Yu-Gi-Oh!

Yu-Gi-Oh! began as a Japanese manga series created by Kazuki Takahashi, first serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from September 1996 to March 2004, with its chapters collected in 38 tankōbon volumes. The story follows Yugi Mutou, a teenager who solves the ancient Egyptian Millennium Puzzle, reviving a gambling spirit that possesses him to resolve conflicts through games. Over time, the manga shifted focus to the collectible card game Duel Monsters, which became the franchise's centerpiece.

The manga spawned a media franchise that includes multiple anime series, spin-off manga, video games, and a real-world trading card game. The original series was adapted into two anime: an eponymous series produced by Toei Animation (April–October 1998) and Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, produced by NAS and animated by Gallop (April 2000–September 2004). Spin-offs include Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, and others. The franchise also includes four films, notably Pyramid of Light (2004), Bonds Beyond Time (2010), and The Dark Side of Dimensions (2016).

By July 2022, the manga had over 40 million copies in circulation, and the franchise generated $5 billion in retail sales, making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. The trading card game, developed and published by Konami, remains a major player in the collectible card game market, competing with Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon TCG. [edit]