First Impressions of X-Men '97

(Guest post by Miguel)

The 80s and 90s were a time when Saturday morning cartoons reigned supreme. Even now as adults with children of our own, many of us still remember the theme songs from our favorite shows. Out of all of these opening themes however, one of the most iconic was the opening for X-Men the Animated Series. While there are many popular Marvel IPs nowadays, it was not always so. The 90s was a dark time for Marvel. The once successful company found itself in nearly 610 million dollars of debt by 1996, and filed for bankruptcy. By 1997, the last and final season of X-Men the Animated Series aired and left a hole in the hearts of all mutant lovers. Fast forward to Disney+ Day 2021 when all of that changed.

When X-Men '97 was announced, there were so many questions. Would it be a remake? If not, what would the storyline be? What changes would be made? Would Disney destroy yet another show with unnecessary plot line changes to make it more sensitive to modern demographics? We would have to wait till 2024 to find out. March 20th, 2024 was that fateful day, and if you haven’t watched the first episodes of X-Men '97 yet, you are missing out.

While the show was created with the intention of not only bringing back old fans, but also gaining new ones, a rewatch of the original series is not required. However, in my opinion, it would not hurt to watch one of those YouTube recaps before starting the show since it begins right after the original series ends. In episode one of X-Men '97, we are reintroduced to characters and names that fans of the original show will immediately recognize. Bolivar Trask, Master Mold, and the Friends of Humanity are all still meddling in the lives of our beloved mutants, Jean Gray is pregnant, and Professor Charles Xavier is no longer on earth. While technically off planet, Professor X is talked about as if he is dead. In fact, the first episode ends with Magneto showing up with Charles’ last will and testament gifting all that he once had to Magneto, including the X-Men. Would the X-Men be able to trust their greatest nemesis?

Each of the episodes was 33 minutes long, which is a 50% increase from the original series’ episode run time of roughly 21 minutes. After opening my Disney+ app, I was relieved to hear my beloved theme song in HD. Not only that, but they reimagined the opening with updated animation, character intros, and scenes. The nostalgia was almost too much to handle. The show felt new, yet familiar. Not only that, but Disney managed to bring back some of the same voice actors from the original show. Fans will be happy to know that Beast, Rogue, Wolverine and Storm are all voiced by the same actors as the original series. Let’s be real, who else could voice the mistress of elements but Alison Sealy-Smith? And who else could deliver the back-handed southern quips beside Lenore Zann? The animation style draws its inspiration from the original series’ style, but comes across as fresh, colorful and interesting. Disney and Marvel have done a terrific job with the show’s revival. 

The hour invested in the first two episodes of X-Men '97 flew by in the blink of an eye. I wanted more, but knew I would have to wait a week for the next episode. Another thing that X-Men '97 does similar to the original series is the fantastic use of cliff hangers. The original show had different plot arcs, often coupled with multiple episodes dedicated to them throughout the show. The second episode ends with one heck of a cliff-hanger! It is obvious that the creators of the show are drawing upon the comics for their inspiration of the storyline. Just in these two episodes we see Storm lose her powers (which is a significant plot for her in the comics) and Jean giving birth, only for another Jean to show up at the front door. We know that Mr. Sinister cloned Jean in the comics, but the question remains, is our Jean the real Jean, or the one the showed up at the door? We know how the comics play out, but will X-Men '97 follow suit? 

Whether you are a newcomer or an old fan, the first two episodes of X-Men '97 are a must watch. The only bad thing about the show is that it is slated to be 10 episodes long. I need more! This is the first time in a while where I have been so excited for a new episode of a show to air. X-Men '97 is a perfect mix of nostalgia and innovation. I am ready to see Cyclops use his optic beam to land from a falling ship again, are you?

Scripture Hero Spotlight: Nephi

We've spent the past three months of Come Follow Me study curriculum learning from the words of Nephi. For the first few weeks of the year, my four-year-old would refuse to go to Primary by herself, so I was blessed to revisit some classic Nephi songs, inspiring this new blog post series. So while our Creature Features and Character Spotlights gush about fictional characters and monsters, today I wanted address some of the reasons I love Nephi and what I've learned from his writings over the years.

"I Will Go and Do!"

