'Dragon Ball' Creator's Death Sparks Joke That Mexican Cartels Agreed to Ceasefire in Honor of Late Artist

'Dragon Ball' has maintained a loyal cross-cultural fanbase.

March 11, 2024

Hand holding an action figure of Goku from Dragon Ball in the air with buildings as backdrop — Anadolu via Getty Images

Following the death of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, a rumor circulated on social media that Mexican cartels agreed to a ceasefire to honor the legendary manga artist's contributions to pop culture.

Shortly after the confirmation of Toriyama's death at age 68, several fans began joking about the impact his passing would have due to the popularity of Dragon Ball among Latino cultures. Both the manga and its multiple anime adaptations have a huge following in Latin American countries such as Mexico and Argentina, where hundreds recently gathered in Buenos Aires to honor Toriyama.

YouTube creator Justin Whang joked, "The Mexican Cartels have agreed to a temporary ceasefire in honor of Akira Toriyama."

The tweet was followed by several similar posts sharing the claim, which was clearly a joke but could also get lost in translation on social media.

Obviously, the claim had no source, but that didn't stop some from buying into it. Whether it's because it's nice to think about cartels coming together for a moment of peace, or because it's funny to think that Goku had such power over violent criminals, it circulated on Twitter, now X, in the days that followed Toriyama's death. There's no evidence to support such a claim, especially as The Los Angeles Time s recently reported that Mexican cartels have turned to the use of land mines.

But hey, it's nice to dream of a peaceful world thanks to the power of going Super Saiyan.

The influential Akira Toriyama died on March 1 from an acute subdural hematoma, a blood clot in his brain. The influential manga creator also served as a character designer on the iconic video game series Dragon Quest.

“It’s our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm,” read the statement from Toriyama's Bird Studio. “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.”