Yu-Gi-Oh!

Bear with me on this first, okay? I think Yugiô, or Yu-Gi-Oh, is great. It's fun to watch. The story can be engaging at times, and even the voices of the dub can be enjoyable from time to time as well...

...but then in comes snake in the grass 4Kids. It thwarts the nature and goals of the series' baddies and censures countless scenes out of the original version. It is true that you can expect nothing less from a broadcast for kids, but these guys have taken the renewal of this series to unpleasant heights. Where in Japan you saw once-up antagonists get drunk in a bar, enticing clothing, semi-revealed body parts, several cases of nudity, wicked tongue action from... you know who if you are a fan, and some mild harsh language, 4Kids removes scenes, dresses the 'Black Magician Girl' up in a dumb pair of pink trunks, digitally embellishes the 'horrors of combat', dumbs down some dialogue, digitally removes some female characters' cleavages and simply makes the entire experience of watching this a lot more bland.

I dare any of you to watch the very first dubbed episode, and then watch a dubbed episode from season two and three and you see how 4Kids struggled with this show. Where they started out using phrases like 'super awesome rare' and with a character representation about as shallow as those in Toddler oriented Nick Toons, they 'got their game on' in order to show a slightly more grown up struggle along the way. It is commendable that 4Kids have kept it from becoming a total farce, but that brings one to the real problem.

It is sometimes hard to confide in a series like Yu-gi-oh, because almost every single conflict from beginning to end plays out in a children's card game. Subliminal messages throughout the series, or at least the dub, entitle the gamer's philosophy, that is to say the 'Heart of the Cards'. Of course, if they were just playing a friendly game all the time, this premise and the continuous and sometimes absolutely nauseating friendship skits would all be meaningless. But then, after having wagered one's soul over a dozen time in perilous 'shadow games', these guys do need a philosophy to survive the onslaught of all these card games.

Many people already start to get me wrong here. I like this show, even the dub, but where it really sets off is in the last two seasons, where characters really start developing, and the world really starts turning. Where the still ever-present pep talks and friendship speeches blot out the ever-mounting stakes in the dub, the original version can be very touching at times, and some duels in this late stage of the show do seem very meaningful (My favorites: Both duels between Mou hitori no (Yami) Yugi vs. Raferu (Raphael)). And that is why I think it has the potential to be this good; because while being fully aware that good guy and bad guy are resolving their disputes by playing a children's card game, one can forget that they are actually playing a children's card game at times.

Of course, the card games are just the means to every end and the story does not necessarily revolve around the duels per se. The storyline of the ancient Pharaoh sealing himself and his memory away in order to stop (at first rather generic) evil, as well as some of the Egyptian themes within the series are quite engaging and interesting, although it must be admitted that after all the time that this mystery remains sealed (the first four seasons, in fact), its resolution can be really underwhelming. Also undeniable; the fourth season, where the cast takes on an ancient free mason like organization called Damu (Doom in the dub, I think) is one of the, if not the best and most introspective story arcs. It is a shame that it destroys the pace, and is the main reason why the conclusion is slightly underwhelming and detached.

Do yourself a favor. If you go and watch this series, watch the Japanese version. The dub is okay (I give it a 5 thumbs up out of 10), but the Japanese version is great (9 kawaiis out of 10). Plus, the Japanese soundtrack is much more better.

When my brother started watching this show and I heard bits of it in the background I thought it sounded like the stupidest thing ever--I heard bits of dialogue along the lines of "Oh, yeah! Well I attack with my dark magician!" or "Now I shall harness the power of all millennium items and rule the world!" or "Ha ha, with the power of our friendship we will defeat you!" However, after I had been forced to actually watch several episodes and began to actually follow the plot and character development, I discovered to my surprise that this show, while it is basically just a marketing ploy to sell trading cards, is actually a complex and fascinating story with well-developed and multi-dimensional characters and relationships.

Now, granted, you have to have certain tolerances to enjoy this show: you have to accept the world in which the characters live, in which for some reason everything seems to ride on this certain card game, Duel Monsters, and in which there exist ancient items with various spirits trapped inside them. If you're inclined to dismiss the premises of the plot as stupid, then this show is not for you. Secondly, you have to tolerate the fact that much of the show consists of duels, in which the characters themselves compete in the card game that the show is designed to market. It helps if you're a 6 to 12-year-old boy (or anyone else, I suppose) and are actually into playing the card game yourself. Or, like me, you can simply realize that the game actually is quite interesting and complex, and in the show is used to advance the plot and character development, and just accept it. Finally, you have to tolerate a certain amount of sappiness--the main characters do often take the time to go on and on about the importance of friendship and courage and standing up for yourself, etc etc...however, I personally find this somewhat refreshing after watching my brother play countless video games where the main message seemed to be Kill Anything in Your Path if It Will Give You Energy Points or some such advantage. And the character relationships are complex enough that these speeches, when they occur, are actually meaningful and sometimes (at least to me!) quite touching.

The point is, don't dismiss this show. The animation is crisp and nuanced (except for occasionally when they decide for some reason to switch to exaggerated, cartoon-like animation, particularly with Joey--those moments are probably my least favorite aspect of the show!), and the characters are real, touching, and very entertaining. Suspend your cynicism and just let yourself enjoy the show--it's actually quite worth it!!

I don't know why so many people doesn't like this show, it's got everything you can wish from a good cartoon show. The excitement, humor and the fight against good and evil. And when they are taking most of the story from agent Egypt It's get more and more exited.

I had never enjoyed a Manga series this much, except from Sailor Moon. But this series is the best when it comes down from it's category. But it's too bad that the cards you can buy from the series is to expensive, but that doesn't stop me. I got almost a hundred, and more is going to be.

Yu-Gi-Oh is the best cartoon show I had ever seen and the movie is so god that I can watch it over and over again. THIS IS ABSOLUTE GREAT!!!

It took me a while, but I finally got my hands on originals! All that was cut out; all the unanswered questions, all the cute sight gags and jokes! Why?! Okay, maybe a little mature for the American standard of what a cartoon is supposed to be, but... all they did to it here is turn it into a 20 minute commercial for the game! Come on people! There is so much more to the story! How Yugi met Joun... (cringe) Joey, and Hon... (double cringe) Tristan. How he got the puzzle. How Joey got the Red Eyes in the first place. Where Mai really comes from, why she _really_ duels... I'm not going to answer any of these for you, you just have to find it yourself. I don't know the policy for leaving urls here, otherwise I would tell you >

Yu-Gi-Oh has to be one of my favorite cartoons since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It's about a boy, Yugi Moto, who must save his kidnapped Grandfather from an evil millionaire. How is he to do it? By playing Duel Cards on an island tournament, thats how. Each person he duels has their own motive for winning, whether it's to save a loved one (like his friend Joey), a personal vendetta (like Kaiba or Bandit Keith), or if they just want to buy more 'accessories' (Mia). I think seeing each character's personality, and how it reflects on their card playing, is one of the best aspects of this show. (especially Joey, he's so damn funny!)

This ain't no Pokemon folks, It's time to duel!