News is spreading this week that Manabu Daishima, a longtime game developer best known for his art and graphics work at Square (and later, Square Enix), passed away last month at the age of 45.
The news comes courtesy of Kotaku and other outlets, which noticed and translated a report in the Mainichi Shimbun [Japanese] that Daishima died in a diving accident off the coast of Japan.
Throughout his career in the game industry Daishima earned credit for work on a number of Square games now considered classics, most notably Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger (a game in which he inserted himself alongside other development staff as part of the hidden "Dream Team" ending, pictured) and Final Fantasy IX.