THE Yu-Gi-Oh! the franchise is undoubtedly one of the most beloved in the world. It pioneered the anime card game genre, inspiring countless other incredible series with innovative ideas and fun stories. However, over time, he acquired a small but vocal group that harshly criticized his more exaggerated moments.
From Yugi being labeled a cheater to complaints about the miracle moves that allowed the heroes to win, the series has been attacked on all fronts. Yet it's these overtly fantastical moments that provide children of all ages with fond memories that will never be forgotten.
The absurd nature of Yu-Gi-Oh! It's what makes the series so beloved
Seeing the protagonists' victory is always welcome
It's no secret that Yu-Gi-Oh! The anime franchise is by far one of the most fantastical and unrealistic in history. The premise of most seasons takes place in worlds in which a card game became so popular that it became part of everyone's daily life. From the youngest students to the most important CEOs, no one can resist a good game of Duel Monsters. Adding to this already impossible idea is the fact that magic, ancient universal forces, and other dimensions in which the creatures summoned to the game are real.
Furthermore, the duels in the series themselves are not dictated by logic, but rather by the needs of the plot. For example, the games widely considered to be the best of the original Duel Monsters every anime depended on Yugi to obtain a single card that would help him achieve victory. Due to his unrealistic deck-building decisions, such as adding only one copy of his most important cards, the draws he got to defeat the series' villains would have been impossible in real life. Still, it was these fantastic results that helped Yugi's victories feel epic and magical.
Witnessing the hero overcome insurmountable odds to save the world is an experience no fan will ever forget. Despite how unrealistic these moments may seem now, after decades since the anime was released, when they first occurred, children everywhere cheered enthusiastically. THE Yu-Gi-Oh! the franchise is undoubtedly fantastic and hard to believe, but its focus on bringing pure joy to audiences has helped it stay relevant for so many years.
The protagonist's strategies were never considered cheating
The series explains why his actions were justified
In recent years, there has been a consistent increase in allegations that Yu-Gi-Oh! the protagonists cheat to win their duels, with Yugi labeled as the biggest offender. This is understandable, as many of the moves made by the heroes, especially in the early days of the franchise, seem to come out of nowhere. Events like Yugi commanding his monsters to destroy the mooncombining your cards with Kaiba's or using Joey's iconic Time Wizard abilities to your advantage seems extremely unfair. Even so, the series made it clear that no rules were broken by Yugi.
During the Duelist Kingdom arc of the original anime, the rules of the game have not yet been establishedmeaning players can try to use logic to their advantage. Yugi is often touted as the greatest cheater, but many other duelists have resorted to underhanded strategies to defeat him and his friends. This trend began to fade as new seasons were introduced, but unfair losses continued to be a staple of the franchise. While sometimes annoying, these tactics were used to make duels much more intense, as the heroes put everything on the line to win.
Audiences have lost their love for these tropes
The series is more family-friendly than other franchises
When the original Yu-Gi-Oh! anime was released on April 18, 2000, the main audience was young children. As such, the series tried to remain as family-friendly as possible, avoiding physical violence, death, and mature themes as much as possible. Outside of Japan, the need to avoid any adult-related themes went much further, a decision that ironically created the much darker and scarier Shadow Realm. As the audience grew and began to outgrow the need for protection, these measures made the show seem much more childish.
Many of the main criticisms of the franchise come from this disconnect between the audience and the series. Scenes that felt epic and memorable as a child didn't hit the same chord as an adult. Nothing has changed in the scenes that fans praised as children, viewers just grew upchanging your preferences. However, if one decides to approach the series with the same childlike joy that fans had when it first came out, they will find that Yugi's adventure, like that of the other protagonists, can be just as fun.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Will forever be iconic
No matter how much time passes, the series will always be special
Although more than two decades have passed since the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise started, is still perceived as one of the most iconic animes of all time. Like any other long-running series, it went through difficult times as the followers started to dwindle after some time. Still, it's still as strong as ever, with interest in the original show and its sequels slowly rising. While the TCG game was undoubtedly a huge help in achieving this, the unique status as an anime icon that the franchise holds was also key.
Yugi and his most powerful cards, such as Dark Magician, Slifer or Exodia, are some of the most recognized characters in the world. Despite not being the ace protagonist, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon is still seen as one of the most epic creatures in the industry. Yu-Gi-Oh! is a series that remains relevant to this day, entertaining fans and teaching them important lessons that will never be forgotten. It may not be to everyone's taste, but there's no denying that millions of fans still love the anime to this day.
Yu-Gi-Oh! fans will continue to enjoy the mystical adventures its protagonists embark on for decades to come. Few shows can compete with its legendary status, a feat that has been achieved through decades of hard work and dedication.