One of the things I'll always respect most about Nephi is his faith. Not just because there's a cool Primary song about it and a Living Scriptures song too. But during the episode of retrieving the brass plates, Nephi had no clue what was going to happen, like his brothers. However, unlike Laman and Lemuel, he held to the base belief that Heavenly Father would provide a way to accomplish his work. In a recent Sunday School lesson about the Isaiah chapters of 2 Nephi, President Nelson's interpretation of Israel meaning "Let God prevail" was mentioned. And maybe this was obvious to some, but it struck me that day how I need to get out of God's way and "let [Him] prevail." If I listen to my faith, instead of my fears (and other feelings), it's easier to trust God work "for good to them that love God." (Romans 8:28)

The Iron Rod

Lines from Nephi's vision trigger powerful memories for me from the Hill Cumorah Pageant, which I will always love. But setting aside the vision as a whole and looking just at the rod of iron, which has been interpreted as the word of God, and it's easy to see how important the scriptures and the law were to Nephi. Multiple times it was stated that their descendants would need the law to keep the doctrine pure (that was the whole reason for going back for the brass plates). Add to that how much Nephi obviously loved Isaiah and other prophets, it's plain to see how much he feasted on the words of Christ.

Nephi's Boat

I will forever have a sweet affection for this scripture story, because it was my scene as a ten-year-old in the Hill Cumorah Pageant (I was Laman's son). Nephi's insistence that he could do all things that God asked him to do hearkens back to getting the brass plates. But in addition to that, he didn't let his greatest opposition stop him in building the ship or in leading it to the Promised Land. This story illustrates the love he felt for his brothers and how much he hoped for them to change, a hope unfulfilled when he recorded these stories on the small plates years later. But because of the Plan of Salvation and work for our ancestors, Nephi's hope might not be in vain.

The Psalm of Nephi

He called himself a "wretched man" but I think I'd be in pretty good shape if I were as wretched as him. That being said, Nephi's Psalm (2 Nephi 4) reminds me that even the most valiant disciples have their faults. We don't know what sins so easily beset Nephi, but that's just what makes this poetry so applicable to all of his readers. "Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul." These words always bolster my soul and keep me hoping.

Glorying in Isaiah

While notoriously difficulty among modern readers, Nephi loved reading the words of Isaiah and likening his words to his people. I've thought for a few years how people count themselves out when it comes to understanding Isaiah. While I still don't understand most of Isaiah's words, some of my favorite powerful scripture verses come from verses Nephi quoted from Isaiah. And according to the Follow Him podcast, Isaiah was influential in many of Nephi's personal writings as well. So even if it takes the rest of my life to understand him, I'll keep trying.

If you liked this spotlight on the prophet Nephi, let us know your favorite part of Nephi's story on our social media pages. Also let us know if there's a Book of Mormon hero you want spotlighted as this year goes on.

Get to Know Your Geeks: Easter Scriptures

In April 2023 during General Conference, Elder Gary E. Stevenson gave a talk titles "The Greatest Easter Story Ever Told" In that talk he mentioned "The more I thought about our [Easter] celebrations, the more I found myself wondering if we are inadvertently shortchanging the true meaning of this holiday, so central to all believers in Jesus Christ. Then he goes on talking about the significance of Easter and how we should strive to make this holiday the most important one during the year. As the holiday draws closer we Latter-Day Saint Geeks thought it would be appropriate to share some of our favorite Easter scriptures. 

--Michael

Michael - Isaiah 53:2-6 (see also Mosiah 14)

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.

For Christmas many of us read Luke 2 and read about the saviors birth. During Easter I reflect on Isaiah and what he foresaw the savior do. I believe when Isaiah is talking about Jesus Christ I feel that it is poetic and beautiful how he describes the Master. No wonder Isaiah is one of the most quoted prophet. 

I like Isaiah 53: 2-6 because it go over the suffering that the savior went through, and more importantly the reason why. He was wounded not because he was hated, but because of our sins. We all sin and we need Jesus to cleanse us from it. I believe in Jesus Christ, I believe that he knows each and everyone of us. I am grateful that he was willing to be wounded for us. 

Kenton - Alma 42:15, Luke 22:40-44, and 2 Nephi 26:24-25

I'm particularly fond of this scripture from the Book of Mormon in Alma 42:

15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.

We understand somewhat of what this "atonement" meant, from Luke 22:

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

In order for us to be claimed by the plan of mercy, in order for us to be claimed by the grace of Christ, it was necessary for him to suffer, even a suffering beyond what he wanted to bear, in order to understand our griefs, and in order to satisfy justice and the law. In the end, all of our pains, sufferings, abuses, trials, and difficulties will be made right, and it is made right through the blood of Jesus Christ, who suffered for us all. All we need to do is to come to him, as described in 2 Nephi 26:

24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.

He offers his love, his sacrifice, and his gift freely; if we will but come to Jesus he will heal us, he will take us in, he will fill the emptiness in our souls, and he will mend our broken hearts, and give us strength through our difficulties. All we need to do is to turn to him, and seek him out, and try to come closer to him, and he will try and come closer to us. 

