Dragon Ball Creator Akira Toriyama's Bird Studio Is Being Demolished

Published Oct 30, 2026, 8:01 AM EDT George is the Lead News Editor for TheGamer, and has been working in the industry since 2021 after graduating from the University of South Wales with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. He has also previously written for RPG Site, WhatCulture, and PlayStation Lifestyle. George is an expert on platformers, action games, and fighters, but tends to play as many releases as possible. This hands-on experience lets him dive into gaming communities and follow the latest trends. Some of the games George has extensively covered first-hand include Dead Rising, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, Assassin's Creed Shadows, and Ninja Gaiden 4. Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama’s former studio and occasional home, Bird Studio, is suddenly being demolished, and it’s currently not clear why. It’s a little hard to believe, but it’s coming up on three years since the world lost one of the most influential and beloved manga creators of all time - Akira Toriyama. The creator of Arale, Goku, and Beelzebub suddenly passed away towards the start of 2024, massively changing the direction of Dragon Ball and leaving a hole in the industry. While Toriyama’s death was a massive shock to the world that had fans genuinely torn up for quite some time, there was at least some peace in knowing that his legacy would always be felt. That’s still true, but it doesn’t stop the surprise demolition of Bird Studio from stinging, especially since it’s currently gone unexplained. Bird Studio, The Studio And “Home” Of Akira Toriyama Is Being Torn Down It’s Not Clear Why, But It Could Be To Do With Tax As highlighted by Twitter user Sekai_DB and originally surfaced by Threads user mr.gentleman1966, Akira Toriyama’s manga production studio, Bird Studio, has suddenly started being demolished over the past day or so. As the images show, sheets, cones, and demolition equipment can be seen all over the bright yellow building that housed most of Toriyama’s work. Bird Studio was founded after the creation of Dr. Slump and was based in Kiyosu, Japan. No official reason has been given for the demolition of Bird Studio but, as pointed out by Twitter user hezuruy, there’s some speculation that it could be due to inheritance tax. If Toriyama left Bird Studio to his family, then they would be subject to the tax, which might have forced the decision to demolish it instead of having to keep up with a building that sadly isn’t being used anymore. Even with that unconfirmed explanation, it hasn’t stopped Dragon Ball fans from being upset. Outside of the shock of seeing such an iconic location being torn down, the community is largely urging one another to stay away and respect the wishes of Toriyama’s family. Even Chikashi Kubota, the chief animation director of Super Hero, has reacted, noting that it’s “heartbreaking” and “far too soon”. For now, it’s still not clear what exactly is going on with Bird Studio, but its fate is sadly sealed, and we’re all just left to process such a big part of Toriyama’s life being taken away. At least the memories, photos, and creations that stemmed from the studio will always be around, even if Bird Studio isn't. Dragon Ball Release Date 1986 - 1989 Network Fuji TV Cast Masako Nozawa Son Goku (voice) Mayumi Tanaka Krillin (voice)