Yûgiô: 5D's

They tried many times after the original Yugioh. Yugioh R was like a bad fanfiction filled with jaw droppingly asinine duels, flat villains and a plot more shallow then a kiddie pool. Yugioh GX had an interesting premise with the Duel Academy but became an absurd exercise in tedium, introducing somewhat interesting characters that are fed to it's main character and eventually either pushed into the background or disappearing entirely. So I approached 5D with some skepticism and....

The story starts in a place called Satellite, a run down area for the impoverished, runaways, etc. Among them is Yusei Fudo, who's D-Wheel(a motorbike used for Speed Duels) and Star Dust Dragon card have been stolen by former friend Jack Atlus, who is now in Neo Domino as the "king" of duelists. Yusei plans to escape Satellite to confront Jack for his Dragon back. Yusei confronts Jack for a duel. It's a strong back and forth encounter, that ends when special dragon birthmarks on their body activates. Yusei and Jack are what are known as "Signers", signified by those birthmarks. What makes things more complicated is Rex Godwin, head of Security Maintenence Bureau in Domminno and the man who supports Jack, is the one after the Signers and the five dragon cards they posses.

What separates this from GX from the get go is the fact that 5D is not one hundred percent reliant on the cards. Sure, the card duels are as pivotal as ever, however unlike GX, the plot of 5D could easily be done with the cards removed and not have too many significance changes. It's clear a lot more thought went into the plot as not only does it begin from the get go, but there has yet to be a single filler episode.

The animation is what you would expect of a Yugioh series, perhaps a little smoother even. The voice acting is good, with some voices like Aki's being downright chilling at times. The soundtrack isn't outstanding, not even a touch on the soundtrack of the original Yugioh series(Japanese version) which is among the best anime soundtracks I've heard(and I don't even consider the original yugioh a top ten anime by any stretch) Now let's get to the characters. Drifting away from the hyper and at times clueless Judai, they've gone back to a more serious protagonist in Yusei.Almost always solemn(even more so then Yami) Yusei continues the Yugioh tradition of the main character being less interesting then the supporting cast. While he's easy to get behind, there's not a whole lot to him. The supporting cast is strong with characters that stand out. The characters have their own, distinct personalities and except for the old man, I find none of them annoying. There's also been a lot more thought put into the backstories of some of these characters i.e they have one(yep, another shot at GX-I can't help it, it's too easy) Pot shots aside, I actually enjoyed the backstories of some of these characters, as they were pretty poignant for a Yugioh series(especially Aki) Now duel wise, the system's been tweaked. There are two types of duels, the regular duels we're used to, and Riding Duels, the duels on motorbikes. The difference is, besides that they're riding on speed bikes, is that there are a new set of rules. The field spell Speed World is activated automaticaly at the beginning of each duel. This makes it so only cards with SP in front of them can be used. There are also speed counters, which each player get's an extra of every turn. For every 1000 lifepoints a player loses(remainders are not counted) a speed counter is lost. Spell cards require a certain number of speed counters, and the speed counters also detirmine the speed of the bike. It's actually pretty interesting. A new feature that's been added to both duels is synchro summon. Basically, if you get what's called a tuner monster out with another monster and their combined levels equal that of the monster you want to synchro summon, you can sacrifice them to summon the monster. Since synchro summon is a special summon, that means you can summon the required sacrifice and the syncro summon in one turn.

At merely twenty two episodes currently, things could go bad but I'm optimistic right now. I can't wait to see more as the plot is intriguing and not so easy to predict. I will even go as far to say this is the best of the Yugioh series, even more then the original.

I would also like to note, avoid the dub like the plague. 4kids has not learned their lesson, stick with the subs.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's is a lackluster addition to the beloved franchise that fails to live up to its predecessors. With its uninspired storytelling, inconsistent character development, and dull gameplay mechanics, it falls far short of the excitement and charm that fans have come to expect from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Series.

One of the most glaring issues with Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's is its weak storytelling. The plot feels disjointed and poorly executed, lacking the depth and complexity that made earlier seasons of the franchise engaging. The narrative attempts to blend card duels with a dystopian setting, but the combination feels forced and fails to create a cohesive and compelling story. The attempts at political and social commentary come across as heavy-handed and superficial, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the series.

Furthermore, the character development in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's is sorely lacking. The protagonists and supporting cast are one-dimensional, with little growth or depth throughout the series. The characters lack the charisma and relatability of previous Yu-Gi-Oh! Iterations, making it difficult to invest in their journeys or feel any real connection with them. Their motivations and backstories are often brushed aside, leaving them feeling hollow and uninteresting.

The gameplay mechanics in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's also leave much to be desired. The introduction of the motorcycle duels, known as Turbo Duels, is meant to inject excitement into the card battles, but it ends up feeling gimmicky and poorly executed. The focus on speed and mechanics specific to the Turbo Duels detracts from the strategic and tactical elements that made previous duels in the franchise engaging. The card effects and deck strategies feel unbalanced, resulting in repetitive and predictable gameplay that quickly becomes monotonous.

In terms of animation and art style, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's falls short of the standards set by its predecessors. The character designs lack the distinctiveness and iconic appeal of previous Yu-Gi-Oh! Series, and the animation itself often feels stiff and lacking in fluidity. The action sequences fail to evoke any sense of excitement or tension, further contributing to the overall disappointment of the series.

