Seto Kaiba

Seto Kaiba is the majority shareholder and President of his own multi-national company, KaibaCorp, who aims to become the world's greatest player of the Duel Monsters card game. To accomplish this goal, he must defeat his arch-rival, Yugi Muto. He is largely considered an anti-hero, as his motives are usually ego-centric, but in several cases towards a good cause.

Among one of the recurring plots in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Seto Kaiba is being forced to deal with either people adversely affected by Gozaburo Kaiba's actions wanting to take their revenge on Seto Kaiba, or people from within KaibaCorp attempting to take over the corporation.

Design


Kaiba's character design was overseen by Kazuki Takahashi. His usual outfit from the second series anime consists of a long white sleeveless KaibaCorp designed coat featuring shoulder pads and a raised studded collar, with black sleeves from his shirt coming out from under. He has extra belts in pairs strapped around his upperarms and shins. He often wears a KaibaCorp Duel Disk on his left arm.

In the first series anime, Kaiba has green hair, while in the manga, Toei's Yu-Gi-Oh! movie, and the second series, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, Kaiba has brown hair.

Personality
In the original Japanese version of Yu-Gi-Oh!, Kaiba omits honorifics and has a "rude" pattern of speech. Kaiba uses the word "ore" to mean "I" instead of the usual boku; ore is a boastful way to say "I" in Japanese. Kaiba usually calls Katsuya Jonouchi (Joey Wheeler) names, such as "bonkotsu" (mediocre), "make-inu" (pathetic dog, loser), and "zako" (small fry, weakling). This name calling was carried over to the English anime.

In the English version, Kaiba has a certain contempt for Yugi's group of friends: he refers to them constantly with derisive nicknames such as "the dweeb patrol" or "the geek squad", and is fairly condesending and scathing to everyone, with the exception of Mokuba, the only one he consistantly cares about and shows his softer side around, going so far as losing a duel so as to not endanger him.

One of Seto's recurring traits in the English version is his absolute refusal to believe in the powers of magic often used in the series. Later on during sagas like Waking the Dragons, he openly admits to believing in all the supernatural events occurring around him instead of just ignorantly saying they don't exist as he does in the English anime. Also, in the Japanese version of the Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light, Kaiba stated at the end that the only reason he tried to destroy the Pyramid of Light card during his duel with Yugi was because if the card really was magic, it would mean he didn't defeat Yugi using his own strength and he refused to win that way. However, the closest the English Kaiba has come to this is "Maybe there is some truth to this junk" in the final episodes; however, when questioned by Joey, he quickly denies he ever said such a thing. He probably did this because of his arrogance and the fact that had he admitted to saying so knowing Joey's occasional childish nature he would have been teased to no end by Joey because of their rivalry. Kaiba is much more accepting of the powers of magic in the Japanese version.

Prior to debut
At a young age, Seto and his younger brother Mokuba were orphaned. Their mother died when Mokuba was born, and their father supposedly died in an accident when Seto was eight. Their relatives greedily used up their inheritance and afterward left them at the city orphanage.

The former head of KaibaCorp, Gozaburo Kaiba, arrived at the orphanage to perform a publicity stunt. Seto, who was 10 at the time, saw the chance to challenge him to a game of chess, with the stakes being that Gozaburo was to adopt Seto and Mokuba together, should Seto win. Seto won the game by cheating. Gozaburo then adopted both brothers.

Gozaburo forced Seto into a rigorously accelerated school program, forcing him to study several subjects, including economics, social studies, foreign languages, and game strategy.

Six years later, Seto Kaiba took over his step-father's company by gaining the 51% that he needed to be in control. Gozaburo, provoked by Seto taking over and becoming CEO, committed suicide by jumping out of his office window.

The Cards With Teeth
Kaiba visited the Kame Game shop, not expecting to see anything of value to him, but spotted Sugoroku Mutou "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" on the counter. Sugoroku refused to trade or sell the card because of its sentimental value to him. Kaiba stormed off in a huff, believing Sugoroku to be a fool.

The next day at school, Sugoroku's grandson, Yugi had brought the "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" card in with him. Kaiba pretended to have learnt a lesson about loving cards from Sugoroku and asked Yugi if he could see the card. Yugi showed him the card, but Kaiba exchanged it for a counterfeit, thinking Yugi hadn't noticed. However when he was leaving school, Yugi approached him, saying he knew he took the card, but didn't want to say it in front of everyone else earlier. Kaiba denied it and whacked Yugi with his briefcase when Yugi persisted to ask for it back.

