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AKIRA TORIYAMA

1955-

Country of Origin: Japan

Training: Self-taught

Notable Works: Dr. Slump (1980), Dragonball (1984), Dragon Quest (1986), Chrono Trigger (1995)

Akira Toriyama is one Japan’s most beloved manga creators. After stints in advertising and motorcycle repair, he entered the serialized manga scene with his first story about a super-strong girl robot in Dr. Slump. However, it wouldn’t be until 1984 when his most world-renown creation, Dragonball, would scream onto the stage to instant popularity. The massive series ran for 11 years and became one of the world’s most popular manga and anime series of all time. He would also find acclaim designing characters for video games, most notably RPGs Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger.