When you hear the word “Yu-Gi-Oh!” what are the first things that come to your mind. Monsters? Card games? Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs possessing the body of a 14-year old boy? Would you believe me if I told you that there was a time in Yu-Gi-Oh!’s history when the series had nothing to do with card games? The title “Yu-Gi-Oh!” translates to “Game King” or “King of Games”. The main character, Yugi Mutou, never really aspires to be the king of anything given his rather timid nature, but if the series’ creator, Kazuki Takahashi, wanted him to become the King of Games by the end of the series, he would probably want him to branch out to more than just card games.

The original concept of Yu-Gi-Oh! was a tribute to gaming in general. Takahashi himself said that he was obsessed with games as a kid and continued to enjoy them as an adult. The series would not focus on one game, but would showcase a variety of different games throughout its run. Most of the games that were featured would be made up by the protagonist on the spot. Not only were they bizarrely creative, they were also dangerous and deadly. You see, Takahashi was also a fan of horror stories, so he wanted Yu-Gi-Oh! to be something like a pseudo-horror, meaning the heroes would go through horrendous ordeals and usually come out unscathed.

Death? Horror? Would you ever have associated these words with Yu-Gi-Oh!? If you started by watching the English dub of the Duel Monsters anime, then maybe not. Although, you have to admit that Yu-Gi-Oh! was fairly edgier than something like Pokémon.

Instead of focusing on a single trading card game, the original idea for Yu-Gi-Oh! would revolve around the concept of Shadow Games. As the prologue explains, Shadow Games are magical ceremonies from ancient Egypt that foretold the future of citizens and kings.

Recap: The Ancient Shadow Games

Many years ago, a man named Sugoroku Mutou acquired an Egyptian artifact called the Millennium Puzzle. Eventually, he would pass this artifact on to his grandson, Yugi Muto, who is our protagonist of this story. Sugoroku told Yugi that the Millennium Puzzle was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century when a team of British archaeologists took it out of a Pharaoh’s crypt in the Valley of Kings. Afterwards, all those in the team died of mysterious deaths, and the last one said with his dying breath, “The Shadow Games.”

Eight years have passed since then, and Yugi has still not solved the Millennium Puzzle. That all changed when a guy named Katsuya Jonouchi stole a piece of Yugi’s puzzle and threw it into a pool. When a greedy hall monitor named Ushio overheard that Yugi was getting picked on by Jonouchi, he decided to beat the crap out of him and force Yugi to pay bodyguard charges, threatening to stab him if he didn’t.

Late that night, Yugi thinks about how to deal with Ushio, when he suddenly realizes he has been distracted working on the Millennium Puzzle. For some reason, he finds solving it easier tonight than he has ever before. After a few twists and turns, Yugi slides all of the pieces into place except for one, but when he reaches his hand in the box for the last piece, he realizes it’s gone. That is until Sugoroku enters the room and reveals the last piece in his hand. He doesn’t tell Yugi, but Jonouchi had brought the piece to him that evening. When Yugi inserts the last piece into the Millennium Puzzle, he awakens within him the powers of the Shadow Games, as well as a dark spirit that possesses Yugi’s mind.

Yugi, now possessed by the dark spirit, invites Ushio out to the school grounds in the middle of the night and challenges him to a Shadow Game. In this game, each player is to place a stack of money on the back of their hand and use a knife to try and stab as many bills as they can without hurting their hand. Ushio plays the game by Yugi’s rules, but as he is about to win the game, he suddenly loses the power to relax his arm.

“In the Shadow Games, a person’s true nature is revealed to decide their fate!” says Yugi, “Ushio, your right arm is controlled by your own greed, you can no longer stop it.”

In a last ditch effort, Ushio tries to stab Yugi with the knife, but the Millennium Puzzle protects Yugi from harm. Since Ushio broke the rules, he is now subject to receive a Penatly Game. These are curses that a player will receive if they break the rules or lose in a Shadow Game. Yugi gives Ushio a Penalty Game called “The Illusion of Avarice” that causes him to see money falling from the sky.

As you can see, these Shadow Games are quite a bit more intense than the kid-friendly card games of the anime. The Shadow Game in Chapter 1 is contrived of knives, stabbings, and cursings. What dark and gritty elements will be featured in the Shadow Game of Chapter 2?

