The sad news of anime legend Akira Toriyama’s passing is absolutely all over our part of the internet right now as the creator of Dragon Ball (and plenty of other notable properties) reached so many people in so many significant ways with his art.
Capcom has offered their public acknowledgement of Toriyama with a beautiful image post on X depicting some of Street Fighter’s most iconic fighters standing in for some of Dragon Ball’s legendary characters.
To be clear, this image was not created for this past week’s unfortunate happening, but is actually from Street Fighter 6. Players scrounging through World Tour Mode can gain access to this image as a reward for completing a particular interaction with Blanka, but it does fit the bill for today.
Said image depicts M. Bison wearing Vegeta’s Saiyan armor, Zangief standing in for Nappa, and Blanka filling the role of Goku. It also features Street Fighter 4’s El Fuerte as Frieza which, is kind of an odd choice when you have the likes of Twelve or Seth to go with, but the image still looks great and captures the spirit of battle both IP’s so often exude.
Sakura and Dan also appear in the image, apparently as themselves, as does Vega (who is most definitely the Zarbon of Street Fighter). The seven characters are seen clashing on Namek (where many of Dragon Ball Z’s most memorable moments took place) and is accompanied by the text, “Thank you, Akira Toriyama. For inspiring us with your creativity, your strength, and your legacy.”
Many are mourning and reflecting on the impact Toriyama had on their lives today, and we felt this special approach from Capcom would be appreciated. You can view the full image simply by clicking on the thumbnail here:
Click images for larger versions
If Toriyama’s work touched your life or inspired you in any particular way, please share in the comments below. For me, Goku’s first Super Saiyan 3 transformation gives me goosebumps and inspiration every time I hear it.
The idea of pushing through boundaries and “going beyond” is so applicable to life and its challenges and that theme gives me a surge of courage and boldness every time I hear it. As such I often listen to it when I participate in Street Fighter tournaments, specifically if I make top 8 and need a little extra “umph” to keep going.
Thanks again, Mr. Toriyama, you are immortalized in your powerful work that will resonate with and inspire people for generations to come.