“Sad to Lose…”: Noah Lyles Pays Emotional Tribute to ‘Dragon Ball’ Creator Akira Toriyama

Noah Lyles’s phenomenal track and field prowess once drew inspiration from an iconic Japanese manga character, Goku. The protagonist has been reigning in television, drama series, games, and pop culture since the 1990s. However, Akira Toriyama was the one who made the character come alive through his sketches and colors. On March 1, the manga artist breathed his last. Meanwhile, news of his demise surfaced yesterday as several media outlets detailed it. That uncapped Noah Lyles and many others to come up with sad notes. 

The humanization of Goku from the Japanese manga series, Dragon Ball, has found shelter in Noah Lyles in his athletic persona. Not just him, but many others as well remember the fiery character as the ultimate standout in complex situations. Lyles’ recent social media post resonated with the same emotion. 

Noah Lyles pays his condolence in his way 

Among the millions of fans of Dragon Ball, Noah Lyles added another head count. So, after the fateful news went air on March 8, the fanboy in Noah has paid a heartfelt tribute to the Japanese master. “So sad to lose a legend Akira Toriyama…Ik his work has forever affected my life,” the expression penned on X. The acknowledgement has found an unparalleled height with the carousels of Noah imitating the ultimate Dragon Boy, Goku in his favored track and field moments. 

The epitomized hand gesture has enjoyed the time and moment with the glee of channeling the inner instinct. Being an emotional athlete who has a startling childhood, Noah Lyles copied the Goku style to show his inner-self ready for any challenge on the tracks. The 26-year-old American spearhead previously expressed his findings of strength in the rusty fields when a debilitating childhood tentacled him in the furthest ways. That was not all.

Apart from copying the hand pose, in 2019, Noah Lyles appeared with his silvery hair color, giving another hint of Goku on the track. The anime protagonist showed his ensuing character in the Ultra Instinct form, with the same hair shade, throwing fireballs at his enemies. So, the protagonist Goku was his savior in those moments when no one was his ally. However, like him, many came from sporting backgrounds to acknowledge Goku’s presence in their darkest hours to save their souls.

Let the Dragon Boy be the liberator 

LA Lakers’ legend LeBron James appeared at the moment to pay tribute to Akira Toriyama by imitating Goku. The character is based on three ultimatums- determination, teamwork, and resilience. LeBron emulated those dictates in his tribute, pairing his sons. The soccer also could not stay away from it. The Italian soccer club, AC Milan, posted its homage to the late Japanese creator by enacting Goku’s reign again. 

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“We’ll try tackling life with as much energy as Goku! [emoji] We loved every minute…Rest in peace, Toriyama-先生”, it said in the note. Spanish club, Atletico de Madrid, penned down Goku’s chiming to remember Akira Toriyama once again. In its X-post, the Spanish club wrote, “You’ve got the power to get you through the darkest night [emoji]…RIP, Akira Toriyama”. Goku’s journey seemed to be motivating for many. 

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