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[Star Orpheus]

So hearing about the Twitch Yu-Gi-Oh! marathon reminded me of one of my earliest exposures to the series, the original manga.

See as a kid imagine my suprise to find out Yu-Gi-Oh didn't start with the original anime nor was it always about a children's card game. No originally every chapter Yugi would find himself in trouble and would need to play some different game each time. The spirt of the puzzle was also far more malicious willing to maim and out right kill his opponents. He was basically vigilante Jigsaw at times.

Highlights include.

Kaiba building an Arcade style Murder World to kill Yugi and friends after being defeated in a children's card game.

Joey being locked in a room and being forced to fight a Leatherface knockoff.

A game of air hockey but replace the table with a hot grill and the puck with a piece of ice with an explosive in the middle.

Mokuba forcing Yugi into a game of Russian Roulette with poisoned food.

The Pharoh tricking a escaped convict holding Tea hostage to light himself on fire.

And other such scenes of violent weirdness.

Imagine being a kid who's a huge fan of the 4kids dub anime,invisible guns and all, and then finding this shit on the shelf of your local Blockbuster.

It was freaking awesome.

 

[SoulUnison]

Yeah, YuGiOh was way darker and more generally "game-themed" before they had a storyline featuring an Ur version of what would become the card game and some editor with an eye for marketing went: "Hold up..."

 

[Makai]

How about Joey joining a gang

 

[Lagamorph]

The Pharaoh was an utter psychopath in the original manga. He didn't just torture and kill people, but took great delight in doing so.

The weirdest part is that none of his friends thought it at all unusual that shy and timid Yugi would randomly turn into a murderous sociopath whenever trouble popped up.

 

[Tagyhag]

Now I want to read the manga.

 

[Ri'Orius]

Yeah, but it wasn't as bad-ass as the original Beyblade. Blood and partial nudity, mofos!

 

[purseowner]

Yeah, the manga's far superior to the phenomenon it spawned.

I'm nostalgic for the latter's goofiness, but the original is legitimately great stuff.

 

[Star Orpheus]

The Pharaoh was an utter psychopath in the original manga. He didn't just torture and kill people, but took great delight in doing so.

The weirdest part is that none of his friends thought it at all unusual that shy and timid Yugi would randomly turn into a murderous sociopath whenever trouble popped up.

The manga actually hides the change at first. Whenever Yugi changed the others would always be conveniently be out of sight, and it's noted that he sounds different.

I can't remember when they find out about the Pharaoh but I think it's near the end before the card game takes over.

 

[Bobo Dakes]

So hearing about the Twitch Yu-Gi-Oh! marathon reminded me of one of my earliest exposures to the series, the original manga.

See as a kid imagine my suprise to find out Yu-Gi-Oh didn't start with the original anime nor was it always about a children's card game. No originally every chapter Yugi would find himself in trouble and would need to play some different game each time. The spirt of the puzzle was also far more malicious willing to maim and out right kill his opponents. He was basically vigilante Jigsaw at times.

Highlights include.

Kaiba building an Arcade style Murder World to kill Yugi and friends after being defeated in a children's card game.

Joey being locked in a room and being forced to fight a Leatherface knockoff.

A game of air hockey but replace the table with a hot grill and the puck with a piece of ice with an explosive in the middle.

Mokuba forcing Yugi into a game of Russian Roulette with poisoned food.

The Pharoh tricking a escaped convict holding Tea hostage to light himself on fire.

And other such scenes of violent weirdness.

Imagine being a kid who's a huge fan of the 4kids dub anime,invisible guns and all, and then finding this shit on the shelf of your local Blockbuster.

It was freaking awesome.

It was disturbing enough seeing the differences between the 4 Kids dub and the original.

I always thought that was a giant tattoo on Marik's back. Learning otherwise was ... unpleasant.

 

[Lord of Ostia]

Yeah it was very strange, I remember being a fan of the card game and show as a kid and picking up a copy of Shonen Jump when it was released as a monthly magazine here. I was shocked that they weren't playing card games, the Pharoah was an asshole, and that they were playing like...table hockey or something. Super bizarre, but kind of cool.

 

[Vimes]

Ooooooooh; the Forbidden Season.

 

[Fj0823]

It certainly was

 

[Star Orpheus]

Ooooooooh; the Forbidden Season.

The hilarious part is that anime is still tamer then the original manga.

 

[RedHoodedOwl]

Yugi arguing with a licentious baby over Anzu. Also, Kaiba abducting a serial killer to murder Yugi and his friends.

 

[Zen Aku]

How about Joey joining a gang

Tea almost got sexually assaulted.

 

[Phrozenflame500]

Now I want to read the manga.

it's legitimately actually pretty entertaining.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

The Pharaoh was an utter psychopath in the original manga. He didn't just torture and kill people, but took great delight in doing so.

The weirdest part is that none of his friends thought it at all unusual that shy and timid Yugi would randomly turn into a murderous sociopath whenever trouble popped up.

Most of the time they didn't see it. They'd be somewhere else or knocked out or something. But I loved old Yugioh when it was basically a bunch of different games with high stakes

 

[Big One]

It was fun but in retrospect it's basically Kaiji but for kids, lol

 

[Ray Down]

Kaiba dad jumps out a window from a building after Kaiba gains control of the company and yells.

