Yu-Gi-Oh! Creator Kazuki Takahashi Makes His First Appearance at Comic-Con International: San Diego

World-Renowned Manga Artist Headlines Panel Discussion and Meets with Fans for Autograph Signing

New York, NY June 10, 2015 -– Sure to cause unprecedented excitement among anime and pop culture fans, Kazuki Takahashi, the world-renowned manga artist and creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!, will make his first U.S. public appearance at this year's Comic-Con International: San Diego, which takes place July 9-12, 2015.

Traveling from his home in Japan, Mr. Takahashi will address Comic-Con fans about the preparations and production underway for the highly anticipated third Yu-Gi-Oh! feature film, which is scheduled for release in 2016. Mr.Takahashi will also explore his passions for illustration, design and gaming and how they meld into inspiring new ideas that have kept the Yu-Gi-Oh! brand fresh and engaging for nearly two decades. The panel date, time and location will be announced by Comic-Con later this month.

“Fans of Yu-Gi-Oh! appreciate just how extraordinary a public appearance by Mr. Takahashi is, and we are thrilled that he has agreed not only to attend and speak at San Diego Comic-Con, but also to take the time to meet with fans and sign autographs, a very rare occurrence indeed,” said Kristen Gray, Senior Vice President, Operations and Business & Legal Affairs at 4K Media Inc., a member of Konami Group. “Additionally, Mr. Takahashi has provided an illustration of Yugi -- the most iconic character from his famous series -- for inclusion in the Comic-Con International: San Diego souvenir book for the event.”

Since launching Yu-Gi-Oh!, the global phenomenon that has captured the hearts of millions of fans, Mr. Takahashi's creative vision has yielded two theatrical movies and five animated TV series broadcast in more than 65 countries. The newest series, Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V, premieres in the United States later this year, setting the stage for the debut of the brand's third feature film slated to hit theaters in 2016.

As he creates new manga and games, Mr. Takahashi's projects always center on the value of friendship – the core idea that runs throughout the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! and continues to entice fans to this day. The Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game holds the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling trading card game of all time with over 25 billion cards sold.

About 4K Media

4K Media Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., manages the licensing and marketing of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise outside of Asia. In addition, 4K Media handles brand management and the production and distribution of the Yu-Gi-Oh! television series. The Yu-Gi-Oh! animated franchise, with over 650 episodes, consists of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! , Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal and the new series, Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V. The series have been translated and broadcast in 65 countries on leading networks. The Yu-Gi-Oh! website is available at www.yugioh.com