Spencer - D&C 76:21-24

I'm grateful for the extra emphasis the Church has put on Easter in recent years, especially as I've wondered how to raise my family in faith. As a father, even more than before, I can pick out moments each and every day to emphasize my personal need for the Atonement. I make daily mistakes with my girls and my wife. It isn't enough to white-out the mistakes, but I need the Savior's grace to change me and make me better with each day. And as my favorite contemporary Christian song says, "Grace wins every time!" Moroni emphasized the power of grace as he closed his father's book in Moroni 10:

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

As we close this blog post and look forward to Easter next week and General Conference the week after, I want to finish with some modern-day scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 76:

21 And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever.

22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

23 For we saw him, even on the bright hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.

"The Savior will return. Soon, He will be here." (Final lines of the Hill Cumorah Pageant)

Testing the Gold

(Guest post by Spencer's dad)

When George Carmack, Tagish Charlie and Skookum Jim found the gold on Rabbit Creek they were confident they had found the BIG ONE. Miners had been traveling up and down the Yukon River for about twenty years - finding just enough gold to keep looking but never finding the BIG One - the big gold strike.

Immediately after finding the gold, George and Charlie headed for Forty Mile where they could register their gold claim. (Skookum Jim stayed behind to be on site in case anyone had any ideas). As soon as the 200 people at Forty Mile saw Carmack’s shot gun shell full of gold they were off to make their own claim’s in (what would become) Dawson City.

Two of veteran prospectors made the trip with skepticism. George was nic-named Lying George Carmack to them. Finding gold in a moose pasture like Rabbit Creek did not fit their experience as a gold stream.

From the top of the hill overlooking Rabbit Creek (by then renamed Bonanza Creek) the two veterans took a close look at the creek. They concluded that this would not be a real gold strike - it was just a moose pasture. As they dismissed what would be largest gold find in world history, they said “Leave this moose pasture for the Swedes and the Cheechakos.” To these experts the Swedes were the lowest class of immigrant. The Cheechakos were new comers to the north who knew nothing about gold mining or life up here.

Sometimes experts are wrong. What makes these two experts prediction more ironic is that they never tested how much gold there was on Bonanza Creek. A knowing look from the top of the hill was all that was needed to ignore this strike and keep looking in places where gold should be.

We have at our finger tips the Book of Mormon, a priceless gem that the world dismisses for numerous reasons. Many who don’t believe in the Book of Mormon have not studied it.

Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Council of the Twelve Apostles observed:

"A man might take a stone and, in order to verify precisely what it is, subject it to a test to identify slate or sandstone. After conducting these tests, he may conclude his research with the statement: 'I did not discover that it was a diamond.'"

His conclusion, though accurate, has nothing to do with whether or not it is a diamond. Nor will it ever be verified by using the wrong formula. There may be a thousand tests he can apply and come to the same conclusion.

After, and only after, he subjects the stone to the correct formula can he know for sure. Until then, his conclusion, “I did not discover it to be a diamond,” is relatively useless information.

There has, over the years, been an endless procession of those who would examine these revelations (The Book of Mormon) by every formula save the right one…

These scriptural diamonds [or scriptural gold to continue our analogy] as we have described them, will stand the test. As surely as a man may determine whether a purported diamond is genuine by subjecting it to well-known tests for diamonds, the scriptures may be subjected to well-known tests for scripture.”

If today is the first day you heard of the Book of Mormon, or if you have read it every day of your adult life, there are gold gems found in this book of scripture. No matter what chapter you are life, the promises modern prophets assure us we can find answers to our challenges as we study the Book of Mormon.

President Nelson promised us: “I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life.” (October 2017)

“I promise you that from this moment forward, if we will daily sup from [the pages of the Book of Mormon] and abide by its precepts, God will pour out upon each child of Zion…a blessing hitherto unknown." (Ezra Taft Benson April 1986)

In every chapter of my life - I needed a blessing hitherto unknown. I hope we can be wiser than the two expert gold miners who dismissed the largest gold find in world history without testing it. God will bless us as we study his gospel with the inspiration we need to find spiritual gold.

Second Doctor Revisited: "The Mind Robber"

As TJ and I work through Classic Doctor Who and while we wait for the Fifteenth Doctor’s first season, I still have plenty of thoughts about the Second Doctor’s era to ramble on about. So for this installment of revisiting the Doctor’s stories, I’m talking about “The Mind Roober”. 