"You see...this is what happens to loser, Seto!"

Kaiba: "I understand."

 

[Sandfox]

The manga is amazing and blows away the anime. The anime made changes for the worst that hurt characters like Joey and Kaiba with the 4kids dub adding even more issues. The manga tells a great story that I feel people sleep on.

 

[Seesaw15]

Original Yugi was like if Bugs Bunny was an edgy goth kid. He'd always just fuck with people before he broke their minds.

 

[Watch Da Birdie]

In all fairness, I think the card angle was what ultimately led to its success as the big hook---I don't think the manga would've last as long had it stuck to that game-of-the-week-formula.

Also, I'm pretty sure Takahashi was a big JoJo fan. I know "is this a JoJo reference!?" is a meme at this point, but it adds up. Part 3 + Part 4, basically, and I guess perhaps a little of Part 1 and 2 if the Pharaoh stuff is kind of like the mysticism from those parts? You've got D'Arby style fights, and the cast is kind of the Morioh Trio of the little guy who goes "super saiyan" (Yugi + Koichi), the punk with a heart of gold (Joey), and then I guess Tristan is kind of the Okuyasu? And Domino early on is like Morioh in that it's filled with a ton of psychopaths. Then the general art-style early on before it became clean and angular definitely gave off a JoJo vibe, and I recall Takahashi actually mentioned at one point Yugi always wearing his school uniform was specifically a reference to Jotaro.

I like the card-focused parts of Yu-Gi-Oh, but I agree everyone needs to read the first manga arc at one point. Honestly it's pretty lowbrow and doesn't really say much, but it's fun in a "I shouldn't be reading this" kind of way.

 

[Ri'Orius]

It was fun but in retrospect it's basically Kaiji but for kids, lol

Yeah, but it moves at, like, triple the pace of Kaiji.

I liked the concept of Kaiji, but they dragged every game out way too long.

 

[Ray Down]

In all fairness, I think the card angle was what ultimately led to its success as the big hook---I don't think the manga would've last as long had it stuck to that game-of-the-week-formula.

Also, I'm pretty sure Takahashi was a big JoJo fan. I know "is this a JoJo reference!?" is a meme at this point, but it adds up. Part 3 + Part 4, basically, and I guess perhaps a little of Part 1 and 2 if the Pharaoh stuff is kind of like the mysticism from those parts? You've got D'Arby style fights, and the cast is kind of the Morioh Trio of the little guy who goes "super saiyan" (Yugi + Koichi), the punk with a heart of gold (Joey), and then I guess Tristan is kind of the Okuyasu? And Domino early on is like Morioh in that it's filled with a ton of psychopaths. Then the general art-style early on before it became clean and angular definitely gave off a JoJo vibe, and I recall Takahashi actually mentioned at one point Yugi always wearing his school uniform was specifically a reference to Jotaro.

I like the card-focused parts of Yu-Gi-Oh, but I agree everyone needs to read the first manga arc at one point. Honestly it's pretty lowbrow and doesn't really say much, but it's fun in a "I shouldn't be reading this" kind of way.

Yes he's a Jojo fan, he says it's one of his favorite.

 

[Tarextherex]

Yu-Gi-Oh coulda been basically Jojo for the younger generation except every fight is like the D'Arby fight if it didn't end up being about the card game

If you want to see that in anime form check out season 0

 

[Alastor3]

Yami Bakura trying to murder Yugi's friend in a dungeon and dragon game and pierce his own hand in the top of a tower to stop the real Bakura to mess with things.

That part of the manga was awesome as a kid and my old username was always Bakura at the time.

 

[Star Orpheus]

Yami Bakura trying to murder Yugi's friend in a dungeon and dragon game and pierce his own hand in the top of a tower to stop the real Bakura to mess with things.

That part of the manga was awesome as a kid and my old username was always Bakura at the time.

The finale was legit one of my favorite parts. It actually serves as fairly decen conclusion to the original series so I'm not entirely eat up by the change in subject.

Obviously focusing on the card game paid of for them but I admit I wish it could have gone on a little longer.

I see people here comparing it to Kaiji? Would you guys recommend that series?

 

[Tizoc]

Yeah I've heard about how the manga started out, until they decided to settle on the card game.
I ought to read it someday myself.

Yeah, but it wasn't as bad-ass as the original Beyblade. Blood and partial nudity, mofos!

I demand proof of this, good sir.

The finale was legit one of my favorite parts. It actually serves as fairly decen conclusion to the original series so I'm not entirely eat up by the change in subject.

Obviously focusing on the card game paid of for them but I admit I wish it could have gone on a little longer.

I see people here comparing it to Kaiji? Would you guys recommend that series?

Kaiji's on a whole other level friend, but you def. must watch it.

Spoiler

Zawa zawa

 

[Star Orpheus]

Yeah I've heard about how the manga started out, until they decided to settle on the card game.
I ought to read it someday myself.



I demand proof of this, good sir.



Kaiji's on a whole other level friend, but you def. must watch it.

Spoiler

Zawa zawa

Cool will check it out when I get a chance.

 

[RRockman]

Awesome you mean.


Current Yugioh is so toothless.

PENALTY GAME!!!