YU-GI-OH!
THE FIRST MOVIE

The Blue Eyes White Dragon will bring victory, however, what the Red Eyes Black Dragon brings is not victory, but potential. But this card is only for one who has the courage to duel.


Information

The first movie was made in conjunction with the first Yu-Gi-Oh series and produced by Toei Animation. This movie doesn't really fit into Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters at all. It follows the story of a young boy named Shogo who doesn't have the courage to duel, but with Yugi and Jounouchi's help, things are about to change.

The animation in the movie is fairly accurate in relation to that of the first series. The animation is softer than that of Duel Monsters and anyone can notice the difference in character designs. Also, the original first season voices are used (Hikaru Midorikawa as Seto Kaiba, Megumi Ogata as Yugi, etc.). Sadly, Bakura isn't in the movie. The movie is also relatively short and is approx a half an hour long by my count.

Since the first series was never brought over to North America, and because the movie doesn't really tie into Duel Monsters, it is unlikely that we'll ever see the movie in North America. So, to make up for that, here's a weird summary written by yours truly. Gah... I have to stop watching Yu-Gi-Oh with Chinese subtitles which I don't understand...



Summary

Shogo always loved the duel monsters card game. He collected the cards and dreamed of becoming a top duelist one day. However, Shogo had a little problem - he never dueled anyone for fear that he would lose.

One day Shogo buys cards, but after looking through them, he realizes that a rare card is present in the cards he just bought. It is the legendary Red Eyes Black Dragon. The lady in the store he bought the cards from informs him that even though the Blue Eyes White Dragon brings victory, the Red Eyes Black Dragon that he received will bring potential if he has the courage to duel.

After school, Yugi and his friends are hanging out at a restaurant. Yugi and Jounouchi are dueling, and Yugi is explaining the rules of the game to Miho (She's the girl with purple hair from the first series who Honda is in love with, but she seems to like Bakura more *heh*. There are a lot of interesting facial expressions on Jounouchi's part. Also, note how Honda interacts with Miho in the background.^^)

Shogo is often picked on since he doesn't like dueling. Outside the restaurant where Yugi and his friends are dueling, Shogo is being bothered by other kids. Just as Yugi runs off to interfere, Shogo announces that he has the Red Eyes Black Dragon card. Everyone around is shocked that Shogo has such a rare and powerful card.

In the meantime, Seto Kaiba is planning on holding a duel monsters tournament. He will invite all the top duelists or those he feels will be a challenge. He wishes to face Yugi more than anyone else.

That night, Shogo sits in the park and thinks about what he was told about the Red Eyes Black Dragon. Since he's afraid of dueling, he wonders about the courage to duel.

Yugi returns to the game shop to find that he has gotten an invitation to Kaiba's tournament. When Shogo checks his mail, he finds that he has received an invitation aswell.

The next day Jounouchi and Yugi are walking together. Yugi tells Jounouchi about the tournament and Jounouchi's a little upset that he didn't get invited. There attention shifts quickly when they hear Shogo struggling.

A man in a suit is pulling Shogo by his arm. Jounouchi, being the tough sweet guy he is, grabs the man's arm and twists it behind his back. The man explains that he works for Kaiba, and that Kaiba has ordered him to make sure that everyone who was given an invitation attends his tournament. Jounouchi realizes that even though he wasn't invited, Shogo was and is slightly annoyed. The man takes this opportunity to get away from Jounouchi and punch him in the stomach.

The man confronts Yugi who is standing in front of Shogo. Yugi states that he wants no part in Kaiba's tournament is he's forcing people to attend like this. Just as the man is about to grab Yugi, Jounouchi jumps the man from behind and tells Yugi and Shogo to run away. Yugi grabs Shogo's hand and the two escape into an alley. The man attempts to follow them, but Jounouchi pulls him back and punches him. *heh*

Yugi and Shogo stop in the alley to catch their breathe. At this point of time, Yugi asks Shogo if he's really happy not dueling. Little do they know that another man in the suit is hot on their trail.

By the time Jounouchi reaches them, the man has came and left. Yugi and Shogo look as if they were beaten up and their cards are scattered all over the ground. Anyway, Jounouchi runs to Yugi and cradles him in his arms. Yugi explains that the man ran off with his puzzle and Shogo's Red Eyes Black Dragon. This makes Jounouchi mad and he runs off to find the man. After cutting through a line of people he confronts the man that beat Yugi up. A fight between Jounouchi and him ensues.

As all this is going on, Kaiba is facing challengers in his tournament. He's defeated Ryuzaki and is now waiting for Yugi to arrive.

Yugi and Shogo find Jounouchi on the ground and Yugi goes to help him. Jounouchi is looking pretty worn out by this time. He managed to retrieve the Red Eyes Black Dragon card but not Yugi's puzzle (Random fact - If you look close enough, the Red Eyes Black Dragon card is stained with Jounouchi's blood from now on in the movie). Seeing how Jounouchi was hurt all thanks to Kaiba, Yugi is more than a little annoyed.

