Since its first animated series began 20 years ago, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters has been a cherished part of many childhoods, including my own. This year, the seventh series began airing on April 4 with a new main character: Yuga Ohdo, a fifth-grader who is fed up with the rules made by adults, decides to reformat the game itself. The Yu-Gi-Oh! fan base is divided on their opinions about the show due to its drastic change in tone. Some like the constant attempts to revive the industry, while others were let down by the fact that a kid’s show marked the significant 20-year anniversary of the franchise, which has included multiple spin-off manga and anime series, video games and trading card games (TCG). 

As a child, I was mesmerized by the story arc that involved the soul of an Egyptian pharaoh and an awesome collection of monsters. After all, what pre-teen boy wouldn’t like monsters that can shoot beams from their mouths? The feeling of anticipation that gripped me as I opened the card packs, the disappointment or joy that followed, and the pure satisfaction from reenacting a particularly cool scene are some of the most memorable emotions of my childhood. Apparently I was not alone, because Korean stationery shops were always full of kids who wanted to buy Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. It was no surprise that it became the world’s most popular TCG . 

Sadly, the heyday of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG did not last forever. Portable game consoles and smartphones quickly overtook traditional card games and the franchise was quickly pushed out of mainstream culture for being “childish” and “not cool”. In addition, it met a problem common to all TCGs —  the necessary expansion,  with the addition of more cards and new rules, made the franchise increasingly complicated. Naturally, new players met a much higher entry barrier, and for old players, high expenditure became a necessity to stay competitive in the game. Yu-Gi-Oh! faded into a sentimental memory for most of us. 

Despite this, some remained steadfast to the franchise. For many years, it extended its lifespan by relying on the nostalgic attachment of old players. Although still enjoyable, with all things considered, it was stagnant.

Now producers have decided to take a leap of faith. For the first time since Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, the animated series is made by a studio other than Studio Gallop, the original producers. Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS, with its simplistic and comedic style, is catering to a younger audience rather than the old fan base. I was first skeptical about the change. With the failed attempt of the last series, Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS, I was afraid that SEVENS might further alienate the fans. However, although the development of both the characters and the plot was short, it was attractive enough for new audiences. And the new card game format introduced along with the series, Rush Duel, is relatively faster and easier to play.

The discontent of some fans is understandable too. The old fans continued to support the industry despite its decline, and they definitely deserved something that catered to their needs, especially on the 20-year anniversary of the show. And although I believe this is the only way to revitalize a dying industry, Yu-Gi-Oh! will probably never regain its long-lost glory. With the series on a five-week hiatus due to the COVID-19 situation, we will just have to wait and see.