Takahashi Kazuki, the Japanese manga artist and creator of the internationally widespread sequence Yu-Gi-Oh!, was discovered lifeless within the sea off the coast of Japan’s Okinawa Island on Wednesday.
In keeping with the Japanese public broadcaster NHK, the artist’s physique was noticed within the water about 300 metres from the shoreline. He was carrying snorkelling gear on the time of his demise, the outlet claimed.
Kazuki was 60 years outdated.
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An area citizen reported Kazuki’s physique within the water, as he was seen “drifting face down,” stated NHK.
Firefighters responded to the report and Kazuki was pronounced lifeless on the scene. He was visiting Okinawa alone.
Kazuki’s physique was not recognized till Thursday when the Japanese coast guard additionally discovered a rental automotive utilized by the artist on a farm street close by.
The Japanese Coast Guard is at present investigating Kazuki’s demise.
“We’re investigating the case as each a doable accident or crime,” stated a coast guard spokesperson.
There are contradicting experiences on the state of his physique. NHK reported there have been no noticeable wounds on the artist. Alternatively, NBC Information, which spoke to the eleventh Regional Coast Guard Headquarters in Okinawa, wrote there have been “damages to his physique, which regarded like they have been brought on by some type of marine animal.”
Kazuki, whose actual identify is Takahashi Kazuo, has been a serious figurehead within the manga neighborhood for many years now.
He started his profession as an artist of the Japanese-style comics within the early Eighties.
The creation of Yu-Gi-Oh! — which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Soar journal — was his best success. The manga revolves round an historical puzzle and a younger, spiky-haired protagonist who awakens an alternate persona inside the recreation.
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The manga was in manufacturing from 1996 to 2004. NHK reported over 40 million copies have been offered.
Yu-Gi-Oh! obtained worldwide acclaim when the manga’s success led to the creation of a TV anime sequence and a wildly widespread buying and selling card recreation.
The sport was licensed in 2009 by the Guinness Guide of World Information as one of many best-selling buying and selling card video games of all time. Leisure firm Konami, who creates the cardboard recreation, has estimated over 35 billion Yu-Gi-Oh! playing cards have been offered worldwide. To this present day, worldwide Yu-Gi-Oh! competitions nonetheless happen.
Members of the German Yu-Gi-Oh! Buying and selling Card Recreation Championships play towards one another in Schkeuditz, Germany, 18 Might 2013. Greater than 800 gamers competed towards one another to win the title of German champion of the Japanese card recreation.
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On social media, many devoted manga, anime and buying and selling card followers paid their respects, mourning the lack of the influential artist.
To honour the artist’s demise, Studio Cube, Takahashi’s company, paused the model’s web site and turned it black.
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