Dark Yugi then emerged and challenged Kaiba to a Shadow Game of Duel Monsters. As Kaiba was about to lose, he snuck the stolen "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" into his hand and played it. However the "Blue-Eyes" remained loyal to Sugoroku and betrayed Kaiba, by destroying itself. After Kaiba lost, Dark Yugi inflicted a Penalty Game, where Kaiba imagined he was sent to the Duel Monsters Spirit World and repeatedly killed by Duel Monsters, though it was just a sensation of death.

Death-T
The four "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" cards were possessed by an American, a German, a Hong Konger, and Sugoroku Mutou of Japan, Yugi's grandfather. Kaiba took the cards belonging to the former three using force: by either forcing the person into bankruptcy, by making deals with the mafia, or by forcing the person to commit suicide.

Even though he's returned to normal, Kaiba still continues to suffer nightmares of his Illusion of Death. Kaiba works on constructing a KaibaLand theme park in Domino City and spends 10 billion yen on the Death-T park, which is set on constructing artificial Penalty Games to get his revenge on Yugi. He people such as professional hitmen and a series killer to work in stages of Death-T. Mokuba also offered to face Yugi in one of the stages. Kaiba tried talking him out of it, believing Mokuba to be no match for Yugi, but Mokuba insisted and took the role anyway in the hopes of winning Seto's respect. Kaiba even made a bet on which stage of Death-T, Yugi would die on, choosing the final stage, meaning he bet Mokuba would lose.

He invites Yugi and his friend Katsuya Jonouchi to his mansion the night before the grand opening of the KaibaLand and has Sugoroku Mutou kidnapped unbeknownst to them.

The next day, he brought Yugi and Jonouchi to the opening as his special guests. Here he is confronted by a former KaibaCorp employee, who accuses Kaiba of driving his father to commit suicide, but the man is quickly removed. Kaiba grants Yugi and Jonouchi free access to a number of rides, before he takes them to a special show. Here he reveales that he has kidnapped Sugoroku and faces him in a game of Duel Monsters in his new Battle Box simulators. Sugoroku uses "Blue-Eyes White Dragon", but loses as he is overwhelmed by the holograms and Kaiba's 3 "Blue-Eyes White Dragons". After winning Kaiba tears-up Sugoroku's "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" card, so it cannot be used against him and has Sugoroku subjected to an artificial Penatly Game, where he's attacked by holographic monsters. Kaiba makes Yugi swear to participate in Death-T, in exchange for releasing his grandfather.

Yugi accepts, but Jonouchi won't let him do it alone. Their friend Hiroto Honda, who was in the audience with his nephew Johji also accompanies them.

In the first stage, Death-T 1, Kaiba has Yugi and his friends face the hitmen in a shootout game. Although the game is greatly rigged against Yugi, his friend Anzu Mazaki had been hired by KaibaCorp for that stage. Yugi and his friends still managed to defeat the hitmen.

In Death-T 2, he subjects them to an electric chair ride and guillotine, where they must solve a riddle to prevent their hands being cut off. For the final part of the stage he kidnaps Johji, who is a fan of his and such cooperates. Kaiba forces a member of the party to face the Chopman in a fight to the death, to get Johji back. He appears on a screen on the Chopman's stomach telling the group of the Chopman's crimes.

In Death-T 3, he has the group enter a room, where blocks fall from the ceiling. The friends manage to make it out, apart from Honda, who gets stuck behind.

Death-T 4 was Mokuba's stage. Beforehand, Mokuba approachs Seto about him betting against his own brother. Seto reminds Mokuba that he tried talking him out of it, as he can't beat Yugi and calls him a loser. Mokuba stormed off eager to show Seto up. The stage consisted of a rigged game of Capsule Monster Chess. Mokuba was defeated by Dark Yugi, so Kaiba subjected him to an artificial Penalty Game, similiar to Sugoroku's. However Dark Yugi, saves Mokuba. Mokuba reconsiders recent events and notices Seto has changed and wonders if Yugi can return him to normal.

Kaiba faces Dark Yugi in a game of Duel Monsters in the final stage. Yugi uses his grandfather's Deck. As the game nears the end, Kaiab has Summoned his 3 "Blue-Eyes White Dragons", almost ensuring victory, but Yugi manages to Summon "Exodia" and defeat Kaiba. Dark Yugi then inflicts another Penalty Game on Kaiba. This time he gves him a "Mind Crush", which dispels Kaiba's evil side and leaves Kaiba in a coma, where he must reassemble the "shattered puzzle of his heart".

Duelist Kingdom
Kaiba remained in a coma for the next few months. In the hopes of helping Kaiba finish the puzzle, Mokuba constructed two lockets, using a torn photo of them from the orphanage and put it around Seto's neck, believing it to be the final piece of the puzzle.

