From the recently released SAND LAND to the unknown Blue Dragon or Chrono Trigger, we are fascinated by the artwork of Akira Toriyama. Let's see some of these.

SAND LAND

Sand Land, in a dramatic way, marks the farewell of one of our greatest storytellers, Akira Toriyama. Through this journey, we see his artistic evolution move from Dragon Ball's fast action and explosions of his signature anime style, all the way to this introspective desert adventure. Though an element of sadness remains when knowing this may be his final work, Sand Land serves instead as a celebration. Sand Land isn't without its flaws; some side quests may feel repetitive and the combat system might lack some of the depth craved by hardcore action game fans; nonetheless, these minor shortcomings won't take anything away from your experience - its greatest strength lies in being pure fun - something too seldom experienced today when gaming comes out with all-inclusive offerings like Sand Land does!

Blue Dragon

The art style of Akira Toriyama has left an indelible imprint on the JRPG universe contributing to the success of so many games, from iconic characters of Dragon Ball and the whimsical charm of Dragon Quest to lesser-known titles like Blue Dragon about whom I will say a few words here. This is maybe the only game that did not receive mainstream recognition. However, this game - filled with potential yet rarely recognized - should never have fallen under the radar. One must appreciate Blue Dragon for its artistic prowess before discussing its content because Toriyama's signature style can be seen throughout the game. Blue Dragon's characters boast their spiky hair and exaggerated features. They are brought here straight out of a Dragon Ball manga pages, while its vibrant world, full of floating islands and ancient ruins, provides an exciting sense of adventure reminiscent of classic JRPGs.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ serves as an important tribute to Akira Toriyama's legacy and visual storytelling within the fighting game genre. While we honor a master artist like Akira Toriyama with our memory of him and his masterpieces, Dragon Ball FighterZ stands as an ongoing reminder of their lasting appeal and impactful enjoyment by fans worldwide. For any true Dragon Ball fan - and particularly Toriyama fans like myself - this fighting game provides the complete Dragon Ball experience! Other fighting games may have attempted to capture its magic, but none come close; FighterZ truly nails it! Imagine playing as your favorite characters like Goku, Vegeta, and all the rest from Dragon Ball Z and feeling exactly as though you were entering into one of its episodes - with animations so accurate they mirror Toriyama's artwork perfectly - it feels just like being right there in an episode! FighterZ makes that dream possible like no other game has before it!

Dragon Quest

Toriyama's work can easily be identified among its characters, monsters, and environments found within Dragon Quest. His signature style characterized by faces with expressive features like expressive facial features such as expressive facial features such expressive faces with expressive facial features; expressive hair; dynamic poses; and dynamic poses is integral to its identity and visual identity. While core elements remain constant over time; his art style has slowly transformed over time: earlier games had sharper lines with detailed designs while later entries feature smoother curves with rounder faces - so Dragon Quest serves as an accurate depiction of Akira Toriyama's video game artwork! So if you're searching for Akira Toriyama artwork in video game form then Dragon Quest is a surefire way!

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

Kakarot takes it one step further than Dragon Ball FighterZ did, however. Remember how Toriyama designed an amazing original character just for FighterZ? Kakarot delivers that magic too: Bonyu from Toriyama is here as well, providing Goku with yet another boss battle straight out of his mind - adding even more dimension and originality!  every piece of detail from Toriyama makes Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot more than worth playing! JRPGs were at their most beloved when Dragon Ball Z first hit theaters, leaving us to spend hours grinding levels, pouring over stat sheets, dreaming about Kamehameha blasts and transformations, all the while dreaming about them all the same! Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot capitalizes on these memories while staying true to Akira Toriyama's artwork! Furthermore, modern open-world JRPG games remain true to Akira Toriyama's artwork!

Conclusion

Perhaps this article has brought back fond memories from your golden JRPG days or awakened curiosity about an obscure title; either way, take this as your invitation to go deeper - endless worlds are waiting to be discovered that offer us magical storytelling from master storytellers all waiting to transport us with their masterful artful artistry of true master storytellers waiting to transport us into his imagination & artistry of such masterful storytellers's masterworks!

Sand Land (2024), the latest action-adventure game from ILCA and Bandai Namco Entertainment, has caused some debate among manga readers that can be summarized this way: some consider it to be an independent story-arc adventure, others contend it acts both as a continuation of an original manga published back in 2000 (carrying the same title). So, which side has it right? Is Sand Land the solution or just more smokescreen that makes things look through the fog? A definite answer is impossible to get (like many things in life, like philosophy) but, in any event, it is worth investigating and learning about it. The journey is many times better than the destination, so let us navigate this fascinating desert journey that Sand Land offers us and find out together its connections to the source material at the beginning of the millennium, as well as what it may signify for potential newcomers.

