JAPANESE manga artist and character designer Akira Toriyama was married to Yoshimi Kato for over forty years.
She is an artist and writer in her own right – but retired from her professional pursuits to support her husband Toriyama.
FacebookYoshimi Kato, left, Jackie Chan, and Akira Toriyama, right, on the cover of Bird Land, in December 1986[/caption]
Who is Akira Toriyama’s wife Yoshimi Kato?
Yoshimi Kato went to high school in Nagoya, Japan, which is where she reportedly met Toriyama.
She’s a former manga artist and writer herself, working on several books throughout her career.
According to a blog on the Dragon Ball Z store, throughout her creative work she used multiple aliases including “Yoshihime” and “Mikami Nachi”.
Some titles of her work include The Top And Bottom Of Rock And Roll in 1977, The Confusing Legend Of St. Mephisto in 1985, and Rock And Rollers’ Story: The Queen Story, according Fandomwire.
Kato also worked with Akira on his staple Dragon Ball project, influencing the storytelling and character designs.
One of the most notable additions she made to the project was the character, Android 18, designing her distinct appearance.
When did Akira Toriyama and Yoshimi Kato get married?
Yoshimi Kato and Akira Toriyama tied the knot in Japan on May 2, 1982.
They were married for 42 years before Akira sadly passed away on March 1, 2024, aged 68.
According to kanzenshuu – a Dragon Ball documentation site – he had been seeing her for a year and was “shy” around women but felt he could be “himself” around her.
They also claim that the married pair allowed local media to picture the “small” wedding but only if they snap the images in “five minutes”.
Speaking about his wife at the time he reportedly said she has “a good personality” and “looks after his well-being”.
Did Akira Toriyama and Yoshimi Kato have any children?
Yoshimi Kato and Akira Toriyama shared two children together.
They have a son named Sasuke who was born on March 23, 1987, and a daughter born in October 1990.
Sasuke has gone on to follow in his father’s footsteps, becoming a successful manga artist himself
Now the torchbearer of his father’s legacy, he stewards Akira’s legendary collection of Manga work, reports Biographydaily.
Who was Akira Toriyama?
Akira Toriyama was one of the most influential and best-selling Japanese comic artists of all time.
He specialised in manga, which refers specifically to Japanese graphic-novels.
It can be confused with anime because of how similar the styles are – but anime is a genre 2D animation.
Toriyama was the author of the popular and influential titles Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z.
It was first serialised in 1984 and has even birthed endless well-loved anime series, movies, and video games.
Dragon Ball Z was popular in the US after debuting on September 13, 1996.
Sadly, Toriyama died on March 1, 2024, from an acute subdural hematoma, a type of bleeding near the brain, his studio said.
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