The creator of Dragon Ball and co-creator of the Dragon Quest series of RPGs, Akira Toriyama, has passed away aged 68.

News of his death was announced in a joint statement from Bird Studio and Capsule Corporation Tokyo, in which the duo revealed that the anime icon had died on March 1st after suffering an acute subdural hematoma.

They also said that a funeral service has already been held with his family and a few relatives in attendance.

"It’s our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm,” the statement read.

"Also, he would have many more things to achieve.

“However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world. Thanks to the support of so many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative activities for over 45 years. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”

Toriyama is best known for creating the Dragon Ball manga, a series that would go on to spawn several follow-up and spin-offs, as well as a number of video games. That franchise was wildly popular and influential on the anime and manga scene, as well as popular culture as a whole.

He also worked as a designer for the Dragon Quest series of RPGs.