Yu-Gi-Oh! was the very first anime that truly captured me as a kid. I remember being glued to the screen, fascinated not only by the duels and the cards, but also by the intensity of Yugi and his friends. For many people it might be “just” an anime about a card game, but for me, it was always so much more. It had mystery, heart, and that sense of adventure that makes you want to believe in something bigger than yourself.
“Sometimes the real duel is believing in yourself.”
As a kid, I didn’t understand it deeply, but I felt it. Every duel was more than a game, it was a test of character. Watching Yugi face impossible odds and somehow find a way through them inspired me to be brave in my own small ways. Whether it was a test at school or standing up for myself, I carried a little bit of that “Heart of the Cards” spirit with me.
To this day, I still keep my cards like a treasure (some are a bit worn from shuffling them during school breaks ?). When I started working, I didn’t hesitate to treat myself by buying the manga it felt like reconnecting with a piece of my childhood, but with a whole new perspective.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Is fun, epic, dramatic, and sometimes wonderfully ridiculous (yes, saving the world with cards sounds silly and that’s perfect). Its magic is the mix of heart and spectacle: it makes you believe, cheer, and feel that with strategy, faith, and friends by your side, any obstacle can be overcome.
For me, it will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s more than nostalgia: it’s the anime that taught me that sometimes the truest victory is simply not giving up. Even now, years later, Yu-Gi-Oh! Still makes me smile every time I see a duel.
It reminds me of simpler days, when imagination and friendship were everything. It’s proof that the stories we grow up with can still inspire us long after we’ve grown up ourselves. I think that’s why it remains timeless because believing in the “Heart of the Cards” is really about believing in ourselves.
Score: 10/10
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