A NEW report has revealed the likely cause of death of Yu-Gi-Oh creator Kazuki Takahashi, who passed away in July this year.
His body was found off the coast of Nago, Okinawa, Japan, where he had been travelling alone.
Takahashi is best known for creating Yu-Gi-Oh!
He was wearing snorkelling gear, and his rental car with his belongings was found parked near a popular diving spot, Mermaid’s Grotto.
Speaking to Stars and Stripes, a US military officer who was at the scene was able to shed some light on the icon’s passing.
The officer, Major Robert Bourgeau, was training two students in scuba diving at Mermaid’s Grotto when the incident occurred.
At around 2pm on July 4, Bourgeau spotted a Japanese woman in distress pointing out her 11-year-old daughter and a US soldier who were trapped in a riptide offshore.
Six-foot waves were crashing onto the area, causing a whirlpool under the water, making it difficult to escape.
Bourgeau and one student went into the water while the other student called the emergency services for help.
As Bourgeau was carrying the young girl to safety, the mother had also become trapped in the tide.
At some point during the rescue Takahashi also entered the water, where Bourgeau’s students caught glimpses of him before he vanished beneath the waves.
Bourgeau called Takahashi “a hero” stating: “He died trying to save someone else.”
All three of the distressed swimmers eventually made it to shore, as did Bourgeau and his student, though all of them say they were at risk of drowning due to the strong currents.
Unfortunately, Takahashi was not seen again until his body was found three days later.
Takahashi will be fondly remembered by fans for creating the widely popular manga, anime, and gaming series Yu-Gi-Oh! in 1996.
Yu-Gi-Oh! was popular all around the world with new manga, anime and games still in production.
He was a beloved icon in the community and many have been shocked since the news of his passing aged just 60.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
