Yugioh is Divided into Trilogies

 This is a much shorter essay, but I’ve wanted to discuss this for a while. 

I firmly believe the franchise of Yugioh is divided into trilogies, but this isn’t something I really realized until I finished VRAINS. Suddenly, the first six stories clicked in place for me, and I could start thinking of this franchise as being in sets of three. 

Do you guys remember the famous George Lucas quote about how Star Wars is like poetry in the sense that it “rhymes?” What he meant by this was that character archetypes and story structures of the Star Wars prequel trilogy intentionally mirror similar elements of the original trilogy. 

In much the same way, I believe that Yugioh rhymes. Now, this isn’t any sort of new information: any longtime fan knows about how the newer series reference the other series. But in this essay, I want to specifically discuss how the first three Yugioh series form a sort of loose trilogy that share many common plot threads, and the next three form a second trilogy that rhyme with the first one. 

(For the purposes of this essay, I’m ignoring SEVENS. I haven’t gotten around to seeing it yet, but more importantly, it marks a huge shift in both writing and animation away from the entire rest of the franchise, such that it’s almost a separate entity altogether. Besides, in the event it is the start of its own thematically-connected trilogy, we won’t know until the next show comes out.) 

The First Trilogy:

The first trilogy obviously consists of:

• Duel Monsters, which follows a teenage boy getting bonded to a mystical spirit via a magical puzzle

• GX, which focuses on an idealistic boy getting wrapped up in an interdimensional war, unleashing a power known as the “Supreme King,” and falling into a deep depression as a result

• 5Ds, which focuses on an inventor and his rival trying to restore balance in a divided, classist world

Now, bear in mind, when I say “trilogy” I don’t necessarily mean that each installment is a beginning, middle and end of a larger narrative in the same way as other famous trilogies, like The Lord of the Rings or the aforementioned Star Wars. Duel Monsters, GX and 5Ds all have their own self-contained narratives, and watching one isn’t necessarily required to watch the others (though it can make it more enjoyable). 

Like I said earlier, in this context I’m using “trilogy” to refer to three mean three stories that are connected by common ideas without necessarily being a singular narrative. In this case, the first three Yugioh series share a few story elements:

• They are all set relatively close to one-another in the series chronology, and they are also the only three confirmed to share a chronology in the first place

• Maximillian Pegasus is in two of the three series

• Tetsu Trudge is a minor antagonist in both Duel Monsters and 5Ds

• New Domino City and Duel Academy are major settings in all three series

• Whether appearing as a main character or not, Kaiba appears in both Duel Monsters and GX, and acts as a catalyst for several major plot points in both series

• Spirit Partners play a significant role in all of these stories. Specifically, Kuriboh plays a central role as Jaden, Yugi and Luna’s Spirit Partner

I should clarify something. When I say that “Spirit Partners,” I’m specifically referring to duel spirits that cling to and form partnerships with humans; only those humans can see those Spirit Partners. Besides Yugi, Jaden and Luna all having some variation of Kuriboh, other common Spirit Partners include the Ojamas for Chazz, Guardian Eatos for Rafael and Ruby Carbuncle for Jesse. 

Speaking of which, this first trilogy of Duel Monsters, GX and 5Ds is also the era of Yugioh most concerned with the supernatural. The supernatural-horror premise is obviously what fueled the early stages of the manga, with Yami Yugi being a much crueler and more vindictive entity that was unleashed from a mystical puzzle; and that supernaturalism set an important trend for the next two series. The final two villains of GX---Yubel and Nightshroud---are demonic spirits, and the villains of the first half of 5Ds are a cult of duelists who are more or less possessed by their Earthbound Immortals. 

Additionally, a running theme in all of these stories is the idea of divinity. The Egyptian Gods in the original series are portrayed as the most powerful Duel Monsters and night-insurmountable obstacles for Yugi to overcome in Battle City. This heavily inspired the Sacred Beasts, the Aesir, and arguably even the Earthbound Immortals. 

The difference between all of these “divine cards” is how they are used within their narratives:

• In the original series, the Egyptian Gods eventually become tools for our main character to use, and it’s clear that they are fundamentally good spirits that are simply used to commit nefarious deeds. 

• In GX, the Sacred Beasts are wielded exclusively by villains, and they have a much more overtly sinister nature to them. It seems fundamentally impossible to use them for good, hence why they make such valuable tools for Kagemaru and Yubel. 

• In the first season of 5Ds Earthbound Immortals are once again very sinister and wielded by villains, but many of the Dark Signers do not act out of free will. 

• 5Ds got another stab at this idea in their second season with the Aesir, who are inspired by Norse mythology in the same way the Egyptian Gods are inspired by Egyptian mythology. However, unlike Marik, Kagemaru, Yubel or the Dark Signers; Team Ragnarok are genuinely good people. They’re antagonists, yes, but they aren’t actually villains. 

