“Akira Toriyama-sensei, thank you for creating so many classics,” said Jackie Chan after learning of the death of the mangaka creator of 'Dragon Ball'.
The death of Akira Toriyama has shocked the world, leaving great sadness among manga and anime fans. Various artists and celebrities said goodbye to the creator of Dragon Ball, including actor Jackie Chan, who did not hesitate to use his account on the Chinese social network Weibo to dedicate a heartfelt message to him.
“Akira Toriyama-sensei, thank you for creating so many classic works. Your works will be eternally present in this world. Rest in peace, Master,” wrote the renowned Chinese actor alongside a black and white photograph where he appears with Akira Toriyama, who gives him some Dragon Ball mangas.
It should be noted that Jackie Chan and Akira Toriyama became very good friends during their youth. Akira admitted, on more than one occasion, his admiration for the performances and martial arts maneuvers performed by the actor on stage.
Likewise, the acrobat and martial arts trainer was always enthusiastic about Akira Toriyama's mangas, dressing up, on one occasion, in the film My Lucky Stars, by Sembei Norimaki, one of the characters from Dr. Slump, an iconic manga. created by Toriyama before the success of Dragon Ball.
Thus, in 1986, Akira Toriyama and Jackie Chan decided to make time in their agendas to have a meeting which was photographed in the Bird Land Press issue. The photo was immediately shared by lovers of manga and martial arts cinema, with its two greatest references remaining in posterity.
Akira Toriyama was inspired by Jackie Chan to create Dragon Ball
Akira Toriyama created Dragon Ball in 1984 and, for this, he had Jackie Chan as a reference. It was the film The Drunken Master (1978), starring Chan, that served as inspiration for Akira to take as a reference for his creation.
"I was thinking what I could do, I loved Jackie Chan movies and I had seen that film several times. Since I like that kind of thing, Torishima-san (editor of Dr. Slump) suggested that I do a kung-fu shonen manga. ", he highlighted in a 2021 interview for Dragon Ball Daizenshuu 2: Story Guide.
Akira Toriyama stressed that if he had not seen that movie he would never have thought of making Dragon Ball. Another production that helped him create this manga was The Drunken Monkey in the Eye of the Tiger, where Jackie Chan plays a young man who takes martial arts classes to correct his character.
Jackie Chan was personified in 'Jackie Chun'
Akira Toriyama decided to pay tribute to Jackie Chan with the remembered character of 'Jackie Chun', the alter ego of Master Roshi, Goku's first sensei.
Jackie Chun impersonated some of Jackie Chan's movements during some episodes of Dragon Ball in the martial arts tournament. On some occasions Jackie Chun is seen doing the fist technique or 'drunk punch' inspired by Chan's film.
