Earlier today, news broke from Japan that has left the anime and art fandoms reeling online. Kazuki Takahashi, the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh, was pronounced dead in Japan late last night after authorities confirmed the artist’s identity. The 60-year-old creator leaves behind a heralded legacy with fans across the globe, and now, many of them are taking to social media to commemorate what they loved most about Takahashi.
After all, the artist was one of the industry’s most beloved, and their social media presence on Instagram made them more accessible than most. Fans could look forward to sketches of Seto Kaiba and others whenever they checked their feeds. And while Takahashi hasn’t published any Yu-Gi-Oh manga in years, their vision for the franchise is going on strong to this day.
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As you can see in the slides below, the world is reeling from Takahashi’s death, and there are few answers available about his passing. NHK and other Japanese outlets report the artist was found 300 meters offshore in snorkeling gear after a passing boat notified authorities. While no cause of death has been revealed, the Coast Guard believes Takahashi died a few days prior to his discovery on July 2nd, and a formal investigation is underway about the ordeal.