Despite this trilogy initially focusing on the supernatural, GX’s second season (which focuses on extraterrestrial life) and 5Ds’ second half (which focuses on time travel, cybernetics and dystopian timelines) perfectly sets up the emerging trend of the Yugioh franchise becoming more science-fiction-oriented. 

The Second Trilogy:

Yugioh’s second trilogy does not share common plot elements in the same way the first trilogy does. Whereas the first trilogy seems to be set in the same location, just a few years apart; ZEXAL, Arc-V and VRAINS are obviously set in universes that have nothing to do with one-another. So why would I label these three as a “trilogy?”

The main reason I still consider these three a trilogy is because they share similar imagery and themes, and a few characters from past series appear in Arc-V. But more than that, they are often linked by virtue of paralleling (or “rhyming”) the more connected first trilogy. 

The second trilogy of Yugioh consists of:

• ZEXAL, which follows a teenage boy getting bonded to a mystical spirit via a magical pendant

• Arc-V, which focuses on an idealistic boy getting wrapped up in an interdimensional war, unleashing a power known as the “Supreme King,” and falling into a deep depression as a result

• VRAINS, which focuses on a hacker and his rival trying to restore balance in a divided, digital world 

Sound familiar? The basic premise of each series is basically a “remix” of their predecessor: ZEXAL remixes Duel Monsters, Arc-V remixes GX, and VRAINS remixes 5Ds. 

Whereas the first three series had a more overt focus on the supernatural, the second trilogy of Yugioh has more elements of science fiction. 

• ZEXAL is an outright space opera that is obviously set in the far future, with aliens from another galaxy as the final villains. 

• Arc-V mimics the supernaturalism of prior series, but with technology more-or-less filling the same role as magic earlier. Taking real damage is no longer due to Shadow Games, but advanced technology that gives holograms mass. 

• VRAINS is focused completely on virtual reality. VRAINS is also notable for being the only series so far without any fantastical elements whatsoever; everything that happens in that show can be explained through technology. 

Now that I’ve established how the franchise is divided into trilogies, I want to go through how each installment of the second trilogy mirrors (or “remixes”) a series from the first trilogy. 

Duel Monsters and ZEXAL:

The first installment of both trilogies, these lay the groundwork for the next two installments. Yugioh’s emphasis on Egyptian mythology and spiritual artifacts in a modern setting (with a healthy dose of character-focused storytelling) tells audiences what to expect in GX and 5Ds. Meanwhile, ZEXAL’s emphasis on alien life and intergalactic escapades informs watchers that the next several years of Yugioh will pay homage to the past but move in a completely different direction. 

Yugi Muto and Yuma Tsukumo, in their earliest appearances, are easily the two worst duelists of all the Yugioh protagonists, and they only succeed due to the help of a spirit companion. For Yugi, Atem outright takes over his body; whereas Astral merely gives advice, only stepping in to duel on a handful of occasions when Yuma’s physically incapacitated. However, by living in the shadow of these spectres, Yuma and Yugi both develop their skills, eventually beating their partners in a climactic showdown. 

Both shows also have a great emphasis on memory. Astral and Atem are both amnesiac and searching for cards (such as the Numbers and the Egyptian Gods) that they hope will restore their memories, only to find those cards are in possession of someone else. 

It’s no secret that the original Duel Monsters, in many ways, lives and dies by the chemistry of its main cast. Yugi’s friends Bakura, Tristan, Tea and Joey are some of the most iconic characters in the franchise, and they are easily one of the most iconic groups in shonen manga. 

ZEXAL did not have a cast nearly this strong, with Tori and Bronk being more irritating than likable. Instead, much of the same character-focused storytelling happens through Yuma’s begrudging friendships with Kite and Shark, who, despite their best efforts, are both sucked in by Yuma’s magnetism and charm. These three form a sort of rival trifecta: all of them work together at multiple points in the show, but all of them also have fought each other. It’s interesting to watch Kite and Shark essentially go through the same “enemies-turned-friends” journey, but just at different points, meaning that there are long segments of the show where Shark is Yuma’s friend but Kite isn’t yet. 

Pieces of Seto Kaiba can be found in both Kite and Shark, but he’s obviously the better character, for too many reasons to list here. One thing that he has that the other two obviously lack is that he acts as the catalyst for several story arcs. The word antagonist comes from the Latin word for “one who incites change,” and that fits Seto Kaiba to a T; even after he stops acting villainous, he’s always causing events that alter the trajectory of the show. 

I don’t have much more to say about these two. ZEXAL took the same basic premise of Duel Monsters, but ended up veering off into its own radically different direction, only to circle back around to an ending that was very much inspired by the original series (with the Astral vs Yuma duel). I wasn’t a particularly big fan of ZEXAL, but it was lovely to see a finale paying homage to the series that started it all. 

