As it could not be otherwise, the departure of Toriyama-sensei has left a deep mark, more than in our hearts, in the world itself. Surely, he could never have imagined it in life, but after the sad news spread on February 8, about his passing a week earlier, a chain reaction has begun, reaching the most remote corners of the world.
The international influence of Akira Toriyama‘s art is well known, both in life and posthumously. In my previous article on the subject, I mentioned the great influence he had, not only in the field of manga and anime art but across borders, creating a universe of wonders that accompanied several generations from many countries during their childhood and adolescence, and even in many cases (like mine), a large part of their adult life.
(Tribute by the ‘Sur Oscura‘ of Quito, in Ecuador)
As proof of this, we can mention different events that have taken place these days, in different parts of the world, such as Mexico, where hundreds of fans gathered in the Zócalo of Mexico City, during the afternoon of Saturday 9, to pay tribute to the beloved mangaka. In other countries, such as Spain, tributes have been made during important encounters, like Valladolid Vs. Zaragoza, from the Second Division, among many other tributes also worthy of mention.
One of the countries where this sense of appreciation for Toriyama-sensei has been most noticeable is Argentina. As we mentioned earlier, the Latin American country was no exception regarding tributes during sporting events: at the Libertadores de América Stadium in Avellaneda, during the match between River Plate and Independiente, which ended 1 to 1, or América Vs. Tigres, in which the well-known intro theme of Dragon Ball Z “Chala-Head-Chala” was played before the matches.
Perhaps the greatest tribute took place at the Obelisco in Buenos Aires City, where this Sunday (just a few hours ago) more than 30,000 people gathered to perform a massive GENKIDAMA in honor of Master Akira Toriyama. As we all remember, the Genkidama is a technique that has been used by Goku at different moments of the Dragon Ball saga, for which he asked, begged for help from all living beings, to send him their energy, and to increase the power of this technique, which aimed to defeat a powerful evil, and protect the life of all.
(Click on the imagen above to watch the video on X)
Amid literally thousands of hands raised to the sky, hundreds of people dressed as the charismatic characters of the Dragon Ball universe could be appreciated, among others carrying the well-known Dragon Balls, proudly carrying them, added to plush toys, banners, and posters, and hundreds and hundreds of references… Many personalities, both artistic and political were present in the midst of the crowd, and as expected, the event was covered by the news media, and now there is a lot of information, videos, and photos about the topic on the internet.
Without a doubt, something worthy of being seen, and witnessed. A couple of days ago I spoke from my own perspective, but much of what I said is applicable to a large part of the world:
“I can’t think of a recognition that could be up to the task, to express how grateful we all are for your gigantic legacy”
Go ahead, you know, the comments are all yours! Tell us what you think of this global event, or how much the departure of our beloved Toriyama-sensei has been felt in your country. You know, we’ll be reading you! 😉
Info & Images Sources: X, Fox Sports Mex, DiB Diarios Bonaerenses, El Telégrafo