The Link with the Past

Sand Land's inconsistency stems from its source material because why else would the game have the same name as the Manga book? Akira Toriyama himself (known to players through Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot) created one short manga series in 2000 titled Sand Land that took place after an apocalyptic desert event and featured Beelzebub and other unlikely allies working together (attempting to locate water sources, and more). Similar to Cowa, another of Toriyama's comics, Sand Land was collected in a tankobon manga and it is 14 chapters long. The game is inspired by this book, so here is the link to the past. However, the video game is not a 1 to 1 representation of the book, how could be, after all, it is a short comic that tells a story, whereas the video game does more.

Bridging the Gap for Newcomers

Sand Land the video game is an adaptation and in a way, a sequel of its respective manga counterpart, keeping much of what makes it special - among those, themes, characters, and plot elements - intact while expanding upon these in a manner the limited manga could never do. Sand Land is clearly one ideal entry point for newcomers to the universe. Sand Land's world of quirky characters and fantastical creatures features familiar elements from both media (including characters from the Dragon Ball series), so it is worth starting here. If you have the chance to buy Sand Land and play it, and at the same time enjoy the Manga book, you will experience both sides with rich narrative tapestries to explore.

So, who will get the most value out of Sand Land? This desert adventure is perfect for:

• Fans of Akira Toriyama's work: The vibrant world design and quirky humor will delight fans of Dragon Ball and other Toriyama creations (Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger, Blue Dragon, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot), and being able to recognize some new work in Sand Land is a gift.
• Exploration enthusiasts: The vast desert world filled with loot, hidden secrets, and ancient ruins is a mesmerizing playground for those who buy cheap PS4 games and love to uncover every nook and cranny of the new game.
• Casual RPG players: This is not a role-playing game but it features elements of this genre, so if you're looking for a lighthearted and engaging RPG experience with a focus on fun over extreme difficulty, Sand Land fits the bill (and gives you some change back).

Verdict

Sand Land is a delightful, visually striking open-world adventure that makes it possible to admire once more the art of Akira Toriyama. It is simply enjoyable and adds a fresh breath to the genre via its distinct art style. The engaging story, exploration focus, and quirky characters are among its key strengths that enhance, in my opinion, the work of Akira Toriyama. Some purists might find similarities with its source manga disappointing but they are missing the point: the game is not the book. Its expanded narrative options and accessible entry points make this game great for newcomers who should be appreciative of the entire work. 

Folks, Akira Toriyama’s passing has completely shaken me in a way I didn’t think possible. It’s always sad when someone responsible for a thing you love passes away, but what’s getting to me today is how much it feels like I took him and his work for granted. I didn’t recognize he was a hero of mine until it was too…

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If you haven’t heard, Akira Toriyama, the legendary creator of the Dragon Ball franchise and character designer of beloved games like Chrono Trigger and the Dragon Quest series, has passed away at the age of 68. As fans and collaborators have expressed condolences and tributes online, a lot of attention has…

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Late last night, the world discovered that it lost one of its giants. Akira Toriyama, the creator of the Dragon Ball series and renowned character designer on games such as Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest, passed away at 68 from a subdural hematoma on March 1. In the time since his passing was announced, people the…

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Akira Toriyama, the creator of the Dragon Ball franchise and character designer for video games like Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest, has died at the age of 68.

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Various outlets are reporting that the influential creator of Dragon Ball and character designer for games like the Dragon Quest series and Chrono Trigger, Akira Toriyama, died on March 1 of a subdural hematoma.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a game developer in Japan who wasn’t influenced by Toriyama in some way. His work on Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball has pervaded the culture there and even found popularity in the West. Because of this recognition, he was tapped to design the characters for Dragon Quest (Dragon Warrior in North America) which itself became a cultural phenomenon in its home country.

As Streets of Rage and Actraiser composer Yuzo Koshiro put it on Twitter, “Toriyama’s work, with its unique art style, captivating characters, and warm, comforting stories, really made an impact on us kids.”

From there, Toriyama continued to work on the Dragon Quest series throughout his life. He later assisted with the creation of Chrono Trigger, often cited as one of the best RPGs ever made. He also lent his character design to the Tobal series and Blue Dragon. April will see the release of the adaptation of his manga, Sand Land.

This comes as quite a shock. Many people, including myself and the rest of Destructoid, are deeply saddened by this. But while Akira Toriyama may have passed too soon, his influence and his works will live on for a long, long time.

Lead image via Yahoo News.

The post Famed storyteller and artist Akira Toriyama dies at 68 appeared first on Destructoid.