GX and Arc-V:

At the start of their respective series, Jaden Yuki and Yuya Sakaki are two of the most upbeat, optimistic and carefree protagonists of the whole series. Having fun and building friendships is their main concern, which is why it’s so tragic to see the two of them slowly sink into depression, doubt and loneliness. 

They both have a transformation into darker, more merciless individuals, both of which are titled “Supreme King.” Jaden assumes his for a few episodes in the third season, and it  makes him cold, calculating and apathetic. On the other hand, Yuya’s makes him frantic, angry and wildly unpredictable, and he struggles with this alter ego for most of the show. Both of these transformations also occur due to the machinations of greater villains (Zarc and Yubel), who are represented through powerful Duel Monster cards. 

Both Yuya and Jaden feel massive guilt for the horrors they committed while in their Supreme King personas, and it sends them spiraling into darkness and guilt. It is only in the final stages of both series that Jaden and Yuya are able to break from their depression by dueling for fun. As someone who’s struggled with depression in the past, I related to their downtrodden mental states: how everything feels empty and hollow, how once-enjoyable activities seem meaningless, how it feels like an insurmountable obstacle just to do anything. 

For Jaden, his transformation from happy, go-lucky kid to depressed lone wolf starts about halfway through the third season and continues onwards towards the rest of the show. For Yuya, they made the smart decision of hinting at his mental instability much, much earlier. Even as early as the second episode of the show, he would cry when his monsters were killed and try to hide his emotions. 

This is a major difference between Yuya and Jaden. In the early seasons, Jaden duels for his own happiness and well-being; he genuinely really likes dueling. Yuya does too, at least to an extent, but his father also conditioned him to bottle up his emotions for the sake of putting on a show for other people. As a result, many of Yuya’s depressive episodes precede acts of over-the-top showmanship through dueling, as he desperately tries to distract himself from pain. So whereas Jaden’s dueling became a point of depression and sadness for him, Yuya’s dueling has always been tinged with those elements. 

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In many ways, Arc-V acts as an inversion of GX. Both series focus on interdimensional wars, but whereas GX only uses this backdrop for a single (but groundbreaking) season, Arc-V has it as the core of the whole show. 

Duel Academy appears in both series, but acting as a protagonist force in one and an antagonistic force in the other. In GX, the amount of time we spend with Duel Academy makes it feel like a home. We come to genuinely love it, the faculty working there and the other students who live and study there. That’s the benefit of GX’s slice-of-lice format: it creates a bond between the viewer and the community. Jaden Yuki, the school’s top duelist for most of the show, is exemplary of this. In much the same way the audience grows attached to this community, Jaden comes to have friends in all grade levels and all Houses, and he turns several bitter enemies into lifelong friends. 

In Arc-V, that emotion is gone. Instead, Duel Academy appears as a fearmongering school dedicated to creating ruthless interdimensional child soldiers. This is most emblematic in its top student, Yuri. Out of all Yuya’s counterparts, he’s the only one who’s genuinely villainous. He and Jaden both love to duel and take great personal satisfaction in it, but for Jaden, it’s a genuinely uplifting activity that lets him forge bonds with others; for Yuri, it’s an outlet to express his sadism. 

Arc-V “inverting” common tropes of GX is evident in their rivals. Both series feature two main rivals:

• A cold, seemingly-emotionless prodigy duelist with a younger sibling, who refines their current deck to perfection (Reiji and Zane)

• And a rich, obnoxious goofball who frequently changes their deck (Sawatari and Chazz)

Zane Truesdale is an independent lone wolf and a graduate of Duel Academy who only duels a handful of occasions in the show, and he isn’t much of a rival to Jaden past the first season. Instead, Chazz presents himself as the much more consistent rival; Zane’s descent into sadism and masochism propels him on a new character arc that actually puts him in conflict with his younger brother, Syrus. 

Meanwhile, Reiji is a charismatic, motivated leader who unites Duelists against Duel Academy. He has much the same personality as Zane, but with completely different motives and an entirely different relationship with his equally-talented adopted sister, Reira. However, he also has a few elements of Seto Kaiba, being the CEO of a tech company and all. 

Funny enough, even though Chazz is universally considered Jaden’s “true” rival over Zane, his counterpart (Sawatari) is considered a much more minor character. Meanwhile, Reiji (Zane’s counterpart) is, without question, the actual rival of Yuya Sakaki. It goes to show how even while echoing the past, Yugioh writers always find a way to put a new spin on their characters. 

5Ds and VRAINS:

Yusei Fudo and Yusaku Fujiki are the two oldest protagonists in Yugioh canon when their shows begin, being 18 and 16, respectively. This immediately sets the two apart as a bit more collected, more mature and more intelligent than the other protagonists. The two are exceptionally similar, with Yusaku obviously being written to mirror Yusei, but for each commonality there are important differences. 

