Akira Toriyama
Illustrator
Manga and game artist best known for his work the manga series "Dr. Slump" from 1980 until 1984 and "Dragon Ball" from 1984 until 1995. His work on "Dr. Slump" earned him the 1981 Shogakukan Manga Award.
He won an amateur manga competition sponsored by Jump magazine and went on to publish his first professional work in 1978. He designed posters for a Nagoya advertising agency for three years.
He served as character designer for the "Dragon Quest" video game series.
He and his wife, Nachi Mikami, have two children.
He and fellow Japanese artist Masashi Kishimoto both rose to fame through their manga art.