here.”
Akira Toriyama Lived in Aichi
The reason why fans suggested the Aichi Prefecture is because it’s Akira Toriyama’s birthplace. Toriyama was born and raised in Kiyosu City, Aichi on April 5th, 1955. Before passing, he created a new logo for his hometown for Kiyosu’s history to unify Japan with the Warring States on Jan 25th, 2024.
Toriyama also studied in Kiyosu at the Aichi Prefectural Taichi Ōkoshi Technical School. He took the Design course, beginning his mangaka journey. Because of his signature art style, Kiyosu and the entirety of the Aichi Prefecture became recognized for its diverse arts and culture.
Aichi’s Hideaki Ōmura Steps In
Aichi Prefecture Hideaki Ōmura understood long-time Toriyama fans’ wish for a museum to display and commemorate his works. Akira Toriyama has defined Japan’s mangaka and anime culture since the 1980s with the debut of DragonBall starring the young powerful boy, Son Goku, and Dr. Slump featuring a hyperactive robot girl, Arale.
Deep down, Ōmura is a hardcore anime fan. During special events that involve arts and culture, he will cosplay as a character. Here’s Omura (pink shirt) attending the 2016 World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya.
Hearing the Aichi Prefecture had no plan to build something for Toriyma left his heart sinking. He announced on June 3rd that he would be making arrangements with Shueisha to contribute his works to the museum.
Toriyama’s Name Lives On
After Toriyama’s passing, the Dragon Ball Super manga and anime went on hiatus for the team to spend time mourning and process that Japan lost an incredible artist. Others who worked alongside Toriyama also shared their grief.
Dragon’s Quest creator, Yuji Hori felt lost as he and Toriyama side-by-side during the development of Chrono Trigger and the Dragon’s Quest series. It was also not the first loss of a team member as Hori previously suffered from the late Dragon’s Quest composer, Koichi Sugiyama, three years prior:
“In over 37 years, I’ve known Toriyama-san, he has drawn characters and monster designs for fascinating characters. The history of Dragon’s Quest is tied to Toriyama-san’s designs.
Him and the late Sugiyama-sensei were two long-time friends that worked on Dragon’s Quest. I can’t believe he’s gone.”
One Piece’s Eiichiri Oda went on a hiatus of his own after hearing about the sudden loss of Shonen Jump’s greatest. Here’s what he said in a public statement:
“I had admired him so much since I was a child, so I remember the day he called me by my first name for the first time. On my way home from the you used the word “friend” for me and Kishimoto, I remembered being overjoyed with Kishimoto. I also remember the last conversation we had.
I was one of those who took the baton from the days of reading manga made you a fool, and he also created an era when adults and children could enjoy reading manga. He showed us the dream that manga could go worldwide. It was like watching a hero going forward.
For the manga artist of our generation who stood on the same stage, Toriyama’s works became more and more important to me as I got closer to the same stage. I even felt being scary. But I am happy to see the aloof man himself again. Because we love him on a blood level.”
Now, this past May, Dragon Ball Super’s illustrator, Toyotarou is continuing the series with the upcoming Beast Gohan arc. Toriyama’s final original project he worked on was Sand Land, a game based on his original 2000s manga series about Prince Beezlebub searching for the Legendary Spring in the Endless Desert.
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