'Dragon Ball' creator Akira Toriyama dies at 68

TOKYO (AP) — Akira Toriyama, the creator of the best-selling Dragon Ball and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, has died, his studio said Friday. He was 68.

Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga series, which started in 1984, is an international million-seller that also turned into hugely popular anime series, video games and films.

Toriyama died March 1 of a blood clot in his brain, his production office Bird Studio said in a statement.

“It's our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm,” the studio said. “He would have had many more things to achieve. However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world."