So like many Classic Who stories, the first episode was quite slow. Par for the course with Classic Who, but I can’t imagine being pulled into the story like this back in the 1960s. I feel like I have to binge the whole 2-10 episodes (depending on the story) for it to hold my attention. It’s one of the reasons I’m glad Doctor Who is 40-60 minutes in Modern Who. It’s more like a mini-movie every episode. 

I just had to chuckle at the temporary recasting of Jamie in the land of fiction. Looking into it, Frazer Hines had contracted chicken pox from his nephew, so they had to continue the story without him. What a clever way to keep the show moving along even without the full cast present. Reminds me of when William Hartnell was on vacation so they used a silent stand-in for his hand during “The Celestial Toymaker”. Doctor Who has always kind of been clever about how to use their cast to work around illness and the actors’ personal lives. 

Being the father of little children, the land of fiction reminded me of my toddler’s imaginative play (also reminded me of fan fiction I’ve written too, I guess). To whatever extent, what geek wouldn’t want to put themselves in the middle of their favorite stories, even for a moment. It makes me wonder which works of fiction I might encounter if I were pulled in like the Doctor and his TARDIS team.

This would have meant nothing to viewers back when the story first came out, but every time there was a mention of “the intelligence” or “the master” I had to stop myself. For viewers of Modern Who (or anyone who has seen later Classic Who after this point), references to “intelligence” or “master” will likely bring to mind a couple of recurring Doctor Who villains. Even having seen this story before, I had to stop and check the TARDIS wiki to make sure I hadn’t forgotten a Great Intelligence or Master story.

Let’s close out these ramblings with a question for you guys. Which books/stories/movies do you think would be included if this story had been done with one of the modern Doctors? The first things that come to my mind are some kind of sitcom spoof, Harry Potter, or a generic superhero (I suppose they had that in this episode).

LDS Geeks Podcast #14: Digimon vs. Pokémon

I'm a long-time advocate of Digimon as NOT a rip-off of Pokemon, as you may know. But since everyone is entitled to their opinion, Michael and I discussed which franchise is better (in multiple different categories). It was a pretty tame debate, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. 

--Spencer

Friday Creature Feature - Chick and Duck

As I tried to decide what whimsical post I could write for this week, two feathered friends (from the show Friends) popped into my mind. That's right. I'm talking about Joey and Chandler's pet duck and pet chick. These additions to the sitcom were ridiculous and pointless, but wonderful and perfect. So let's get into it with these two. 

Easter 1995

I didn't even think about this post as an Easter post when I began mentally planning it, but it's true; it all began with a news report Joey saw that spring. The reporter talked about the cautions of giving baby chicks as gifts at Easter... only for Joey to somehow interpret it as a commercial for Easter baby chicks. And because he couldn't return the chick, or else the chick would be euthanized, he came home with the duck as well, saving him from the same fearful fate.

Chick

First thought to be a female chick, Chandler called the baby Yasmin, after his favorite on Baywatch. Later on, the boys discovered that the chick was maturing into a rooster. I guess that's no different than baby Chandler being a girl. But that discovery of the chick being a rooster was the catalyst for Monica put her apartment on the line in a bet, trying to evict the poultry pals. Other heartwarming moments with "Yasmin" included Chandler and Joey trying to get him to swim (and the subsequently blow drying) and Chandler watching Baywatch with little Yasmin. 

Duck

After rescuing the duck from euthanizing, the duck became the final member of Joey and Chandler's little bromantic home. Despite the chick coming first, the duck became involved in more comical moments than the chick. Probably because he was louder than his brother. And according to Rachel, he riled up the maturing rooster. Some of my favorite funny moments with the duck include peeing on Ross's letter to Emily, visiting Phoebe's guru, and being put in time out.

Their Legacy

The antics of the chick and the duck played into the recurring gag of Chandler and Joey acting like a married couple, with the fowls being their children. I love the Chandler/Joey bromance and the fact that it continues after Chandler and Monica get married. Everyone needs a friend like Joey and the two pets just completed the package. We don't know exactly what happened to the two and when, but it was implied that sometime after Season 6 appearances, they died (or were sent to a "special farm"). They weren't forgotten though, as Joey got Chick Jr. and Duck Jr. as a housewarming present for Monica and Chandler. He kept them for himself in the end, but they were never seen in the Joey spin-off. So the second generation of feathered friends have an unknown fate. But I think it's obvious that Friends wouldn't be the same without these two.

We've Got a Dream!

