Japanese manga comic creator Akira Toriyama has died at the age of 68.
He died from acute subdural hematoma on March 1, publisher Shueisha said on Friday.
This is a serious condition where blood collects between the skull and the surface of the brain.
"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,” it added.
The office thanked his fans for their support of his creative activities for over 45 years.
"We hope that Akira Toriyama's unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come,” they said. Mr Toriyama known for such popular titles as Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump.
Dragon Ball was first published in Weekly Shonen Jump comic magazine in 1984 and was later adopted into movies, video games and TV series, which were distributed in more than 80 countries.
The story of a boy Son Goku and his adventure in search of seven magical balls to make his wishes come true, has sold 260 million copies altogether.
Mr Toriyama was also known as a character and monster designer of the blockbuster role-playing game series Dragon Quest.
Born in the Aichi prefecture in central Japan in 1955, Mr Toriyama debuted in 1978 in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.
His Dr Slump series that started in 1980 became a huge hit, elevating him to a best-selling young comic artist.
Mr Toriyama also received manga and art award in and outside Japan, including the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters from France in 2019.
"We will never forget Akira Toriyama for the gift he left on this earth. I can't imagine a world without Dragon Ball," a fan wrote.
