Summary
Yu-Gi-Oh!is an anime based on the hit manga by author Kazuki Takahashi. The manga made its first appearance inShonen Jumpin the late 90s and has since reached monumental success.Yu-Gi-Oh!took the world by storm in both Eastern and European territories with its exciting story and a vast amount of interest in the game that the series is based around.
The author, Kazuki Takahashi, recently passed away but left behind a legacy that will last forever and will be remembered for the mark he left on the manga and anime communities. TheYu-Gi-Oh!franchise has surpassed expectations and is a globally celebrated phenomenon.Yu-Gi-Oh!has transcended its manga beginnings and has receivedvideo games, films, and several anime adaptations over the years. Each series is a more unique tale than the last and introduces new cards, characters, and adventures with each season.
Updated July 18, 2025 by Rhenn Taguiam:With Yu-Gi-Oh! releasing The Infinite Forbidden as 2024’s third major booster pack release, fans of the franchise may finally be able to use Yugi Muto’s iconic Exodia and the Forbidden One’s pieces to spice up the battlefield in more dynamic ways. However, fans who only just started playing Yu-Gi-Oh! may not necessarily remember the impact Exodia had on audiences back in the series’ heyday, especially before the eras of Fusion, Synchro, Link, and Pendulum Summons.
While the idea of an instant win condition may be unheard of today, it’s interesting to note how the series’ many mechanics have evolved alongside the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime they released with. Although a more recent example of this would be the introduction of Rush Duels through Yudias Velgear and youngsters Yuhi and Yuamu Ohdo, other series and films in the franchise also established some noteworthy additions - be it through a mechanic or a concept.
September to November 2006
Episode Number
12
Set just betweenGrand Championshipand the final season ofDawn of the Duel,the story ofYu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monstersbegins at a time when the new Capsule Monsters board game began chasing Duel Monsters in its popularity. When Yugi and his friends begin searching for Grandpa, who hasn’t returned from a last-minute “secret expedition,” they end up crash-landing in a forest and meeting Dr. Alex Brisbane, the last person who supposedly saw him. After being told that Grandpa Solomon Muto was last seen entering the legendary pyramid of Alexander the Great, a chain of events begins that would bring Yugi and the gang to a world where Duel Monsters run rampant.
The team eventually discovers that they have entered the world of Capsule Monsters, and there’s more to the game than meets the eye. This short-lived season would seeYu-Gi-Oh!go isekai beyond traditional duels in the Virtual World when they fight Seto’s stepbrother Noah. While there was a real board game that accompanied the anime, its existence was short-lived and eventually discontinued.
Why Is This Anime Notable?
Despite its short existence,Capsule Monsterswas applaudable for its attempt to revitalize earlyYu-Gi-Oh!with a collectible figure game. ThisCapsule Monsters Collectible Figure Gamehad a short production periodand only had a two-player Starter Set, one Booster Pack, and a PlayStation 2 adaptation (Capsule Monster Coliseum). The collectible figure game in itself is based on Capsule Monster Chess, an in-universe board game from the early days of the manga and the anime. Both the figure game andCapsule Monster Coliseumseem to follow similar turn-based chess-inspired rules, although the latter has more versatility due to its larger roster of available monsters.
August 2022 to Present
119
Set as somewhat a spiritual successor toSevens, the story ofYu-Gi-Oh! Go Rush!!takes place in Mutsuba Town before its transformation into Goha City. As the final duel inSevensbrings Yuga Ohdo in the past, the earlier introduction of Rush Dueling made it a mainstay inGo Rush!!’s current continuity. In this timeline, protagonists and siblings Yuhi and Yuamu Ohdo are elementary schoolers who are “searching” for aliens to “exterminate” as members of the Ultraterrestrial Trouble Solutions.
While the siblings spend most of their days doing shenanigans, their lives change when they actually find a real spaceship with a real alien - someone named Yudias Velgear from the Velgear Star Cluster. The twins teach Yudias the way of Rush Duels, and they eventually help him solve the mystery of his visit to Earth.
Go Rush!!is the most recent post-Zexalspinoff that takes place within the same continuity of its preceding series, with Yuga seemingly ending up as an employee of Goha Enterprises back when it was still Goha Company and focused on toys. UnlikeSevens, which debuted an entirely new format,Go Rush!!improves upon existing Rush Duel mechanics with new innovations. The series introduces Galaxy-type Monsters in line with Yudias’s outer space origins, while Rush Duels now has access to Equip Spells.
April 2020 to March 2022
89
Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevenstakes place in a futuristic era where a megacorporation named Goha Corporation doesn’t just regulate dueling but even the day-to-day life of the citizens of Goha City. The series’ story revolves around Yuga Odo, a young engineer and Duel Monsters enthusiast whose inventions called Roads aren’t compatible with conventional dueling standards.
