"Dragon Ball" fans on Wednesday celebrated 40 years of the globally beloved Japanese manga, anime and video game franchise, just months after creator Akira Toriyama's unexpected death.
The original "Dragon Ball" manga was first serialized on Nov. 20, 1984, featuring a boy named Son Goku who collects magical balls containing dragons to help protect the Earth. The comic books have since sold more than 260 million copies in Japan and worldwide, according to publisher Shueisha.
Toriyama died aged 68 in March because of a blood clot on his brain, sparking an outpouring of grief from fans, including tributes from world leaders.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.