The creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!, Kazuki Takahashi, has been found dead aged 60.
The author of the popular manga series – which spawned multiple spin-offs, including video games and trading cards – was found floating in snorkelling gear in the sea near Nago, in the southern island prefecture of Okinawa, Japan, early on Wednesday (6 July), according to public broadcaster NHK.
The broadcaster reported that his floating body, located around 300 metres from the shore, was reported to the Japan Coast Guard at around 10:30am local time.
Emergency services rushed to the scene but he was pronounced dead.
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The coast guard told NHK a car rented by Takahashi had been left unattended on a farm road near the beach in Onna village, about 12km away from the site where his body was found.
The coast guard added that there were no noticeable injuries to his body and his cause of death was under investigation.
Takahashi's Yu-Gi-Oh! manga originally ran in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, from 1996 to 2004.
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While you might not be familiar with the original books, his creation went on to spawn a hit card game, anime and a huge range of toys and video games.
The franchise is still going strong to this day, with Yu-Gi-Oh! card tournaments held around the world.
In fact, its popularity has actually surged in recent years, partly down to the digital version of the card game, Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel.
The game contributed to Konami's record breaking profits in the most recent financial year, shifting 20 million copies.
In 2015, Takahashi won Comic-Con International's Inkpot Award, a coveted prize which is handed to creators for their outstanding contributions to the world of comics, sci-fi, animation, TV, film and fandom.
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Indeed, the love for the card game iteration of the franchise is such that a petition was launched, calling for it to be classified as an Olympic sport.
"It is an absolute injustice that the game of Yu-Gi-Oh! The Trading Card Game is not a legitimate sport in the Olympics," the petition argued.
"The playing of Yu-Gi-Oh! requires dexterity (when drawing the cards), athleticism (when playing the cards), and endurance (when you're in round 10 of a YCS).
"I now call on the International Olympic Committee to add Yu-Gi-Oh! as an official Olympic sport to both mend this injustice and to apologise to Japan for making them go through with the 2020 Tokyo games."
Topics: World News
Jake Massey