Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series

Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series (often abbreviated to Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged or simply YGOTAS) is a humorous and popular fan parody of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Anime as dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment. It is created by an artist known as LittleKuriboh, who originally strived to update the series weekly, although this has not always been possible.

Overview
As the name suggests, Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series is a dramatically shortened down version of the original series, cutting each episode down from its original twenty minutes. This includes episodes in two or more parts. All characters in the series are voiced by LittleKuriboh, even the female ones, adding to the comical effect of the parody. A notable exception of this are the characters of Rebecca Hawkins in the regular series and Gary Stu in the Other Abridged Movie, which are voiced by LittleKuriboh's wife, Abigail, mostly referred to by her screen-name Safty.

The series is focused on making fun of the eccentricities of the series, most prominently the fact that Duel Monsters is a children's card game, yet is played by teens and adults with unfaltering seriousness and unreal consequences. This leads to frequent commentaries about the role of the game in the series and the plot of such. It also lampoons the changes made to the series in the English dub, and greatly exaggerates the characters' personalities from that version, to comic effect. There are also jokes that break the "fourth wall".

The series is also known for playing different songs to suit the mood of certain situations. Beginning with the fifth episode, the series would open with a snippet of "Kawaita Sakebi" (the theme song from the first series anime). There have been a few exceptions, however:
 * Episode 10, which plays the "Cruel Angel's Thesis", the opening theme from Evangelion.
 * Episode 13, where it played the chorus of "YMCA".
 * Episode 18, where it played the end of "Wollt ihr das Bett in Flammen sehen" By German NDH band Rammstein.
 * Episode 30, where it played a parody of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme, titled "The Phresh Pharaoh of Bel-Air".
 * Episode 34, where the regular sequence is sung a capella.
 * Episode 37, where it played a part of Ave Satani, with altered lyrics.
 * Episode 40, where it plays the normal theme with Joey "Nyeh-ing" to it.

All episodes would end with a scene from the anime juxtaposed with audio from another source. For example, the end of episode 2 featured Téa and Marik as Lois Lane and   Lex Luthor in a scene from the Superman Returns trailer.

Warning: Plot Endings and/or Spoilers Below

Series Humor
The humor of the series has constantly varied and expanded from its original premise. Rather than just making fun at the original series, other elements have been added throughout time to the parody.

Characters

 * Main articles: Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series main characters and Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series minor characters

As expected in a parody, the characters for the series have similar personalities to their original counterparts; however, most aspects are greatly exaggerated.

Duel Monsters as a "Children's Card Game"
As mentioned before, the series has always poked fun at the fact that, despite being just a trading card game focused for children, the anime features teenagers and adults playing it with great seriousness (Kaiba threatens suicide at one time over a game if he is not allowed to win it). The duels and the game itself are referred to almost exclusively in the series as a "children's card game" or simply "card games". Ironically, characters usually call on the use of Duel Monsters to solve their problems (saving kidnapped people, saving the world, etc.) or prove their maturity. This is commonly twisted into obsession, and characters are normally portrayed as irresponsible at any other aspect of their life.

It also pokes much fun at the fact that the duels in the first season have many deviations from the rulings in the real-life version of the card game. Characters usually claim that it is either because of the writing staff of the show, or because the rules of the game are too complicated or confusing (in Episode 26, it is shown that not even the most advanced computers can figure them out). When Season Two began with the Battle City Tournaments, Kaiba ruled that all duels from then on should follow the official rules of the game, much to their dismay. Kaiba also decided that to finally defeat his arch rival, he must do something no other duelist survived if they dared to attempt it: actually learn how to play Duel Monsters.

The 4Kids Dub
LittleKuriboh based much of the initial humor of the series on the censored dub by 4Kids of the original anime. This included references to the cuts made on several scenes of Season One, and even jokes were built around them. An example includes henchmen from Pegasus pointing their fingers at characters and saying "Don't move a muscle or we'll shoot you with our invisible guns!". This is because 4Kids edited all sorts of guns out of the original anime yet somehow they never edited the hands that held those guns thus making it look like they're still holding them. Often, when faced with a controversial theme (death, sexuality, transvestites, etc.) the characters argue that 4Kids would just censor such things from the show.

The Abridged Series also parodies several dialogues that appear on the English dub. When the series began, many lines were paraphrased or quoted wholesale from the 4Kids version, such as "Draw your last pathetic card" and "Exodia, Obliterate!" from the first episode. This is still done from time to time, including such phrases as "Check his pulse, Yugi!", "You don't stand a ghost of a chance!" and "What a digital dummy!", which are repeated all around the series.