The Star of our Next Project

After standing up to Ushio for him, Jonouchi made fast friends with Yugi and now aims to protect him rather than pick on him.

In the beginning of chapter 2, Yugi and Jonouchi are walking to school together when Jonouchi tells him about a dirty tape he saw the other day. (Perverted. Would you have ever associated that word with Yu-Gi-Oh!?) Jonouchi says he watched it with squinted eyes, but he couldn’t see passed the censored bits. There’s an alternate (and illegal) translated version of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga floating around the web done by a group called the Himitsu Project. I try not to promote unofficial translations or pirated content here on MentalLabyrinth.com, but every now and then, I think back to this translation when I first read the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. In a footnote, the translators explain that there is an old wives’ tale in Japan that if you squint your eyes, you can see passed the digital mosaic that’s used to blur-out inappropriate content on television. (I will definitely not post any links to the Himitsu Project translation because most of the sites are pretty sketchy.)

Jonouchi says Yugi can borrow the tape sometime, so Yugi blushes with excitement.

When they arrive at school, they find a ZTV van parked outside the front door. (Wasn’t ZTV the name of the TV company in Dragon Ball Z?)

“Maybe someone famous goes to our school!” fantasizes Yugi. He peeks inside the van window but he can’t see anything because it’s a one-way mirror, but the man inside can see him. With one look at Yugi’s pudgy face pressed against the glass of the van window, the man says, “This is the star of out next project.”

A Documentary on Bullying

We now jump to the man, known only as the Director, filming the introduction of his next project – a documentary on bullying.

A reporter stands outside the entrance to the school and says, “Good morning, everyone. It’s time for ‘survival morning.’ Today’s exclusive is ‘Caught on Camera! School Violence.’ Bullying is a serious problem at this school. Our undercover agents have discovered the violence students face every day!”

Now the director wants to get some footage of some kids getting beat up. He calls his assistant director over and shows him a picture of Yugi Muto pressing his face against the van window.

“Wow, what a wimp. He really seems the type to get beat up,” says the A.D, “But how can we get footage of him getting beat up?”

“How long have you been in this business?” asks the Director, “Go get a school jacket that fits you! You’re going to play the part of the bully!”

The Assistant Director begins wandering the school halls, looking for Yugi. He shows someone the picture in the hallway.

“Yeah, I know him. He’s Yugi from Class B!” says the student.

The A.D. begins walking towards Class B.

Meanwhile, inside the classroom, Jonouchi starts spreading rumors that a secret star is going to their school.

“I haven’t heard anything about a star,” says Anzu, with a skeptical glance.

“Moron, they’re coming to school in disquise!” says Jonouchi, “but it’s really a major movie star! I’ll make a bundle selling pictures!”

Yugi and Jonouchi continue their conversation in the hallway when they pass the Assistant Director.

“I’ve been thinking,” says Yugi, “What if there’s some other reason the TV van was parked outside?”

“Not you too!” replies Jonouchi, “You’re hopeless! I thought at least you’d believe me. Fine, I’ll find him on my own.”

Jonouchi storms away.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said that, thinks Yugi, as the Assistant Director approaches him.

“I’m Fujita,” says the Assistant Director, “Listen, I know the star who goes to this school. You want to know who it is, don’t you?”

“What?! There’s really a star here?” exclaims Yugi.

“Of course,” responds Fujita, “I think you’d get along with her, Yugi, I’ll introduce you. We’re really good friends. Meet me behind the gym during recess then, okay? You’ve gotta come alone!”

Later, Fujita waits for Yugi at the place where he agreed to meet him. The Director and a cameraman are hiding in a nearby bush. Although a few minutes late, Yugi arrives with a bouquet of flowers.

“Where’s the star?” Yugi asks.

“Come closer,” says Fujita, “Truth is…there is no star!”

As he punches him right in the cheek.

“It was a lie,” says Fujita, and punches him again.

“Stop right there!” cries a voice.

Jonouchi comes running in with a camera in hand.

“What are you doing to my buddy?”

“I didn’t really want to,” begs Fujita, “but the director…”

The director steps out of the bushes.