Fed up with current dueling mechanics, Yuga invents his own style of dueling called Rush Duels - a feat proving to be difficult to integrate with Goha Corp’s Duel Disk as he runs the risk of his Duelist Account getting banned. Things will change for Yuga forever when Luke, his school’s self-proclaimed “Number One” Duelist, tells him about the urban legend of the “King of Duels” as well as the arrival of the mysterious Hologram Man.
While the idea of faster-paced duels already exists in the Speed Duel formatpopularized byDuel Monsters Saikyo Card Battle,theVRAINSanime, and theDuel Linksgame, the new Rush Duels ofSevenscondenses mechanics even further. This time around, Rush Duels retains a field similar to Speed Duels but players have no hand size limit and can summon as many Monsters of Level 4 or below as they want. Effects of cards are written in a simpler format, and this straightforwardness extends to overall gameplay - the game doesn’t have a Standby Phase and Main Phase 2, while there are no Pendulum and Extra Monster Zones.
April 2011 to March 2014
146
Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexaltakes place in Heartland City, in an era when people enjoyed Augmented Reality Duels through new technologies such as Duel Gazers and D-Pads. Unlike otherYu-Gi-Oh!protagonists who are natural winners,Zexallead Yuma Tsukumo has a penchant for losing. However, a chain of events leads Yuma to cross paths with an ancientDueling spiritnamed Astral, who asks him for help in reclaiming his memories.
The story ofZexalfollows Yuma and Astral on a journey to recover cursed cards scattered among the world of Duel Monsters called ”Numbers.” On their journey, Astral and Yuma encounter talented Duelists, vengeful rivals, and shady shadow organizations that are all entangled in the Numbers curse. With aspirations of becoming the best Duelist in the game, Yuma discovers that the world of Duel Monsters is much larger than he imagined.
On top of being the first series to not have its protagonist interact with otherYu-Gi-Oh!leads in any format (e.g., Easter Egg, cameo, film),Zexalis also the first series to introduce a Monster type that doesn’t rely on Levels. Instead, its new Xyz Summon mechanic tributes Monsters with Levels that add up to the Xyz Monster’s Rank. The tributed Monsters become Xyz Materials that the Xyz Monster discards when using its effects. Xyz Monsters having their exclusive summoning format allowed the creation of unique cards in other formats, such as Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon, which is a Pendulum Xyz Monster that possesses effects based on how it’s summoned.
April 2014 to March 2017
148
Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-Vis an interdimensional thrill ride that follows Yuya Sakaki and his friends as they are caught in a duel tournament between different Duel Academies in the city. UnlikeotherYu-Gi-Oh!protagonists, Yuya is a born performer and aims to become an Entertainment Duelist who brings smiles to others. After obtaining the power of Pendulum Summons, Yuya skyrockets into becoming one of the top players among his peers.
However, as Yuya begins getting involved in the inner workings of the mysterious Leo Corporation, it’s revealed the fights against other Duel Academis extend to realms beyond their understanding. Soon, Yuya begins a dimension-hopping journey where he meets counterparts of himself in realms that specialize in existingYu-Gi-Oh!summoning techniques.
The reveal ofARC-Vpaying homage to all previousYu-Gi-Oh!series by virtue of its interdimensional premise makes the anime a worthwhile celebratory watch for fans and newcomers. It’s interesting to see Yuya interact with alternate versions of himself from different dimensions, especially when it came to duels where Yuya’s Pendulum Summons had to contend with decks focusing on specific dueling styles. The aforementioned Pendulum Summon was also an innovative addition to the card game, with Pendulum Monsters that alternate between Spell Cards and Pendulum Zones effectively expanding the utility of the backrow beyond traditional Trap Cards and Spell Cards.
1
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pyramid of Light,the first movie in theYu-Gi-Ohfranchise, is an intense ride where the original cast put their cards on the line in a battle of supernatural proportions. The ancient spirit of Anubis has returned to claim revenge on the Pharaoh of the Millennium Puzzle.
Yugi, fresh off of the events of Battle City, must take on the dark specter and save his friends. Anubis wields the final Millennium Item and immeasurable power to dominate his opponents in the shadow realm. The fate of the world hangs in the balance, and only the heart of the cards can save the day.
Despite its mediocre reception tied to a story and presentation more suitable for fans,Pyramid of Lightis a worthwhile watch by being the firstYu-Gi-Oh!film to hit the big screens. Its nature as a non-canon story set between the Battle City Tournament (Season 3) and Waking the Dragons (Season 4) served as an intriguing interlude to the franchise’s story at the time, especially since both seasons and the film involved an ancient prophecy and an accompanying artifact.
