Part of the early 2000s boom of anime with multimedia tie-ins, Yu-Gi-Oh! is most well-known for its still immensely popular trading card game. The duels that this game inspired still rage on to this day, but so too do the original anime and manga franchises. These were actually the first form of the franchise, with the Duel Monsters card game coming a bit later.
Since the original series, the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and subsequent anime have spun off into several different forms, making it quite a daunting task to get into. Here's a look at all of the different anime and manga versions of Yu-Gi-Oh! over the years and where fans can read and watch them.
The Plot of Yu-Gi-Oh!
The story of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise initially tells the story of a young student named Yugi Mutou, hence the series' name. A rather put-upon lad, he passes the time indulging in various games and puzzles, many of which are supplied by his grandfather. One of these is the mysterious Millennium Puzzle which, when activated, causes Yugi to become possessed by the spirit of a game-loving ancient Egyptian pharaoh.
Called Yami Yugi or Dark Yugi, this persona challenges evildoers to various Shadow Games, eventually punishing their dark deeds with Penalty Games. These are initially incredibly dark and gruesome, with one school bully being literally charred on a giant table hockey platform/grill. As the series continues, the Duel Monsters/Magic & Wizards card game is introduced into the narrative. From there, it overtakes the series' premise, leaving the franchise forever tied to the cards.
After the original series, there were six spinoff sequels, one of which is still currently running. These again focused on the card game, with the franchise's broader focus on Shadow Games as a whole largely discarded since the first series.
Where to Read the Yu-Gi-Oh! Manga
The franchise started in 1996 with a manga by Kazuki Takahashi, which was initially meant to be something of a horror series. As mentioned, the initial manga stories reflect this, but the horror elements are greatly downplayed once the card game is introduced. This original manga lasted for 38 volumes, later being briefly replaced with the five-volume Yu-Gi-Oh! R. The six anime sequels received manga adaptations as well, although none lasted nearly as long as the original. Bucking the trend slightly was Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal, which had a manga before the anime, and Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS, which had no manga adaptation.
The manga are all available digitally through Comixology, with the exception of the current series Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens. This is due to that series' two manga having not been localized yet. Likewise, Amazon and Right Stuf Anime, as well as physical book retailers like Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million, have all of the series localized so far.
Where to Watch the Yu-Gi-Oh! Anime
Yu-Gi-Oh! was first adapted into an anime in 1998, with this 27-episode series adapting the early, non-card game-focused stories of the manga. Dubbed as "Season Zero" by fans, the less marketable nature of this series -- namely, its lack of focusing on the later card game -- is likely why it's never been localized and made available to the masses in the West, either physically or digitally.
The original series, however, is very easy to go back and watch, as it's available on Netflix, Hulu, Tubi TV, Pluto, Crunchyroll, IMDB TV/Amazon and the official Yu-Gi-Oh! website. The latter also has the shows up to Zexal. Meanwhile, Arc-V and VRAINS can also be watched subbed through VRV, Amazon, Hulu, Sling and Amazon, although Sevens' anime has yet to be localized in any way either. With almost all of the franchise widely available on most streaming platforms, including the free ones, it's incredibly easy to sit back, relax and d-d-d-d-duel.