New Details Reveal The Heroic Death Of Yu-Gi-Oh! Creator
"Yu-Gi-Oh!" fans were devastated to find out that creator Kazuki Takahashi had died in July 2022. At the time, Takahashi's cause of death wasn't revealed, but some suspected that it was a tragic accident, considering that he was found wearing gear for some sort of underwater expedition, including a snorkel. The snorkel specifically led some fans to believe that Takahashi had died while seeing the sights just off the coast of Japan. Now, authorities have revealed the truth of exactly what happened to the iconic creator, and it's much more inspiring than gamers might have initially expected.
It turns out that Takahashi died while attempting to save others from the same fate. The information comes from Stars and Stripes, a news publication designed specifically for America's military. The article in question was meant to honor Army Major Robert Bourgeau, who helped save three people from a deadly riptide at an Okinawan diving destination. While Bourgeau made it out of the incident alive, one of the other individuals attempting to save divers from the waves wasn't so lucky.
Bourgeau described his harrowing experience in detail, commenting that he was busy attempting to rescue a Japanese civilian and her 11-year-old daughter when Takahashi entered the dangerous currents. Even though he didn't see the manga artist explicitly, Bourgeau had kind words to say to honor Takahashi.
Takahashi died a hero
"He's a hero. He died trying to save someone else," Bourgeau told Stars and Stripes. Bourgeau explained that while attempting to rescue others, he became tired and was in danger of also drowning. Knowing his own limits, Bourgeau headed back to safety. In a statement to the Army, he said, "That was one the hardest things I have ever had to do, I let [the man] go so I could save myself." Takahashi, however, continued his mission to save others, even up to the very end.
After learning the new details about Takahashi's death, fans were quick to praise their favorite creator online. One Twitter user commented, "Legitimately lived and died as a hero in my eyes. Hope he gets to play all the games he loves up there." Another said that Takahashi's actions mirrored the good deeds he always tried to promote in "Yu-Gi-Oh!" One fan explained that they knew that there was more to the incident, and that it was comforting to know that Takahashi demonstrated the values he put into his fictional work, even if it meant his own life was in danger.
Even though the details of Takahashi's death are sure to reopen the still-fresh wound in the gaming community, his heroism has now become part of his story.