Akira Toriyama: Fans reflect on Dragon Ball creator's legacy

The dramatic storylines and distinctive character designs of Akira Toriyama made Dragon Ball a worldwide hit

The death of the man behind one of the best-selling and most influential Japanese comics of all time has sparked a global outpouring of grief.

Akira Toriyama, who was 68, was best known for Dragon Ball, the hit manga that spawned an anime series and a movie spin-off.

But the influence of his distinctive character designs and storytelling techniques go beyond the pages and frames of his best-known work.

He worked on classic video games such as Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, and other artists, writers and musicians have been inspired by him.

And for some fans who grew up with Toriyama's work, his impact has been life-changing.

"I can tell you categorically, I wouldn't be the man I am today if not for Dragon Ball Z," says rapper Shao Dow.

Shao Dow decided to live in China and train in Kung-Fu after watching Dragon Ball Z

Speaking to BBC Newsbeat from the Japan Expo in France, where he's currently performing, Shao says watching the story of Son Goku unfold on TV as a child was like nothing he'd seen before.

"The closest that we ever got was maybe Turtles or Transformers or ThunderCats," he says.

"For a boy, a teenage boy that would have spoken to me on such a different level, to the point that I ended up going to China to learn Kung-Fu."

Shao says watching Goku's journey from wannabe martial arts master to a full-blown hero inspired him and it was the character's trademark special move - a mystical energy attack - that propelled him to travel thousands of miles.

"I just wanted to learn how to do a Kamehameha from the show," says Shao.

"So I thought the quickest way to do that would be to learn Kung-Fu. I decided I wanted to go and live in China and train in Kung-Fu and, whilst there, I began writing lyrics and that's how I became a rapper."

Dragon Ball has been translated into dozens of different languages and Nick Layland, assistant manager at Worlds Apart comic shop in Birmingham, tells Newsbeat the recognition for Toriyama is worldwide.

"You can ask people in mainland Europe, the UK, the US and outside of East Asia. It's just it's known everywhere, just because it's such an iconic series," he says.

"What Toriyama created was just so openly accessible to so many different ages and different people."

"Thank you to Toriyama for brightening my childhood," says Nick Layland

Nick said he found out about Toriyama's death from a friend in Japan.

"I was literally sat in bed and I just didn't move," he says.

"I just really took the wind out of my sails. I was absolutely devastated. I don't know exactly how to describe it, really. I just lay in bed and just didn't really want to move.

"I don't think you can overstate the massive inspiration that he's been to anyone creative now."

Tributes to Toriyama have poured in from colleagues and admirers around the world, including Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii, Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and Tekken director Katsuhiro Hirada.

There were also tributes from outside the animation and games industries, including football club AC Milan and AEW wrestler Rush.

• How Dragon Ball caused a diplomatic spat

• Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama dies at 68

• One Piece: Is Hollywood finally doing anime right?

And at the anime convention Shao is attending, he says the news has hit hard among fellow fans.

"Akira Toriyama will be missed, he is a generational talent and he's inspired so many and so much and it's just a shame," he says.

"Both online and in person, the outpouring of love and stories of inspiration just goes to show how much this creator and how much this man has done through his storytelling and through his artistry.

"So many people have said that their lives have changed forever because of the shows that he's created. So it's very understandably a very sad day."

Akira Toriyama in a photo taken in 1984

And comic shop manager Nick paid his own tribute to the man who's left a mark on millions around the world.

"I think really the biggest thing that I'd ever want to say is just thank you," he says.

"Thank you to Toriyama for brightening my childhood when I first discovered Dragon Ball.

"All the way up to now where I've had a bit of a rubbish day, I can sit down, pick up one of his books and just dive into his world.

"Everything that he's done is just really quite wonderful."

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.