Yu-Gi-Oh!

A Japanese Manga, a hit cartoon series, a trading card game,...It's Time to Duel!!

Yu-Gi-Oh! first appeared in 1996 in a comic series (manga) by Kazuki Takahashi. It was carried in Shonen Jump, Japan's largest weekly comic magazine.
A 27-episode television series accompanied by a collectible card game was a great hit in Japan in 1998.

Konami, a Japanese company, controls Yu-Gi-Oh trading card and video game rights worldwide. Their company is well known here for its work with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video games in the 1980's and 1990's as well as its 1981 U.S. video arcade game, Frogger. Konami started shipping Yu-Gi-Oh! Gameboy video games in 2000 via Konami of America, Inc. (Konami's U.S. presence).

4Kids Entertainment obtained the U.S. merchandizing and television rights to Yu-Gi-Oh!. from Konami in May 2001. Since then it appears a wider license has been granted to them. 4Kids is no stranger to this business as they similarly brought Pokeman from Japan to the United States. 4Kids Entertainment rapidly partnered with Warner Brothers. and Yu-Gi-Oh! premiered on Kids' WB television network in September 2001. By December 2001, the Yu-Gi-Oh! craze was sweeping America.

But what is it?

Background:

Yugi Moto's grandfather runs a game store. One day Yugi learns of a very, very old Egyptian card fighting game called "Duel Monsters", In the game, different creatures battle in magical duels. Besides just battling themselves, they also have to contend with a changing battlefield that holds many dangers. When the battle is over, only one beast rises to be called Yu-Gi-Oh! (King of Games).

From this basic story line, the Trading Card game was created and introduced gamers to monsters, magic & trap cards from the series to duel with. I was introduced to the Trading Card game in 2002 when a cousin showed me the cards and taught me how to play. Since then I have amassed a decent collection and have become an excellent duelist.

You can find all the basic information about the game and how to play from the official Konami Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game website:

Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game

A fantastic resource for card information and great deals on buying hundreds of the best Yu-Gi-Oh! cards ever introduced in the game. Check out:

Yu-Gi-Oh! Land