Shogo admits that he doesn't want to duel because he's afraid of losing. Furthermore, he doesn't wish to duel in the tournament since it would mean risking his Red Eyes Black Dragon. He figures as long as he doesn't duel, he can keep lying to himself and never lose. Shogo attempts to get past Jounouchi and Yugi, but in the process, Yugi and Shogo's desks fall to the ground and scatter. They begin picking up their cards. Yugi decides that he'll face Kaiba. Jounouchi briefly touches Yugi's deck and then throws Shogo his deck. Shogo looks like his normal gloomy self upon hearing that Yugi will face Kaiba.

At the tournament, Kaiba is looking pretty bored until the doors open to reveal little Yugi. Jounouchi and Shogo take their seats in the audience to watch the duel.

Kaiba throws Yugi his puzzle. Yugi holds it in his hands and transforms into Yami Yugi just as he does for pretty much all of the first season. Kaiba's eyes light up noticing Yugi's change. The table between Kaiba and Yugi disappears and the floor shifts. Kaiba and Yugi are surrounded by bright light, but keep their eyes locked on each other. Kaiba's original duel decks appear before them and both of them put them on and place their cards into the machine.

In the audience, Jounouchi explains to Shogo that he's seeing the other side of Yugi's personality. Both of them seem to enjoy the little light show though.

Kaiba explains some things to Yami Yugi as this is the first duel ever fought with the virtual reality system. Their life points appear behind them in green. Yami Yugi and Kaiba both draw five cards and throw them into the air in front of them. Giant holograms of the cards appear in front of them. In the audience, Jounouchi is keeping watch over Shogo.

Yami Yugi and Kaiba start battling. Things seem to be going pretty well for Yugi until Kaiba draws a Blue Eyes White Dragon. It starts plowing through Yugi's monsters. Yugi calls on the Black Magician (Dark Magician in the English version) and his magical hats. He also hides a trap card under one of the hats. Kaiba orders his Blue Eyes to attack the hat on the right, but he ended up activated the trap card. The circle from the trap holds down the Blue Eyes and The Black Magician is able to defeat it.

However, Kaiba has three Blue Eyes in his deck. He brings out the other two and resurrects the one Yugi defeated. Kaiba then uses that Chain of Wickedness to bind his three Blue Eyes White Dragons together. Kaiba is grinning knowing that he's practically secured his victory. Yugi draws a card and is shocked at what he sees. He let's go of the card and is becomes a giant hologram in front of him.

In the audience, Shogo looks at Yugi's situation and figures that it's hopeless. As he is about to leave, Jounouchi grabs his hand. He tells Shogo not to give up and reminds Shogo that Yugi is also fighting this duel for him. Jounouchi then tells Shogo to look at the card Yugi just drew from his deck for it's the card covered with his own blood. Shogo looks at the battle before him and is shocked to see his Red Eyes Black Dragon in Yugi's hand.

Yugi keeps sending out monsters in defense mode and watches each one effortlessly be blown away be Kaiba's Blue Eyes. Shogo asks why Yugi doesn't use his Red Eyes since it is Yugi's only real chance of winning the duel. Jounouchi informs Shogo that Yugi will only use the card if Shogo has the will to fight.

Yugi's situation gets more hopeless as Kaiba activates a stop defense card to stop Yugi from placing creatures in defense.

Shogo watches the battle and remembers when Yugi had asked him earlier. He also remembers that the Red Eyes only works for those who have the courage to duel. Shogo says that he'll duel. Jounouchi is thrilled and Shogo screams at Yugi to use his Red Eyes.

Yugi was waiting for these words and brings out Red Eyes, but alone, not even Red Eyes can compete with Kaiba's creation. Yugi, instead merges the monster he currently has on the field with the Red Eyes creating a new and more powerful monster. A bright light shines as the new monster appears. Shogo's face lights up as he realizes that Yugi has won. The blast hits and there's a huge explosion. Kaiba, doesn't look too pleased, but a smile is on Shogo's face. Yugi has won.

Kaiba begins to walk away. before he gets too far, he turns back and tells Yugi that the batter is not over and that he is a worthy adversary.

Jounouchi runs up behind Yami Yugi and hugs him. He cheers and Yugi can't help but smile. Still in Jounouchi's arms, Yugi looks over at Shogo. He's smiling and has seemed to overcome his fear of dueling.

The ending credits are filled with images of Shogo happily dueling his friends. The movie ends with an image of Shogo smiling with the Red Eyes Black Dragon in the background.



Quotes

"Yugi... come to me. Come and duel me!" - Kaiba

"What if I use the Red Eyes Black Dragon and still lose?" - Shogo

"That's the other face of Yugi." - Jounouchi

"Look at the card he just drew. My blood is on it. It's your Red Eyes." - Jounouchi

"Victory depends on whether or not a duelist has the courage to fight until the bitter end." - Yami Yugi

"I know it was foolish of me, but your attachment to your delusion makes me sick, since you don't even duel. Wake up from your delusion and attachment from that one card." - Jounouchi

"If you don't have the will to fight, he won't use your card" - Jounouchi

"Yugi. I will admit to losing this time, but never forget that this battle is far from over. I approve of you. You're the one person who is worth dueling." - Kaiba