Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, the new installment in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, developed by Spike Chunsoft and published by Bandai Namco, is scheduled for a late 2024 or 2025 release. The game will bring back the iconic gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
The creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, recently passed away, and it has left every anime fan brokenhearted. Fans have now started a petition to pay tribute to the legend and have urged developer Spike Chunsoft and publisher Bandai Namco to include him in the upcoming game.
Dragon Ball Fans Petition for the Addition of Tori-Bot in Sparking Zero
Toriyama died of acute subdural hematoma on Friday, March 1, 2024, at the age of 68, and this news left the community in shock. Soon after the report of his death, tributes started pouring from everywhere, and one fan, Keegan Doyle, started a petition on Change.org for adding Tori-Bot to Sparking Zero.
The fan said that after the passing of Toriyama ahead of the release of “the most anticipated Dragonball game of all time,” adding his character Tori-Bot would be a perfect way to honor him and also for developers to pay their respects to the franchise creator, who is a “legendary figure.” The petition was started on March 11, 2024, and has been signed by 24 fans at the time of writing.
For the unaware, Tori-Bot is a character based on Toriyama and represents the creator in comedic appearances across his franchises. Tori-Bot has been seen in Dr. Slump and has made a few appearances in Dragon Ball, DBZ, and Grand Tour. The character has also appeared in the Toriyama-designed Blue Dragon video game, under the name “Toripo.”
Tori-Bot is a fan-favorite character, and Toriyama fans would surely love to see it in the upcoming game. Moreover, it is all fitting for Bandai Namco to pay tribute to the creator, who has made a lot of difference in the fans’ lives. Fans have also asked for Toriyama to be featured on the home screen.
Fans Want More Recognition for Akira Toriyama
Another fan, Corey Campbell, has also started a petition to UNESCO, the Government of Japan, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization to declare March 1, the date of Toriyama’s passing, a global holiday and call it “Akira Toriyama Day” to honor his unparalleled contribution to the manga community and pop culture.
The fan added that Toriyama is an “icon” in the anime world, and his work has contributed to and shaped several storytellers spanning across generations. The player said that DB alone has reached millions all over the world and is a big name in pop culture, but added that despite all this, there is no official recognition for Toriyama.
The fan urged others to sign the petition, support the recognition of the artist who has “touched lives across continents with his creativity and imagination,” and make Toriyama celebrated just the way he deserves to be.
Do you want to see Tori-Bot in Sparking Zero? Let us know in the comment section below.
