Summary
On September 30th, 1996,Yu-Gi-Oh!made its first official debut inWeekly Shounen Jump, which tells the story of a young boy named Yugi, who enjoys playing all kinds of games. Though he doesn’t have a large friend group, and is frequently bullied, he has a close friend, Anzu (or Tea), and his grandpa, who he’s close with.
One day, he’s given a mysterious puzzle that’s said to be impossible to solve, but will grant the wish of whoever solves it. In a moment of turmoil, Yugi finally completes the puzzle and another spirit inhabits his body, who then challenges and “punishes” his aggressor. But because of Yugi’s kindness in helping his peers, he gains his own friend group. Sounds a bitdifferent from what we’re used to, doesn’t it?
The Original “Shadow Realm”
WhenYu-Gi-Oh!began its serialization, it was originally intended to be a horror. A regular boy harbors an ancient spirit inside of him that challenges wrong-doers to games, where their safety is on the line. Should they cheat, they will face a punishment. Over time, the manga evolved into astory that focuses on card games. In April 2000,an anime adaptation that focused on the card gameaspect of the manga was released; the one we know asYu-Gi-Oh!(orYu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Monstersin Japan). But before the mystical prowess of the Millennium items and Pot of Greed, there was another adaptation that never made it overseas. Its unofficial name isYu-Gi-Oh! Season 0.
Season 0is known for its darker and heavier themes, involving child abuse, drug use, bullying, and more.Side characters' backstoriesare delved into, such as Jounouchi’s (Joey) alcoholic father, which explains his aggressive tone of voice and blunt personality. Each episode begins with a standard day, a problem, confronting the culprit, and a “shadow game”.
While the originalYu-Gi-Oh!didn’t have the “Shadow Realm” altogether,Season 0incorporates a similar concept. Should a player cheat, they will receive a “mind crush”, which puts them in amental state of disarray, and indefinitely trapped in their own mind.
We’re meant to root for Yugi and his friends, but the dangers of having another self are notjustglossed over. Yugi blacks out whenever the other spirit (Yami Yugi) takes over. His friends bear witness to the change, but it reaches the point ofquestioning whether the spirit inhabiting himis a friend or foe. Does it care for Yugi’s friends? Or is it simply defending its host? Familiar characters such as Kaiba and Bakura make their own appearances, the latter of which traps the main group in a game similar to another scene inYu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Monsters. It’s at that time Yugi discovers his other self.
The mystery of the Millennium items remains shrouded in mystery until the middle of the season, which is good to build up suspense as well as the mystery of Yami Yugi. Though this is an adaptation of the first section of the manga, some stark differences are of note.
It’s not uncommon for anime to drift from the manga and take its own liberties, but a side character, Miho, is worth mentioning. She only appears briefly in the manga, but inSeason 0, she plays a larger part as Anzu’s (Tea) best friend. What’s more, unlikeDuel Monsters, characters areseen actually attending class. An ongoing joke among avid watchers ofYu-Gi-Oh!, is that the main characters are always skipping school. EvenLittleKuriboh’sYu-Gi-Oh!: The Abridged Serieslampshades over it.
The Legacy
Unfortunately, on July 4th, 2022, the creator ofYu-Gi-Oh!,Kazuki Takahashi, passed away; so it’s unlikely that the lost series will ever be brought overseas. Even so, the legacy ofYu-Gi-Oh!continues to live on, and there’s always a possibility this ancient treasure will be brought back, just like Yugi’s Millennium Puzzle.