Another enduring theme are the awkward voices done for the characters in the English dub. Many of the characters in the abridged series thus have either exaggerated versions of those voices or completely different ones. Such is the case of Tristan's voice, being very similar to Barney the Dinosaur. Also, Tristan's voice abruptly changes during Episode 8, as most characters notice. This is a reference to the voice of Tristan changing in the 4Kids dub around that time. At frequent times, the series addresses the vilification of 4Kids by many anime fans.

Fourth Wall
Another running gag within the series is the many of the characters frequently break the "fourth wall". They frequently talk about cameos, screen time and the plot. This is done in such a way that characters seem to know that they are in a series, providing extra jokes about it and meta humor. For example, characters normally fight for screen time in the series, and this seems to be the only reason villains like Bakura and Marik chase Yugi, rather than for his Millennium Puzzle or rare cards.

Sexuality
Still another prevalent theme is that the sexuality of the various male characters is intentionally portrayed as ambiguous. The most obvious example is Joey – while he is perhaps the most adamant in his fixation on Mai's breasts, at least early on in the series, shortly after his defeat by Seto Kaiba he begins to have "very erotic dreams" in which he is Kaiba's "dog", complete with dog suit, and, as time goes on, becomes very jealous at the mere thought that Yugi, too, might be having "dream-sex" with his "master". Although Mai does mention immediately afterward, "Oh please, who hasn't had dream-sex with Kaiba?" Similarly, Episode 7 features a humorous (non-canon) phone conversation in which Joey tells Tristan that he loves him. Even Bakura, despite his protests that he is not gay (just British), openly "gropes" Yugi and later says very decidedly that he has no desire to sleep with a girl. These and other jokes may be references to the large amounts of Yaoi and Shonen-Ai fanart and doujinshi made by the series' notorious fangirl following, which are also continually referenced. Another example is Yami, whose ambiguous sexuality has been referenced many times, such as the episode in which Bakura tells Yugi that the first time he met him, his gaydar pointed towards his Millennium Puzzle; as well as in the episode in which Kaiba's evil side declared he was a ghost, to which Yami replied "If you're a ghost, then I'm straight". Additionally, in "Episode 21: Massively Multiplayer Online Children's Card Game", Joey calls Tristan "darling" in which Tristan responds with "ix-nay on the arling-day." In the abridged movie, when Yugi is being mobbed by duelists, Tea claims she will take Yugi to a safe bedroom, then changes her response to "hiding place." When Yugi asks if she's taking him to the carnival, she responds with "Ooh, it'll be a CARNIVAL all right." Several more sexual jokes involving Tea are in the abridged movie, one of which is Tea asking Yugi's grandpa if he wants to make out. Also, in contrast to earlier episodes, in episode 33, Marik asks Yami Bakura why he's so British, and Yami Bakura replies "I'm not british, I'm just gay." However, this can be interpreted that only Yami Bakura is assuredly gay.

Other versions of the Yu-Gi-Oh anime
The series has sometimes referenced spinoffs of the original series. Regular views into the future lead to scenes from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. This is normally downplayed by characters, who are universally horrified by it, especially Kaiba (due to having a one-time cameo appearance only).

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's was referenced three times, highlighting the absurdity of playing card games on motorbikes when Tristan announced, "In the future, card games will be played on motorbikes". Yugi doesn't believe that that statement is true. It then shows a ad of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, with the caption [You gotta be sh**ing me]. Also in the 2008 Christmas Special Yugi receives 5D's trading cards as a present and his grandfather replies "Not just any trading cards, these are Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's trading cards, notice how they added motorbikes to make the game more interesting." In Episode 36 in a flashback, the Bully mentions that he's going to be a motorcycle-riding security guards in the future, but Yugi questions of this statement's relevance to their current situation. In Episode 38, Yami begins the show by claiming he finally found out what the D in Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's stands for and screams "Don't watch it!"

There have also been other various abridged series being done that are posted on YouTube that take place after the original series. Yu-Gi-Oh! GX is being done by DarkSideIncorporated, Sephirex, funkymcfunk, and DuelistsGalore. Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's is being done by Wraith10, azurada23, funkymcfunk, and DuelingAlter72. Yu-Gi-Oh! Season 0 is being done by DaJacksterN.

Pop-Culture, "Obscure", and Self-References
As the series progressed, it started becoming more dependent on Character-driven humor, as well as common references to movies, video games and other pop culture references, a common feature of comedies and parodies. A notable episode in this aspect is Episode 21, which uses the Virtual Game of Kaiba Corp. as a setting for various video game references, specifically The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Some of the movie quotes and references are often perceived by characters as being "obscure", possibly referencing how some are dated even to the time of their inclusion in the series. This happens in Episode 19 when Yugi saves himself and Shadi from the Dark Magician, and Episode 27, after Joey receives his Duel Disk.