(Guest Post by Russell)

My daughter loves music. It is one of the joys of my day to see her look at the blank TV and start waving her hand as if directing music. This is her cue that she is ready for listening to music on the TV. We have introduced her to the likes of the Tabernacle Choir, Home Free and their many guests, BYU’s Vocal Point and Noteworthy, and, of course, a myriad of Disney music. One favorite has become “I’ve got a Dream” from Disney’s Tangled. In one of the more recent viewings of this song, I received a insight that reminded me of Elder Sabin’s October 2023 General Conference talk, “Hallmarks of Happiness.” Let me set the stage and make the connection.

In his attempts to scare Rapunzel away from the real world, Flynn Ryder takes Rapunzel to “The Snuggly Duckling,” a tavern of sorts with all sorts of ne'er-do wells. Initially, things look bleak as no one seems to be in the mood to help an innocent looking girl and her vest wearing accomplice. But, in a stroke of chance, her mentioning that she is on a quest of sorts to fulfill her dream, these ruffians’ hearts are pricked and the ensuing song, “I’ve Got a Dream” begins. The number opens with a Hook handed thug (that is how he is referenced in the credits, no name, just “Hook Hand Thug”) expounding on his harsh nature but inner desire to be a concert pianist. Let me pause a moment to reference Elder Sabin’s talk. He shared the following story:

“Several years ago, on a flight home from a Church assignment, Sister Sabin and I found ourselves seated directly behind a very large man who had a big, angry face tattooed on the back of his bald head as well as the number 439.

"When we landed, I said, 'Excuse me, sir. Do you mind if I ask the significance of the number tattooed on the back of your head?’ I didn’t dare ask about the angry face.

"He said, ‘That’s me. That’s who I am. I own that territory: 219!’

"Four hundred and thirty-nine was the actual number on his head, so I was surprised he got it wrong since it was so important to him.

"I thought how sad it was that this man’s identity and self-esteem were based on a number associated with a gang territory. I thought to myself: This tough-looking man was once someone’s little boy who still needed to feel valued and to belong. If only he knew who he really was and to whom he really belonged, for we have all been ‘bought with a price.’”

I suppose I made the connection between these 2 stories because of the follicular challenged nature of the men in both stories, Hook Hand Thug, and Unnamed Man with 439 on his head. I think both the song and Elder Sabin’s commentary after the story highlight the truth that each person is a child of God and that at some point, everyone was someone’s little boy or little girl with dreams much bigger than how their life may have gone. So the next time you see someone who is “malicious, mean, or scary,” has a “sneer that could curdle dairy” try to remember that “way down deep inside” they’ve got a dream.

Goodbye Akira Toriyama: The Mastermind Behind Dragon Ball

 

Akira Toriyama, the creative genius behind Dragon Ball, stands as one of the most influential figures in manga and anime history. His groundbreaking work not only revolutionized the genre but also captivated audiences worldwide with its epic storytelling, iconic characters, and imaginative world-building. Despite his sudden departure, Toriyama's legacy will continue to shape the landscape of popular culture.

Born on April 5, 1955, in Nagoya, Japan he became a household name soon after 1984 when Toriyama's career reached new heights with the debut of Dragon Ball, a series that would catapult him to international fame and acclaim. 

Dragon Ball, serialized from 1984 to 1995, stands as Toriyama's crowning achievement. Set in a fantastical world filled with martial arts, mythical creatures, and powerful warriors, the series follows the adventures of Goku as he embarks on a quest to become the strongest fighter in the universe. With its dynamic action sequences, intricate plotlines, and memorable characters, Dragon Ball captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of fans worldwide. Like many of you I remember coming home from school and watching Dragon Ball Z. The overall story about getting stronger to overcome trials and the epic fights scenes have been engrained in my memory forever. As well as the American opening song to the show.  

Toriyama's distinctive art style and innovative storytelling techniques played a crucial role in the success of Dragon Ball. His ability to blend humor, drama, and action seamlessly created a narrative that appealed to audiences of all ages. From the imposing figure of Vegeta to the charming innocence of Goku, Toriyama's character designs breathed life into the world of Dragon Ball, making each character iconic. No wonder so many other manga’s tried to emulate Dragon Ball such as Naruto, One Piece, My Hero Academia, and many more.

Beyond manga, Toriyama's influence extended to various other mediums, including anime adaptations, movies, video games, and merchandise. The Dragon Ball franchise became a global phenomenon, spawning countless spin-offs, sequels, and reimaginings that continue to captivate audiences to this day.

Image: Mattari_illust

Tragically, Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1^st, 2024, leaving behind a legacy that transcends his mortal existence. His sudden departure sent shockwaves through the manga and anime community, prompting an outpouring of tributes from fans and colleagues alike. Despite his untimely demise, Toriyama's legacy lives on through Dragon Ball, which remains as beloved and influential as ever.