"Master Takahashi" leaves Hudson

Japanese gaming celebrity Toshiyuki Takahashi, better known as Takahashi Meijin (aka Master Takahashi) has left developer Hudson Soft after almost 30 years.

Famed for his skill at video games, including a well-publicised ability to register 16 button presses per second, Takahashi was the public face of Hudson and one of the Japanese industry's most recognisable personalities during the 8 and 16-bit era.

As well as numerous television appearances and advertisements, Takahashi was also turned into the star of the popular Adventure Island series of platform games. His character was renamed as Master Higgins in the West.

Takahashi, now a PR executive, made the announcement of his departure on his official blog, which is also set to close. According to a translation by website Tiny Cartridge he is to remain in the games industry in some capacity.

During the late '80s Hudson's PC Engine (aka Turbografx) console proved relatively successful in Japan, with notable graphical advantages over the dominant Nintendo Entertainment System. The company was never able to successfully expand into the West though and after years of decline was acquired by Konami in January of this year.

More recently listings for core games, such as the company's key Bomberman franchise, on the 3DS have disappeared from schedules and Konami has indicated its intention to focus Hudson staff on mobile and social games.