Manga
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Volume 1
By Chris Zimmerman
June 3, 2011 - 09:41

Viz Media
Writer(s): Masahiro Hikokubo
Penciller(s): Masashi Sato
ISBN: 978-1-4215-3963-8
$9.99 US



yugi_5Dcb.jpg
Ah Yu-Gi-Oh…the franchise in which all conflict can be solved using a children’s card game. There have been multiple iterations of the series, some brutal, others more child-friendly, but the common the theme connecting them is the use of card games to do battle. The original series gave a back history for the reasons involving the cards, employing the explanation of ancient spirits and reincarnated foes destined to do battle. And it worked in a sense. But every series since has used the cards without rhyme or reason, to the point that the universe’s law enforcement officials rely on them to keep the peace.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s is the latest commercial fodder designed to get children to purchase the card game and has since had an animated series, a film, video games, and a manga based upon it. Any connection to the past series’ is neglected and the reasons for the card duels are ignored. This is presumably to zip right to the action but in so doing, the series comes off looking like a 200 page promotional piece. Despite the commercialism that had begun choking the franchise, the anime of which the manga is based did its best to flesh out the characters and humanize them, whereas the manga opts for the opposite route.

 5D’s tells the story of Yusei Fudo, an up and coming turbo duelist living in the ruins of New Domino City. He passes the time dueling with his best friend Sect and fine tuning his duel runner. Duel runners are motorcycle-like contraptions that employ the same holographic technology seen in the past series. Duelists now race through whatever speed ways available to them while using monsters, spells, and traps to gain an advantage.

Throughout the course of the volume Yusei faces paranormal opponents and overly confident champions, building toward his eventual entering of the D1 Grand Prix. Those familiar with the series will no doubt recognize many of the characters that populate the pages, though the personalities attributed to them are noticeably divergent. The volume also strings one duel along after another in its bid to showcase Yusei as a burgeoning duelist amidst a talent pool of prodigies.

If you’re a fan of the card game, this approach probably appeal to your tastes. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else. If you’re coming into this volume expecting a story ala the original manga, you’re in the wrong place.


Rating: 7/10

Related Articles: