The original Yu-Gi-Oh! series is one of my favorite animated series. It is high on my list with MegaMan NT Warrior and DragonBall Z. Yugi and his friends are always on an exciting adventure. They are either in a major tournament or dueling to save the world against a nearly unstoppable enemy. Most of the duels are very exciting to watch. I continue to watch duels with Kaiba, Yugi, and Darts. No other anime on a trading card game has been able to reach the same success. Cardfight!! Vanguard does not have the same charm as Yu-Gi-Oh! The original Yu-Gi-Oh! series is in its special place in the history of trading card games. Many players including myself started playing trading card games because of Yu-Gi-Oh!
It’s Time To Duel
Yu-Gi-Oh! was the first anime to have a unique type of fight. DragonBall Z and Power Rangers feature physical fights between the heroes and villains. Yu-Gi-Oh! introduces battles with a trading card game in the genre. Two or more duelist clash in an epic card game with monsters, spells, and traps. The original series also introduced many popular cards in the franchise. Dark Magician and Blue-Eyes White Dragon are two of the most popular cards it the game. Konami continues to support both cards in today’s game.
Atem’s Determination
Pharaoh Atem has the never give up attitude before John Cena made it his slogan. He is the older version of Yugi. He is far more confident than his counterpart. He often takes over duels, and wins a dramatic fashion. He does everything possible to protect his loved ones and save the world from a major threat.
Yugi Moto’s Growth
Yugi Moto is not the best player or the strongest character at the beginning of the series. He lacks confidence. Those moments are when Atem steps in to solve conflicts. Yugi is not a bad duelist. He is pretty good, but is not at Atem’s level from the start. Then, Yugi starts to grow, and takes control of situations on his own. His first major victory is against Yami Bakura. The talented duelist surprises his foe by winning the game. Yugi continues to improve his skills. He defeats Atem without anyone’s help in the final duel.
Joey Wheeler The Underdog
Joey Wheeler is the classic underdog, and a lot of people cheer for the underdog. People want to see the little guy defeat Goliath. He quickly grows into a fine duelist. His main motivation to become a good duelist is his little sister Serenity Wheeler. She is losing her eyesight and he wants to raise money for her surgery. However, he is eliminated in the Duelist Kingdom tournament by Yugi, but Yugi gives the prize money to Joey to save his sister’s eyesight. It is one of the most touching moments in the series.
He is not a selfish guy, and we see his devotion to his sister and friends throughout the anime. He works hard for his loved one. Nearly everyone wants to succeed in life and family is often a person’s motivation. People want to provide a better life for their children, spouse, and parents. Joey does everything within his power to help his loved ones.
Chaotic Villains
My favorite villains in the franchise are from the original series. Their goals and motivations are clear. The actions to achieve their goals are very horrible crimes. Pegasus wants to revive his deceased wife with the help of the Millennium Puzzle. Marik wants to use the Egyptian Gods to conquer the world. Darts also wants to rule the world. Each main villain’s motivations and goals are perfectly executed in the anime.
Clear Story
Too many TV shows, movies, and videos from today are trying to tell deep and complex stories. However, most of these plots fall flat because the stories are not logical. Yugi’s story is very clear. It is the classic story about heroes saving the world from villains. The villains gain temporary advantage over the heroes, but Yugi and friends always find a way to overcome the odds. We have the anti-hero Seto Kaiba. Kaiba’s goals often crossed our heroes’ goals and sometimes had to fight alongside Yugi.
The Final Word
Fans will always remember the first Yu-Gi-Oh! series. The series is filled with fantastic characters and memorable moments. The duels are a part of the show’s hype, but the story does not solely rely on the cards to grab our interest. We had emotional attachments to these characters. We related to Joey being the underdog and Yugi growing into a young adult. New players should at least watch the original series once. You will not regret it.
