There are some works that have completely revolutionized the concept of merchandising, just like Yu-Gi-Oh!. Indeed, the epic of Kazuki Takahashi is an icon of Japanese culture, above all thanks to the card game of the same name that has accompanied generations of fans for decades. But how did this winning and brilliant idea come about?
Twenty years after the debut of the first animated series, there are still some curiosities and anecdotes inherent to the work that continue to fascinate thousands of fans all over the world, such as the time that the anime censored a Mai Valentine scene. Either way, to unravel the origins of the birth of Yu-Gi-Oh! it was the same sensei, through an old interview dating back to 2002. The answer in question, therefore, follows:
“I’ve always been obsessed with games, both when I was a kid and nowadays. In particular, I like blackjack and table games like Scotland Yard. In a game, the player turns into a hero. And this was precisely the premise behind Yu-Gi-Oh !. The protagonist, Yugi, is a weak and childish boy who turns into a hero when he starts playing. “
As we know, in the first episodes of the Yugi series he ventured into games other than that of the cards, but only with the introduction of this type of game did the manga explode. Takahashi, in fact, added:
“Originally, I had planned to gradually eliminate that particular game in two chapters, however the readers’ response was enormous. Shonen Jump was clogged with phone calls from children who wanted to know more about that card game, how it was played and how to get it. And it is ironic, because at the time the kids were not interested in card games, but in video games. Yet, it is much more intriguing to challenge a human looking him in the eye than playing with a machine. In any case, I had realized I had I hit the center, which is why I started to focus only on the card game. “
And did you know this anecdote about Yu-Gi-Oh? Let us know, as usual, with a comment below.
