Yu-Gi-Oh Creator Found Dead At Sea
The legendary creator of Yu-Gi-Oh was tragically found dead at sea. The man leaves behind a massive legacy that includes one of the most succesful card trading games in history.
In a tragic news story, Takahashi Kazuki, founder of the famed anime franchise Yu-Gi-Oh, was found dead at sea today. Takahashi Kazuki, whose real name is Kazuo Takahashi, was found floating in scuba gear near the Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. So far, there are no details about what caused the man to die at sea, but the coast guard is investigating the matter. There are several reasons why he could have passed away, that are linked to the dangers of scuba diving, including running out of air, pressure from diving too far down, or another mechanical failure from the equipment he used. He was 60 years old.
Takahashi Kazuki began Yu-Gi-Oh in the early 1990s, becoming a global phenomenon. The anime had been a manga release in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine for eight years, before being turned into a card trading and dueling game. The original comic was called “Magic and Wizards” and was based on the popular game, Magic the Gathering. Takahashi Kazuki had intended for the comic to be one-shot, meaning it was a singular story that would not go past that first publication, but the Shonen Jump magazine had received so many calls and letters about the comic, Takahashi decided to extend it alongside the magazine.
Yu-Gi-Oh would go on to become a massively popular card trading game, with Takahashi developing the rules for the game himself. Takahashi Kazuki eventually landed himself in the Guinness Book of World Records, as the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game has been the most successful in the world, beating out the likes of Pokemon and Magic the Gathering. It is said the game has sold over 22 billion cards via Konami. This led to the creation of shows, and much more.
The anime would become so popular that it would eventually evolve into multiple television shows, games, manga spin-offs, and much more. The television show in the U.S. ran for six years. Takahashi had also been deeply involved in the plot of the manga since its inception, through his Studio Dice imprint company, which led him to stick around to the end of the manga’s original run to help with the story. That is impressive by any standard.
Takahashi Kazuki did not stop at Yu-Gi-Oh, as his creative ability was beginning to spread to new genres. He recently released a mange graphic novel called Marvel’s Secret Reverse, which heavily incorporated Marvel’s continuity and revolved around Iron Man and Spider-Man. There is no telling if there was going to be more collaboration between Takahashi Kazuki and Marvel, but he got the blessing to release this manga-style graphic novel.
More details are likely to come out about how Takahashi Kazuki passed away. He was fitted with equipment necessary for scuba diving, making it possible that something went horribly wrong while he had been out swimming. The coast guard is looking into his death as both a crime and an accident. This is truly tragic news, but Takahashi Kazuki leaves behind a massive legacy, as there is a global fanbase that has long been dedicated to Yu-Gi-Oh. Rest in peace, Takahashi Kazuki.