“Look, it was just bad luck you got picked for the victim,” says the director, “Just coincidence…about the same odds as rolling the die and getting a one. But because of that, we’ve taped a good show! The viewers will sympathize with you and send in letters by the dozen! You’re a star, Yugi! The star of our program!”

“Are you asking to die?” taunts Jonouchi, as he grabs the director by the shirt.

“Just remember, I’m recording the whole thing,” says the director.

He calls for the cameras to stop, and then knees Jonouchi in the chest.

(Violent. Would you have ever associated that word with Yu-Gi-Oh!?)

“Don’t you get it? You can’t fight the power of the media! If I want, I can make you the laughingstock of the world!”

Little does the director know, Yugi has already unleashed the power of the dark spirit within the Millennium Puzzle.

Rolling a One

Later that night, the director is in the parking lot of ZTV Broadcasting when he sees someone in his rear-view mirror.

“You’re that brat, Yugi,” says the director, “What are you doing here?”

“You have trespassed in my soul! For that, you must play with me! Play a game that is!” says Yugi.

“A game?” says the director, noticing that Yugi seems different from before.

“It’s nothing to be afraid of,” continues Yugi, “Just a simple game of dice! People have been staking their fate on dice since ancient Egypt! Although, back then we used ‘astragali’ – the uneven heel bones of calves and sheep. The rules are simple! We both roll the die, I roll first, whoever rolls the lowest number wins. I’ll even let you win in case of tie! However, if I win, then you have to play a penalty game as punishment.”

“Ridiculous! Why do I have to play around with you?!”

“Game Start,” announces Yugi, as he drops the die. It lands on a six.

The director laughs and says, “No matter what number comes up, I win! I don’t even need to roll the die!”

“The odds are in your favor,” responds Yugi, “but the game’s not over until you roll.”

“Then I’ll do what you want and put a hole in your head at the same time!” says the director, as he picks up the die and throws it at Yugi’s face. When it lands on the ground, it lands with a single pip facing up.

“It’s a one! I win!” laughs the director.

“No, you have to play a Penalty Game,” responds Yugi.

The director looks again and sees that the die has split in two, with one half landing on one and the other half landing on six.

“A SEVEN?!!” cries the producer.

“PENALTY GAME!! MOSAIC ILLUSION!!” cries Yugi.

The professor’s vision becomes blurred until he sees the entire world through a digital mosaic – the kind they use to censor inappropriate content on television.

“Director, for bending the truth in front of the cameras…then all you see shall be censored!” says Yugi, as he walks away.

The next day, Jonouchi arrives at school with the dirty tape he promised to loan Yugi.

“I hope you like it, you dog!” says Jonouchi, as he tosses him the tape, but it gets intercepted by Anzu. (She has a habit of doing that, doesn’t she?)

“What’s this? A good movie?” asks Anzu, “Then I’ll borrow it.”

“Aack! Give it back, Anzu!” cry Yugi and Jonouchi, as they run after her.

Thoughts

So yeah, here is another example of a Shadow Game that Yugi makes up on the spot. This one isn’t as dark or as deadly as the previous one, but sentencing someone to have eternal pixelated vision is still pretty messed up.

One motif that will continue to show itself throughout the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga is that Yugi will think outside of the box and find a way to win that somewhat stretches the rules. I’m sure most Yu-Gi-Oh! fans are familiar with all of Yugi’s shenanigans in the Duelist Kingdom arc such as attacking spell cards or using Polymerization to fuse his monster with his opponent’s. To his defense, the rules of the trading card game were not fully developed, so technically he wasn’t really cheating at the time, he was just playing by a different set of rules. Cheating or not, these early stages of the manga show that Yugi is no stranger to questionable rule-stretching.

So in case you haven’t noticed yet, bullying is one of the major themes of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. Chapter 1 showed us how Yugi had to stand up to Jonouchi, and then to Ushio. This chapter depicted Yugi and Jonouchi fighting a director filming a fabricated documentary on bullying. The next chapters will introduce us to more bullies for Yugi to stand up to (and maybe challenge to a Shadow Game). What dark and terrfying games will Yugi set up next? Find out in the next review of Yu-Gi-Oh!

Black and white images from the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga were obtained from https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/yu-gi-oh

Old version: The Impossible Die Roll: Yu-Gi-Oh! Chapter 2 Review