Yu-Gi-Oh

Yu-Gi-Oh

Weihao Qu, Staff Writer

“It’s time to D-D-D-D-Duel!” Remember Yu-Gi-Oh? It is the incredibly popular Japanese manga series and card game beloved by millions around the world. Although Yu-Gi-Oh’s era in the spotlight has faded over the years, its legacy continues and has resurfaced in the halls of Minnetonka.

For those of you who don’t know of Yu-Gi-Oh, its origins are particularly interesting. Although most know Yu-Gi-Oh as the card game, it is originally based off a manga series that tells the tale of protagonist, Yugi Mutou, a lover of games. When Yugi discovers an ancient artifact called the Millennium Puzzle, his body becomes the host of a spirit. Yugi and his friends are suddenly thrown into a life where they face challenges from those with darkness in their hearts. From this show, the card game was popularized, amassing global sales of 22.6 billion Yu-Gi-Oh cards, a world record.

And, while still popular among many, Yu-Gi-Oh was thought of a fad of the past, until now. Minnetonka Seniors Javidan Odqan, Jason Melander, Ben Kosvic, and Joe Wolff have ignited the spark to reconnect Minnetonka students with the nostalgic card game. “We were just hanging out one day, and Yu-Gi-Oh was on T.V. From there, we just began dueling” says Javidan Odqan, co-founder of the upcoming “Dueler’s Club”.

The game is simple. It is battle-based trading card game where players draw cards from the decks they build. Each player starts with a set number of “Life Points” and play until one player’s points are reduced to 0. Players use their monster cards to attack, inflicting damage to life points. The game truly allows the player to enter the world of Yugi, giving the player a chance to battle alongside him and solve the puzzles of the Yu-Gi-Oh world.

As you can see, Yu-Gi-Oh serves as much more than just a card game and manga series. It is a community connected through the love for the game. And, with the upcoming debut of the “Dueler’s Club”, Minnetonka is surely going to see a few more duelers in its halls. Be sure to keep an eye open for a revival of Yu-Gi-Oh and tell yourself: “It’s time to D-D-D-D-Duel.”