Last night here in the United States, the sad news arrived that Akira Toriyama, the creator of the popular anime/manga series Dragon Ball Z, has passed away at the age of 68. The Japanese manga artist has inspired many people around the world and has touched many hearts with his popular characters. The Dragon Ball comic series debuted in 1984 and, ever since then, has been a fan favorite for many people. This iconic series has impacted footballers as well and has been in pop culture for decades. While the world says goodbye to the legendary manga artist, Football does not forget about the man either and also sends a message.
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The iconic characters like Goku and Vegeta will be favorites for many anime fans. Football players have used celebrations in the past that reference the anime series. In 2022, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored an incredible brace against Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga. The striker scored in the 29th minute and in the 51st minute. For the second goal, he went to the corner and grabbed a red ball. His celebration was a reference to a Dragon Ball Z pose that became viral on the internet.
Another celebration done in football is the pose where two players lean towards each other and touch each other. This is referenced to Dragon Ball Z, when two characters fuse into one. PSG has also used a Dragon Ball Z tifo before a game, which showcases a Dragon Ball Z character charging up. Ligue 1 and PSG both went on X to write about Akira Toriyama. Ligue 1 wrote, "Thank You, Akira Toriyama." PSG retweeted the post, saying, "A fitting tribute to his iconic work - rest in peace, Akira Toriyama."
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On Instagram, AC Milan posted an edited picture of Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao doing the fusion celebration. AC Milan wrote, "We'll try tackling life with as much energy as Goku! We loved every minute. Rest in peace, Toriyama."
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