Massive Dragon Ball Mural Reveals Over 70 Franchise Characters in Akira Toriyama Tribute
Over 40 talented artists collaborate on the creation of a gorgeous 360-foot-long mural in honor of Dragon Ball's iconic Akira Toriyama.
A group of artists from Peru have created a massive commemorative wall mural in honor of Dragon Ball's late creator Akira Toriyama.
Catsuka, a prominent French outlet dedicated to animation, showcased the mural on its official YouTube channel. Spanning six meters high and over 110 meters (about 360 feet) long, the completed version features a mashup of over 70 characters from the Dragon Ball universe, including Goku, Gohan, Krillin, Android 18, Piccolo, Bulma, Arale-chan, Frieza and many others. A meticulously detailed portrait of Toriyama himself also adorns the wall's face, immortalizing the artist right alongside his prolific cast of characters. The mural is located at the Estadio Nacional del Metropolitano (National Metropolitan Stadium) in Peru's capital city, Lima.
The idea for the project originated from the mind of "Peko," an urban graffiti artist who hails from Peru's La Victoria district. Peko is a member of the NFS crew, an artist collective known for its dedicated approach to graffiti-style artwork. After issuing a public invitation, Peko was joined by over 45 other artists throughout the Lima area who wanted to contribute. The finished mural includes characters from every point in Dragon Ball's timeline, including the period covered in the series' current manga installment, Dragon Ball Super.
Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1 after suffering an acute subdural hematoma, leaving behind millions of dedicated fans around the world. The artist's death has significantly impacted those working in the comic industry, many of whom were directly influenced by Toriyama's works during childhood. Recently, Shonen Jump published a collection of loving farewell statements from several popular manga artists, including Jujutsu Kaisen creator Gege Akutami. "I am unworthy of any words. May you rest in peace," Akutami stated.
Major Creators Honor Akira Toriyama as Dragon Ball Super Enters Indefinite Hiatus
Major entertainment entities in the Western world have also paid tribute to Toriyama. Earlier this month, Archie Comics honored Dragon Ball's iconic star by releasing its first-ever Dragon Ball crossover illustration featuring Goku and Archie. Additionally, Toonami honored fan requests for a televised tribute by airing a four-hour marathon of episodes from Dragon Ball Z Kai. Despite Toriyama's unanticipated death, Toei Animation is forging ahead with the production of Dragon Ball Daima, the next major installment of the Dragon Ball anime franchise. However, with the release of Chapter 103, Toriyama and Toyotarou's Dragon Ball Super manga is currently on hiatus until further notice.
Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga collection is available in English from VIZ Media. Toei Animation's respective anime adaptations are available on Hulu and Crunchyroll. Currently, Dragon Ball Daima is scheduled to premiere in Fall 2024.