They are both genius hackers and all-around technology-savvy individuals who have a knack for reading people. The difference, of course, is that Yusei is a very socially-driven person; he thrives off human connections with others, and in fact, he’s linked to five other people by destiny itself. Yusaku, meanwhile, is a reclusive loner who has more in common with the previous series’ rivals than any protagonists. All of the friends he makes are very, very reluctant. 

Yusei and Yusaku are also the only protagonists with a second ace monster that has exactly 2300 attack points (Junk Warrior and Decode Talker), and they use this monster before they ever get their “true” aces (Firewall and Stardust). However, the way that Yusei and Yusaku use their ace monsters varies:

• Yusei is much more willing to use Stardust, as it protects his field from destruction effects. Junk Warrior has more specific requirements, so he pulls it out on a case-by-case basis.

• Meanwhile, the requirements for Decode Talker are so generic that Yusaku can afford to summon it just about every duel without interrupting his strategy. He only whips out Firewall Dragon if he needs to remove problematic cards from the field. 

As something of a side-bar, I’d like to mention that the monsters of VRAINS very heavily resemble 5Ds. Not only does Decode Talker have some passing similarities to Junk Warrior, but Firewall and Borreload are essentially just mechanized versions of Stardust and Red Dragon Archfiend. Taken as a whole, VRAINS and 5Ds have much more inorganic, robotic-looking Duel Monsters in the decks of just about every main character; even non-Machine, non-Cyberse decks (like Yusei’s Warrior-types and Revolver’s Dragon-types) almost always look mechanical. It’s great visual language: it tells audiences that 5Ds is obviously set further in the future than GX, and that the world of VRAINS is one where the Internet dominates all aspects of life. 

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While they have lots of obvious, surface-level similarities, I’d argue that VRAINS is an inversion of 5Ds, in much the same way that Arc-V is an inversion of GX, and this will be immediately obvious to anyone who watches both. This doesn’t just apply to Yusaku being more introverted, quiet and reserved than Yusei, it even applies to the themes of both shows. 

Both series have friendship as a big theme in their first season, but they handle it completely differently:

• At the end of 5Ds’ Dark Signers Arc, Yusei only manages to beat Rex Goodwin with the help of his friends. The obvious (and generic) theme is that friendship lets you overcome anything!

• At the end of the Hanoi Arc in VRAINS, all of Yusaku’s companions are dead. (Or, at least, as close to death as you can get in VRAINS.) Ema, Akira, Aoi and Go all sacrificed themselves in the fight against Hanoi, but ultimately, their efforts proved to hinder Yusaku rather than help him. The obvious theme here is that friendship isn’t a catch-all solution, and sometimes, it’s better to confront your demons alone. 

Both series also have a villain (Revolver and Z-One) trying to destroy a species of Duel Monsters (Synchros and Cyberses). And again, they handle it completely differently:

• Season 2 of 5Ds is all about Z-One and Aporia trying to destroy Synchro Summoning. Within the context of the show, Z-One and Aporia are treated as unambiguously wrong; in the end, Yusei uses Synchro Summoning to defeat Z-One, with Shooting Quasar Dragon being symbolic of the bonds between his friends. 

• In VRAINS, Revolver’s goals of destroying the Cyberse initially seem unambiguously evil, and Yusaku stops him early on. But Seasons 2 and 3 are all about the horrible aftermath: the Ignis go completely rogue and begin wrecking havoc, and by the end of the show, even Ai himself has become a villain. Whereas Z-One is treated as totally wrong, Revolver is progressively making more and more sense. 

Basically, VRAINS is the cynical response to 5Ds. 5Ds portrays a clear line between good and evil, and states that friendship can overcome any evil. VRAINS says that good and evil are nuanced, relativistic ideas, and that working alone can achieve better results than working with others. 

It’s honestly bleak as hell (compared to the rest of the franchise), but it’s totally fitting given the overall tone VRAINS was striving for. VRAINS explored trauma, morally-gray conflicts and the hidden agendas of its characters, so it makes complete sense that this was the conclusion the show arrived at. 

Conclusion:

All in all, this essay is something of a love letter to one of my favorite franchises of all time. My earliest experience with anime was watching Yugioh on Saturday Mornings with my brother, back when we were still in elementary school. 

As I revisit this series to write scripts and video essays, time and time again I’m surprised at just how nuanced the franchise really is. Captivating character arcs, rich parallels and fascinating themes about destiny and depression aren’t the sort of thing you’d expect from a franchise about a children’s card game, but here they are. 

There were a million more things I wanted to discuss, and I probably will discuss them in later essays. But for now, I’m happy leaving it at this.