Konami Shares Statement in Memory of Yu-Gi-Oh! Creator

By Tyler Fischer

This morning reports out of Japan confirmed the death of Kazuki Takahashi, the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh. According to the Japanese coast guard, the 60-year-old was discovered off the shore of Okinawa earlier this week wearing snorkeling gear. He was roughly 300 meters away from shore. So far, a cause of death has not been revealed, but the Japan Coast Guard is investing the matter. 

Taking to Twitter, Konami -- the owners of the IP -- have issued a statement about the news, noting it's "shocked" and "saddened" by the sudden passing of Takahashi. Adding to this, it pledges to carry on the legacy of the series "with all the love and care it deserves."

"We are shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Mr. Kazuki Takahashi," reads the statement. "We are deeply grateful for the wonderful 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' universe that he has created, and our thoughts are with his friends and family at this difficult time. Together with his countless fans, we pledge to carry on the 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' legacy with all the love and care it deserves."

Kazuki Takahashi began his career back in 1982 as a manga artist, with his first work being Tokiō no taka, which was published in 1990. Takashi didn't get his big break until 1996 though, when he created Yu-Gi-Oh, a series that has been picking up steam once again thanks to the popularity of Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. Primarily, Takahashi has overseen the Yu-Gi-Oh series over the years, but he's also done other work. Just recently, he revealed Marvel's Secret Reverse, a one-off manage featuring Spider-Man and Iron Man.

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