In conclusion, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's is a disappointing entry in the franchise that fails to capture the magic and excitement of its predecessors. With its weak storytelling, shallow character development, lackluster gameplay mechanics, and subpar animation, it is a lackluster addition that pales in comparison to earlier seasons of Yu-Gi-Oh!. It does little to advance the franchise or offer a compelling and enjoyable viewing experience. If you are a fan of Yu-Gi-Oh!, it would be best to stick with the earlier seasons and avoid wasting your time on this lackluster installment.

Yu-gi-oh 5d's is much better than the first one. Not to say the first one was all that bad,but this spin off is just more intriguing than the first one. It is easier to relate as well because it has a lot to do about making choices and the difference between good and evil. Once again not to say the first Yu-gi-oh didn't this series just deals in a stronger more direct way. This series is very strong and direct and really re-enforces positive values contradicting what some people say such as show like this just have to do with devil worship. Sure their is some mythical view points but it is just a cartoon and cartoons are for fun right? Well, this cartoon is it will keep you laughing wondering and excited all in one episode.

I may be biased here, but I am a lover of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! series. I loved the mechanics of duelling and the links to ancient Egypt. Yu-Gi-Oh! GX was OK, but I felt the story was a bit too light and lacklustre. After I saw the love that this series got, I felt I had to watch it.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's is set in a dystopian city, with the "Satelline" (equivalent to a deprived region of a city) being the main setting for the story. The main protagonist, Jaden Yuki, is a great character and you really do get to understand his back story and motives. The other main characters in the series are equally as likable, albeit for different reasons. What I liked about this series is its dark nature and the story of someone rising from the slums through the means of duelling.

Now, on the subject of duelling...this is where I got a bit annoyed. The concept of speed duelling was introduced whereby everything the governs a normal duel was present, except duels are now conducted on super-fast motorbikes. Maybe its my age (I'm 25), but I just don't get it. Aside from the motorbikes being redundant to the concept of duelling, I felt it made duelling a restricted sport. In the era of the original series, duelling was something everyone could do. All you needed was a deck. Now, duelling is something only those with motorbikes could do. There were some standalone duels off the bikes, but it seems they were just not done anymore. I enjoyed the new format, but my rational brain just felt it unnecessary.

If you enjoyed the original series, this may be something worth watching. The characters are deep and interesting, and the story is great. Just don't be prepared for a rational explanation as to why duelling must now be performed while racing.

Well I've watched every single Yu-Gi-Oh anime, might as well talk about my favorite one. As I get used to experiencing disappointment from this franchise, I like to think back to those dazzling memories from my childhood when I watched 5D's for the first time. It was the first rematch between Yusei Fudo and Officer Trudge and it was epic. The monsters, the speed, the motocross action, it was the perfect combination of adrenaline.

I still think Synchro Summoning is the most creative summoning method to come out of this franchise. It's like you're tuning up the monsters like race cars. And combined with great motocross action it's like a blend of Pokémon and Akira.

But what usually kills it for me is the god awful English Dub. I can usually tolerate 4Kids fine in family shows like the Kirby anime, but 5D's was clearly designed for a teen rated audience, and the over censorship really did a number on the story. Characters can't die, bad jokes ruin the tension, and an entire season is cut out. Good God, they erased another Yu-Gi-Oh finale from America.

Of course I won't reveal what happens in the end, but you'd better stick the sub version if you want your sanity to stay intact. Though I do also feel bad saying that, because I liked the voice actors they picked for this show. Everybody sounds like they're having a ball, even while holding such a cheesy script.

Gregory Abbey somehow went from playing one of the most forgettable characters in Duel Monsters to playing one of the most complex characters in 5D's. And he is just nailing Yusei Fudo's character. Always acting in a very organized yet energetic fashion. Rarely expressing joy, yet beneath the stoic exterior lies an intense passion for dueling.

It's these elements that I'd argue make Yusei Fudo, the best written Yu-Gi-Oh protagonist. And with a story that does a good job of alerting the audience he's not invincible with flashbacks and a near death experience with Kalin Kessler, it makes his journey to restore order to his unbalanced city all the more satisfying. Seeing him speed up, slow down, and then speed up again is instant adrenaline.

Like I said earlier, I have had a lot of annoying experience with the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. The anime has hundreds of annoying moments and I have yet to play a good Yu-Gi-Oh video game. I have plenty of frustration bottled up regarding Konami's shortcomings.

But when I watch the legendary dragons of red and white clash as Yusei explains his former best friend about how he inspired him to become a master duelist, while using those mastered techniques to defeat his foes, Everything just comes together like a well tailored suit. Each thread connects with another.

I cannot deny awesome writing. The rivalry between Yusei Fudo and Jack Atlas might be better than Yugi and Kaiba's. And that's really saying something, because I also like those characters a lot.

Honestly most of the modern Yu-Gi-Oh anime these days seems to pander towards younger kids. Though I would love to see a return to teen rated Yu-Gi-Oh with exciting storytelling. Definitely take notes from 5D's. Aside from a few bad filler episodes and the 4kids dub, I still found this show to be really enjoyable. I would love to see a concept as creative as card games on motorcycles in future installments. With a much more professional English dub of course. Rev it up and check it out today.