'Yu-Gi-Oh!' manga author Kazuki Takahashi passes away

Kazuki Takahashi, the author of popular Japanese manga "Yu-Gi-Oh!," has passed away. He was 60 years old.

According to a report on Anime News Network, the Japanese Coast Guard found Takahashi's body floating on the water off the coast of Nago City in Okinawa. He was wearing snorkeling gear.

A person on a boat first spotted the body and reported it to Japan's maritime authorities on Wednesday.

The Coast Guard and the police are currently investigating the events leading to Takahashi's death.

The "Yu-Gi-Oh!" manga ran from 1996 to 2004 in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. It was adapted into an anime series in 1998 and launched a hit franchise including card games and new anime titles.

—MGP, GMA News