Finally, there are several lines that reference the Abridged Series itself and the various events around it. Episode 15 holds the first notable example, where Joey and Tristan comment how dull the duel between Kaiba and Pegasus was. Joey said it was worse than waiting for LittleKuriboh to update, to which Tristan suggested complaining. Other jokes reference the banning of the episodes on YouTube, the appearance of several impostor videos, production hiatus, and some of the forum activity.

In Episode 27: "She Blinded Me With Card Games," Joey get's "rickroll'd," which is an internet gag where someone clicks on a link and the website takes control of the browser, making it difficult for the user to control the browser at all, while playing the Rick Astley music video, "Never gonna give you up." Joey's reaction is to declare he "hasn't been this mad since they made Heavy DDR a sub-mod", referring to a moderator on the forums on the official site of the series. In the series, "Jinzo" has the power to destroy any obscure internet references, which has become a rule for their various caption contests.

Music

 * Main article: Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series music

Impostors
In light of the popularity of "The Abridged Series", several fake accounts have cropped up, most actually insulting LittleKuriboh and his work. The rise of fake LittleKuriboh videos is later parodied in episode 18, when Yami summons LittleKuriboh impostors, which prevents Pegasus from finding the real LittleKuriboh, and thus prevents him from watching the Abridged series (as well as making Yami the winner of the duel). Ironically, LittleKuriboh has also mocked Naruto the Abridged Series when Yami Yugi said to Pegasus "Don’t worry, Pegasus. There’s always "Naruto: The Abridged Series". But as everyone knows, that's just not quite as good!", and in episode 24, when Ishizu says, "I predict that all the jokes you just heard will soon be appearing in somebody else's Abridged Series. You know the one." In Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Movie, in Yugi's prediction, Anubis says "Seires degdirba eht Oturan hctaw!" which is "Watch Naruto: The Abridged Series!" backwards.

Many people have also started to make their own "Abridged Series" of the same kind as LittleKuriboh. Most notably Naruto. However, LittleKuriboh doesn't seem to mind the Naruto version or the DBZ one, as he guest starred in the first and eighth episodes of the Naruto one and the fourth, fifth, and tenth episodes of the DBZ one, parodying his own Yami character. He does, however, make fun of it regularly. In episode 29, there was an actual parody of it (titled "Episode 42: Emo Sasuke Fights a Log) to which its creators lent their voices. In episode 40, takahata101 from Dragon Ball Z Abridged guest starred as the ghost of Nappa.

Copyright Infringement Charges on YouTube
On the week of March 8, 2007, the first episode of Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series was removed from YouTube by site administration, citing copyright infringement as the reason for the removal. LittleKuriboh has reportedly heard nothing from the administration regarding this removal or if the the other episodes are in danger of being removed as well. In response to this, LittleKuriboh posted Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series Episode 1 (Live Performance), which was a video of him performing the voice over part of episode 1 on the street, without using footage from the anime.

Soon after this, episode 2 was also removed for the same reason.

On March 12, 2007, LittleKuriboh posted a live video announcing several new sites that his videos would be available on. In the video, LittleKuriboh is in a Kaiba cosplay outfit and impersonates Kaiba (Which was later removed by Youtube). The three new sites presented were http://www.jentsproductions.com/littlekuriboh/, http://www.dailymotion.com/littlekuriboh/, and http://www.littlekuriboh.head-desk.org/. However, http://www.littlekuriboh.head-desk.org/ is no longer available due to bandwidth issues.

On June 19, just one day after release, all parts of The Abridged Movie were removed from YouTube (Part 1,2,3 were removed by YouTube while part 4 is removed by LK) along with episode 20, 21 and 22.

However, DailyMotion.com has started removing videos as well. At the moment, part 2 of the Abridged Movie is currently removed. However, LittleKuriboh has stated in his LiveJournal account that he will have to re-upload the movie because he must edit a certain portion of the movie that could be 'potentially harmful.' The edit was done to remove a line from the credits which mentions Upper Deck Entertainment.

