This is sad news for fans of manga creator, Yoshito Usui. The popular Japanese cartoonist appears to have died from a hiking accident sometime after September 11. He was first reported missing on the night of the 12^th and his body was found days later in the mountainous area of the Gunnma prefecture.

Apparently, he went hiking on the 11^th and was supposed to have come back that very day. When he wasn't back in time, his wife became worried and called the police. This was followed by an extensive search for 51 year old Usui and his body was finally found by a hiker.

Seems like police identified him from dental records and with the help of personal belongings found close to the body. According to various reports, it looks like the cause of death was a tragic fall from one of the hilly walking/climbing areas.

Everyone is mourning the loss of this famous cartoonist. He was well-known for creating “Crayon Shin-chan”, a comic about a naughty little kid. It was basically the adventures of a five year old, where the writer created funny situations out of the learning processes of a child. Think of it as mischief mingled with innocence, as is typical of cartoons aimed at children.

Seems like Manga Town, the magazine that published the comic, will release the last few comics prepared by Usui. As for the anime series, ANN reports that TV Asahi, the folks airing the animated version, are going to discuss the fate of the anime with the relevant parties.