October 2004 to March 2008
155
Yu-Gi-Oh GXis the much-awaited first spin-off of the original anime, where newcomer Jaden Yuki is poised to replace Yugi Muto as the protagonist of theYu-Gi-Oh!anime series. It was set a decade later in the Duel Academy, which Seto Kaiba created to train Duelists for the Pro League. When Jaden surprises his fellow applicants by defeating a professorusing his Elemental HERO deck, he gains a reputation for breaking the status quo and for being among the strongest Duelists in the school - even if he’s placed among the lowest-tier students of the Slifer Red dorm.
Throughout the series, Jaden and his fellow students are dragged into various adventures featuring other island residents or mysterious events that border the supernatural. The story eventually sets out to become its unique take on the franchise, with Duelists featuring different stories and even playstyles worth exploring.
Given its status as the firstYu-Gi-Oh!spinoff series, a lot is riding onYu-Gi-Oh! GXto determine just how fans would recognize a successor to Yugi Muto - and Jaden delivers. Compared to the more serious Yami Yugi, Jaden offers a breath of fresh air to viewers with his quips and penchant for turning the tide of battle with new Elemental HERO Fusions. Jaden’s evolution from a reckless teenager to a more heroic figure throughout the seasons is worth the marathon, especially by the time Jaden and his friends become fiercer rivals in different ways.
May 2017 to September 2019
120
Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINStakes the game into virtual reality. The fifth installment in the franchise follows Yusaku into the VR game version of Duel Monsters called Link Vrains, where players can battle against each other an infinite number of times.
Unfortunately, a cyber-terrorist group called the Knights of Hanoi invades the digital world and seeks its downfall. Yusaku makes it his responsibility to take down the Knight of Hanoi and goes on a one-man war in a series of exciting duels to save his beloved gamers and end the Knights’ terror. When logging into Link Vrains, Yusaku takes the identity of Playmaker and uses his Cyberse Deck featuring aces such as Decode Talker and Firewall Dragon to defeat his foes.
On top ofVRAINSpossibly taking advantage of the hype surrounding VR-themed anime, the series is notable for its introduction of Link Summons. This is the second anime to introduce a non-Star summoning method. Link Summons instead rely on tributing face-up monsters equal to the Link Rating and/or card type requested by the Link Monster they plan on summoning. This variation in the Extra Deck provides an intriguing take on existingYu-Gi-Oh!mechanics, especially when the game already has prior Rituals, Fusions, Synchros, and newcomer Xyz Summons as existing summoning methods.
With newYu-Gi-Oh!stories popping left and right, fans and newcomers to the franchise will likely concede that the originalDuel Monstersanime is vastly different from the current state of the series. Thanks toYu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions,Yu-Gi-Oh!fans can see the original cast “adapt” to the times - with updated graphics, vastly vibrant visuals, redesigned concepts, and even the Duelists using cards and mechanics introduced beyond their series.
This third movie in theYu-Gi-Oh!franchise takes fans back to the original cast, now older and preparing to begin their adult lives. However, when newcomer Diva enacts a revenge plot involving the Millennium Items, things go haywire to such an extent that both Yugi and Kaiba can’t do anything to stop them. While the protagonists inevitably get to save the day, the more severe and solemn tone ofThe Dark Side of Dimensionsis a worthwhile re-exploration of what the original cast may have felt after Yami Yugi’s return to the afterlife.
The updated graphics and rather semi-complicated storyline ofThe Dark Side of Dimensionsposition itself as both a celebration and teaser of what is to come forYu-Gi-Oh!media. Seeing Yugi and Kaiba duke it out on a rematch featuringupdated designs and even support cardsof their respective aces is a sight, especially when they begin using new mechanics originally introduced in their sequel series.
April 2008 to March 2011
123
Yu-Gi-Oh 5Dstook the world by storm and was the firstYu-Gi-Ohspin-off to expand the game’s rules with a new archetype of cards and apply additional rules and tactics in the game of Duel Monsters. Yusei Fudo is on a mission for revenge to track down his former friend who betrayed him and stole his cherished card, the Stardust Dragon.
Yu-Gi-Oh 5Dsoccur in Neo Domino City, separated by class and poverty. After recovering from his betrayal, Yusei takes to the streets and begins making a name for himself as a popular Turbo Duels. However, when Yusei and his rival Jack Atlas are revealed to be Signers, their destinies are changed forever as they fight a threat that may reveal the truth of a horrific incident in the ancient past.
Story-wise,Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’sshowcased a unique take on theYu-Gi-Oh!formula by combining a post-apocalyptic premise with more serious themes such as discrimination and social class division. The anime eventually deals with full-blown sci-fi mystery with elements of time travel added into the mix, creating a darker story never before seen when tackling the trading card game. It’s also the first anime to introduce Synchro Summoning as the first new summoning gimmick beyond Fusion. This gimmick lets players tribute a combination of Tuner and non-Tuner cards whose Levels add to that of the Synchro Monster they plan on summoning. Thanks to this new summon technique, players can facilitate faster plays involving powerful cards with different effects.