However, while YouTube has claimed copyright infringement is displayed on the videos, there has never been a claim by 4Kids themselves to have the videos removed. Further proof of this is seen that when the video is taken down, there is no 'this video has been taken down due to a copyright claim from 4Kids Ent.' tag. This has further supported the theory adopted by LittleKuriboh's fans that other users themselves are flagging the videos. Due to the enormous number of videos on YouTube, administrators appear to not have the time to review the material in question and promptly delete it without a second thought. Several users have left messages on LittleKuriboh's message board saying they were the ones who flagged the videos. LittleKuriboh's fans respond in kind by blocking the users and flagging their videos to have their accounts closed. In response to the flagging, LittleKuriboh had Kaiba, while sitting at the computer, say "I'm busy flagging YouTube videos to compensate for the fact that I have an extremely small penis."

On June 22, 2007, LittleKuriboh began offering direct downloads of every episode in WMV format, plus Episode 1 of Cr@psule Monsters, the Christmas Special, and the Abridged Movie, through a website with the domain http://www.yugiohtheabridgedseries.com/ so as to avoid the risk of removal by YouTube and DailyMotion. The full site formally launched on July 16th, 2007. As of July 20, 2007 the site has added a bittorrent tracker. Season 1, Cr@psule Monsters, the Christmas Special, and the Abridged Movie are currently available in two torrents: One containing the videos in WMV format, and the other in MP4 format. Recently, the official website has began hosting their videos on the site REVVER, which, though including ads at the end of every video, helps Little Kuriboh pay for the sites server load, which is excessive due to the episodes extreme popularity. On October 5, 2007, LittleKuriboh's site was accidentally crashed by the admins in an attempt to add a friends list function.

On July 10, 2007, LittleKuriboh's account was suspended on YouTube, likely due to repeated flagging by other users. However, the account was re-opened again three days later on July 13, as well as LittleKuriboh being awarded status in the Most Subscribed and Most Viewed league tables, which some fans believe he should have been in previously. More organizations such as A-4KE created by narutoiscoo appeared on YouTube after LittleKuriboh's "second coming" for the sole purpose for protecting his account from flaggers, spammers etc. YouTube has not yet made any statement to LittleKuriboh or his viewers regarding the removal or restoration of the account. During this time LittleKuriboh's account fell victim to flagging, spamming, advertising from other users looking for popularity, on his account, and Pornbots who advertised porn sites on his account. On August 13, 2007, LittleKuriboh's YouTube account was suspended yet again. The last video he posted was a video of LittleKuriboh himself proposing to his girlfriend. The video was disguised as "Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series Episode 2X". Disguising videos by the thumbnail is indeed a violation of Youtube's terms of service, and may have played a part in the second suspension. This created another uproar from his fans demanding for LittleKuriboh's account to be returned once again with no response from YouTube's administrators. Many fans of LittleKuriboh continue to upload his videos onto YouTube.

CardGamesFTW
LittleKuriboh has created, yet another account on YouTube, the same account that featured at the end of Marik's Evil Council of Doom 1#, CardGamesFTW, and so far, has uploaded Episodes 31-40 of The Abridged Series, the 2nd Christmas special, as well as other comedic material.

On April 13, 2009, LittleKuriboh uploaded a redux version of Episode 1 with better quality video and audio. This episode was formatted like later episodes with the Season 1 intro and with the logo and end quote at the end. A bonus ending was also added with a little variation of the "Screw the rules" joke. On April 29, 2009, LK has been uploading older episodes of the series. As of May 3, 2009, all episodes of Seasons 1 and 2 have been uploaded thus far.

Bonus Videos
Besides the normal videos LittleKuriboh also made bonus videos. These include:
 * Marik's Evil Council of Doom
 * A Visit to Chester Zoo (With LittleKuriboh, Safty and Abridged Yami Yugi)
 * Abridged Audio Commentary
 * Bakura Gets a Job at Youtube.com
 * Rex and Weevil Visit Youtube.com
 * Rex and Weevil Watch Silent Hill
 * Serenity Struggles With YouTube.com
 * Seto Kaiba Addresses Youtube.com
 * Teaser 1
 * Teaser 2
 * Yugi Gives An Apology
 * Yu-Gi-Oh: The Other Abridged Movie
 * Marik's Evil Council of Doom 2
 * Zorc & Pals
 * Dan Green vs The Spiderwick Chronicles
 * Dan Green Presents Abridging 101
 * The Final Abridged Video Ever
 * The Phresh Pharaoh of Bel-Air theme
 * Bandit Keith - United States of America
 * Seto Kaiba's Real Father
 * "We'll Be There" - Rex & Weevil
 * Rex & Weevil Watch AMVs
 * YGO - Watchmen
 * GUHROOGAMESH!!!1
 * Kara Thrace's Special Destiny - SPOILERS!
 * Without Yugi
 * I'm on a Blimp