#igraphy

For a lot of us, Dragon Ball Z was the first church we truly felt welcome in. And I, just like millions of others, ended up being a congregant in said church. Partaking in the daily gathering of watching Goku, Bulma, Vegeta, Piccolo, Krillin and so many memorable characters delight us in their adventures.

Before there was a Luffy, Gon, Naruto, Ichigo and a host of other characters that were modeled off Dragon Ball’s main character. There was Goku.

He was our superman. At least for a generation of people who grew up in an era where Dragon Ball Z (DBZ) was the most popular anime on the planet.

There’s a a reason why so many people are mourning and celebrating Akira Toriyama’s life today. He created something that gave many purpose. Through his show, we learned about what it meant to overcome odds, show courage despite overwhelming odds and also build community with people who shared the same goals.

There will never be another DBZ. Likewise, there will never be another character like Vegeta. Who went from villain to anti-hero and eventually becoming a full fledged hero, willing to sacrifice his life for his loved ones. Likewise his nemesis Goku, the protagonist, and arguably the most popular anime of all time.

In Goku, Toriyama created a certain type of hero, whose virtuous nature might as well be considered a super power, since his ability to rise to the occasion is predicated on said indefatigable attitude that characterizes his ascension to iconic figure status.

I will honor Akira this weekend by watching a few Dragon Ball movies. Its the least I can do to pay tribute to a legendary creator.