Yu-Gi-Oh! (1998 TV series)

Yu-Gi-Oh!
The logo for Yu-Gi-Oh! Toei version
遊☆戯☆王 (Yū☆gi☆ō)
Genre	Action/Adventure Fantasy
TV anime
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Directed by	Hiroyuki Kakudou
Studio	Toei Animation
Network	TV Asahi
Original run	April 4, 1998 – October 10, 1998
Episodes	27

Yu-Gi-Oh! (遊☆戯☆王, Yū☆gi☆ō, meaning "King of Games") is the title of the first anime series based on the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. It aired on TV Asahi.

The series is loosely connected to the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters series (known internationally as simply Yu-Gi-Oh!), which was made by Nihon Ad Systems and aired on TV Tokyo; both anime series are based on the same manga series. While the NAS version bases its story from Volume 8 of the manga onwards, focusing on the Duel Monsters trading card game, the Toei anime is adapted from the early volumes, telling the origins of Yugi's Millennium Puzzle and the Shadow Games that he plays.

The 1st series, which aired on TV Asahi from April 4, 1998 to October 10, 1998 for a 27-episode run, was produced by Toei Animation. Manga plots were re-written so that they could take up an entire episode time. Also, the level of violence was reduced between the manga and the anime. Finally, a minor character in the manga, Miho Nosaka, became a main character in the first series along with Yugi Mutou, Katsuya Jonouchi, Anzu Mazaki, and Hiroto Honda. Characterization was slightly modified. For instance, Miho is a "ditz" in the anime while in the manga she is a shy student librarian.

New characters and plots, such as those relating to the four game masters, were added, and there are more occurrences of Seto Kaiba and Duel Monsters (Magic and Wizards in the original Japanese manga) than in the corresponding manga, and in some cases, plot points and elements were taken from volume 8 onwards of the manga, for instance field advantages as seen in Duelist Kingdom and Jonouchi's sister Shizuka, who was introduced later in the manga. Unlike the second series, the card game (Duel Monsters) is not the sole focus of the show. The last episodes of the series focus on the battle between Yugi and Dark Bakura. This series had different voice actors and different character designs than the second series (e.g. Seto Kaiba's hair is green in Toei's anime). The series has not been licensed for an English language release.

The 1999 Yu-Gi-Oh! film uses the characters from this anime series.

Michael Toole of Anime News Network said that the series did not appear in the Anglophone world since "it didn't have enough plot elements that could be turned into children's toys[...]"

Production

Shingo Araki and Michi Himeno served as a character designers in this series.

Characters

See also: List of Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and manga characters

Main Characters

Yugi Muto Voiced by: Megumi Ogata

The series' main character, a timid boy who likes to play games. One day, he solves the Millenium Puzzle and inhabits the spirit residing it. Whenever someone cruelly mistreats his friends, this 'Other Yugi' takes over and challenges them to a Shadow Game, life threatening games that reveal a person's true nature. For those who fail his Shadow Games, Dark Yugi punishes them with a penalty game.

Katsuya Jonouchi Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa

Yugi's friend. He used to pick on Yugi for always playing games by himself, but after Yugi risks himself to protect him from a bigger bully, Jounochi befriends him.

Hiroto Honda Voiced by: Ryotaro Okiayu

Yugi and Jonouchi's friend who is head of the beautician department (or simply the janitor.) He has a crush on Miho Nosaka, but can never seem to win her heart.

Anzu Mazaki Voiced by: Yumi Kakazu

Another one of Yugi's friends and Miho's best friend. After being first saved by Dark Yugi, she becomes interested in this side of Yugi and will occasionally put herself in danger in order to bring him out.

Miho Nosaka Voiced by: Yukana Nogami

A one-shot character in the manga, she is more featured in this series. Miho is Anzu's best friend. Although Honda is in love with her, she herself seems to get a crush on Bakura. She is very kind and caring and will always stand up for her friends.

Antagonists

Seto Kaiba Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa

President of Kaiba Corporation and the producer of games. After first facing Yugi in a Shadow Game of Duel Monsters, in which he brought the game's monsters to life, Kaiba becomes inspired to build a holographic system to replicate that feel. He constructs the deadly theme park, Death-T, to test Yugi and his friends. Unlike other media in which he is depicted, Seto is shown with green coloured hair in this adaptation.

Mokuba Kaiba Voiced by: Katsue Miwa

Seto's younger brother who is an expert at Capsule Monsters Chess (though will often rig games in his favor).

Ryo Bakura Voiced by: Tsutomu Kashiwakura

A transfer student with an interest in role playing games. He wears the Millennium Ring, which also possesses a Dark Spirit, who has the power to trap people's souls into Bakura's games.

Shadi Voiced by: Kaneto Shiozawa

An Egyptian man who possesses the Millennium Key, used to see into people's minds, and the Millennium Scales, which weighs a person's sins. When he becomes aware of Yugi's possession of the Millennium Puzzle, Shadi puts Yugi's other self through a series of tests to see if he is worthy.

See also

• Yu-Gi-Oh! main characters
• Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and manga characters

External links

• Yûgiô at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• Yûgiô at the Internet Movie Database
• (Japanese) Toei Yu-Gi-Oh! first series page
• (Japanese) Toei Yu-Gi-Oh! first series property information page