This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (March 2009)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2009)

Yu-Gi-Oh!
The logo for Yu-Gi-Oh! Toei version
遊☆戯☆王 (Yū☆gi☆ō)
Genre	Action, Adventure
TV anime
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Director	Hiroyuki Kakudou
Studio	Toei Animation
Network	TV Asahi
Original run	April 4, 1998 – October 10, 1998
Episodes	27
Anime and Manga Portal

Yu-Gi-Oh! (遊☆戯☆王, Yū☆gi☆ō^?, meaning "King of Games") is the title of the first anime series based on the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. It aired on TV Asahi.^[1]

The series is loosely connected to the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters series (known internationally as simply Yu-Gi-Oh!), which was made by Nihon Ad Systems and aired on TV Tokyo; both anime series are based on the same manga series. Whilst the NAS version bases its story from Volume 8 of the manga onwards, focusing on the Duel Monsters trading card game, the Toei anime is adapted from the early volumes, telling the origins of Yugi's Millenium Puzzle and the Shadow Games that he plays.

The 1st series, which aired on TV Asahi from April 4, 1998 to October 10, 1998 for a 27-episode run, was produced by Toei Animation. Manga plots were re-written so that they could take up an entire episode time. Also, the level of violence was reduced between the manga and the anime. Finally, a minor character in the manga, Miho Nosaka, became a main character in the first series along with Yugi Mutou, Katsuya Jonouchi, Anzu Mazaki, and Hiroto Honda. Characterization was slightly modified. For instance, Miho is a "ditz" in the anime while in the manga she is a shy student librarian.

New characters and plots, such as those relating to the four game masters, were added, and there are more occurrences of Seto Kaiba and Duel Monsters (Magic and Wizards in the original Japanese manga) than in the corresponding manga, and in some cases, plot points and elements were taken from volume 8 onwards of the manga, for instance field advantages as seen in Duelist Kingdom and Jonouchi's sister Shizuka, who was introduced later in the manga. Unlike the second series, the card game (Duel Monsters) is not the sole focus of the show. The last episodes of the series focus on the battle between Yugi and Dark Bakura. This series had different voice actors and different character designs than the second series (e.g. Seto Kaiba's hair is green in Toei's anime). The series has not been licensed for an English language release.

The 1999 Yu-Gi-Oh! film uses the characters from this anime series.

[edit] Storyline

Yugi Mutou is a young boy who solves the Millennium Puzzle, wishing for true friends. While he managed to get some friends—Katsuya Jonouchi, Hiroto Honda and Anzu Mazaki—he also gains a mysterious host. Whenever someone hurts or threatens one of Yugi's friends, the Dark Yugi takes over Yugi's body and challenges them to a Shadow Game, life or death battles in which the loser suffers a Penalty Game.

One recurring story arc in the series involves a boy named Seto Kaiba, world champion of the Duel Monsters trading card game, who attempts to steal a rare card that Yugi's grandfather possesses. After obtaining it through dirty means, Dark Yugi challenges him to a Shadow Game, though Kaiba barely manages to end the game in a draw. Obsessed with defeating Yugi to determine who is stronger, Kaiba recruits four gaming experts, the "Game Masters," throughout the series to try and defeat Yugi and test the limits of his strength, but they are each defeated. Finally, Yugi and his friends are challenged by Kaiba and his younger brother Mokuba to take part in a series of life-or-death games called Death-T, after which Dark Yugi and Kaiba face off once more; the match ends in Yugi's favor, who finally gives Kaiba his penalty and purges the evil from his corrupted heart.

Another story arc involves Ryo Bakura and his Millennium Ring, which is similar to Yugi's Millennium Puzzle; however, the Ring contains a malevolent Dark Bakura. At the end of the series, Dark Bakura challenges Yugi and his friends to a board game/role-playing game called Monster World in which their souls are sealed within their own character pieces. However, with Dark Yugi controlling Yugi's body, the five friends are able to defeat Dark Bakura and save the real Bakura.

[edit] Reception

Kazuki Takahashi, the author of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! comic book series, said that he was "half excited and half scared" when he received the first offer to have Yu-Gi-Oh! animated. Takahashi felt this way because this meant allowing someone else to handle a property that meant so much to him. He wondered if the themes in the original manga would translate properly to the television series as he headed to an anime post-recording session. According to Takahashi, after he arrived he felt relieved when he heard the voices of the seiyū. Takahashi commented "these pros not only gave the characters a voice, they gave them life! I was moved!"^[2]

[edit] See also

• Yu-Gi-Oh! main characters
• Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and manga characters

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Yûgiô at the Internet Movie Database
• (Japanese) Toei Yu-Gi-Oh! first series page
• (Japanese) Toei Yu-Gi-Oh! first series property information page