ANIME and manga icon Kazuki Takahasi has been found dead at age 60.
Fans around the globe have paid tribute to the esteemed artist, who was best known for creating the popular series Yu-Gi-Oh.
Who was Yu-Gi-Oh creator Kazuki Takahashi?
Kazuki Takahashi was a Japanese manga artist and game creator.
The late 60-year-old began perfecting his craft in 1982, before he bagged his first renowned work on Fighting Hawk in 1990.
Despite his hard work, the creator did not become successful until 1996 when he created his infamous manga series Yu-Gi-Ho.
The craze for the loveable character Yugi Mutou led to Kazuki, who wrote and illustrated the series, gaining international recognition.
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A series of spin-offs were also formed in wake of its success, seeing him secure an estimated net worth of $20 million.
Takahashi wrote and illustrated the series, with it spawning into a media franchise including several video games, as well as a TV series and films.
Yu-Gi-Oh was originally serialised in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine between 1996 and 2004 following the story of a boy named Yugi Mutou, who solves the ancient Millennium Puzzle.
True to his craft, Kazuki was known for his love of games and manga.
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His beloved pet dog, Taro, even gave him the inspiration for the Yu-Gi-Ho Trading Card Game character, Shiba-Warrior Taro.
The Guinness World Records recognised Yu-Gi-Oh! as the world's best-selling trading card game in 2011, with a massive 25.17billion sets flogged around the globe.
What was his cause of death?
According to reports, the Japanese Coast Guard found Kazuki's body "drifting face down in the sea about 300 meters offshore of Awa, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture."
The corpse is said to have been discovered "floating in shallow waters" and sporting "snorkeling equipment" by a passing boat.
Many have begun speculating the infamous artist was involved in an accident while out exploring the water.
It's understood the writer was traveling alone in the Okinawa area when a car rental company said it could not reach him, sparking a search for him.
Police and the Coast Guard are investigating the incident after reportedly confirming the body was Kazuki's.
One fan wrote in a tweet: "I can honestly say I probably wouldn’t be here without your work and the card game it spawned, and it had a reaching impact that will last forever.
"Your passion shined. You will be missed."
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Another added: "Rest in peace you monster of an artist, creator of one of the most iconic anime of all time and easily one of my all time favorites.
"Rest easy Kazuki Takahashi."
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