As he remains in his coma, Maximillion Pegasus takes the opportunity to try and take over KaibaCorp. He teams up with The Big Five and has Mokuba kidnapped.

At the Duelist Kingdom tournament. Yugi duels the Ventriloquist of the Dead, who is using Kaiba's stolen Deck. Kaiba manages to solve the puzzle and wake-up, during this Duel. His willpower is channelled into one of the stolen "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" cards, causing it to destroy itself.

Kaiba makes his way to Duelist Kingdom to save Mokuba. The helicopter pilot turns out to be one of Pegasus' spies. He holds a gun to Kaiba, but Kaiba jams it using a "Gyakutenno Megami" card. He forces the pilot to jump into the ocean and flies the helicopter to the island himself.

On the island, Kaiba meets-up with Yugi's group and has his Deck returned to him. Jonouchi challenges Kaiba to a Duel and Kaiab easily defeats him, using his new Duel Disk technology. He goes against Yugi's suggestion of teaming-up and heads to the castle to face Pegasus.

At 2:30 am, he arrives at the castle. Croquet denies kidnapping Mokuba and refuses to let Kaiba see Pegasus until the morning, but Kaiba seizes Croquet by the collar, demanding to see Pegasus. Croquet then shows Kaiba to a gateway, sealed with a lock containing str-shaped holes. To see Pegasus, he must pass through this gate, Croquet tells him and in order to do that, Kaiba must get 10 Star Chips. Kaiba eventually loses patience with Croquet and strikes him with his briefcase. Saruwatari rushes in and pulls out a gun, but Kaiba quickly puts his own gun to Croquet's head. Croquet panics and orders Saruwatari to stand down.

Kaiba takes Croquet hostage in the questroom, threatening to snap his neck in a briefcase if Pegasus doesn't speak to him. Shortly afterwards, Pegasus appears on a screen and permits Kaiba to see him, if he can beat Yugi in a Duel. Saruwatari gives Kaiba 5 Star Chips, Mokuba had stolen earlier and Pegasus instructs Kaiba to wager them in a Duel against Yugi.

Kaiba confronts Yugi outside the castle and imposes a Duel. Yugi's friends try to advise him against accepting, as he already has enough Star Chips, but he switchs to Dark Yugi and accepts. Kaiba uses the Duel as an oppurtunity to test his strategy to combat Pegasus' mind reading abilities. Since he was using Duel Disks, he was able to stand further apart from his opponent and avoid face-to-face contact. Kaiba Summons "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon", causing problems for Yugi, but Yugi fuses it with "Mammoth Graveyard", causing it to decay and lose ATK each turn. In the meantime, Kaiba is unable to draw new cards, as the Fusion is taking up 4 sloth in his Duel Disk. As Yugi is about to win, Kaiba stands up on the edge of the castle, such that if Yugi makes another attack, he will fall to his death. Although Dark Yugi tries to attack, Yugi takes over and calls it off. Kaiba wins on the next turn, taking 5 of Yugi's Star Chips.

With 10 Star Chips, Kaiba enters the castle and confronts Pegasus. He insists on using the Duel Disks, but Pegasus isn't too keen. Pegasus accepts under the condition, that Mokuba who is stripped of his soul, holds the Duel Disk for him. Kaiba refuses to face his brother in such a way and agrees to duel without the Disks. Pegasus defeats Kaiba and traps his soul in a "Soul Prison" card, as a Penatly Game.

At the end of Duelist Kingdom, when Seto and Mokuba are finally reunited, Yugi tells Seto that Mokuba was the last piece. The child Seto, who was shown beginning to put the puzzle together at the end of Death-T, is shown once again, holding the finished puzzle.

Orphanage
At a young age, Seto and his younger brother Mokuba were orphaned. Seto was given chances to be adopted due to his high intellect, but refused as it meant being separated from Mokuba.

Together at the orphanage, Seto and Mokuba would often play games, including chess, which Seto always won, but still encouraged Mokuba. When Mokuba was bullied by other kids, Seto would stick-up for him and even jumped on another kid to retrieve a toy he'd stolen from Mokuba.

The former head of KaibaCorp, Gozaburo Kaiba, arrived at the orphanage to perform a publicity stunt. Seto, who was 10 at the time (12 in the English version), saw the chance to challenge him to a game of chess, with the stakes being that Gozaburo was to adopt Seto and Mokuba together, should Seto win. Seto won since he had already studied Gozaburo's chess methods. Gozaburo then adopted both brothers.

Adoption and KaibaCorp take-over
Gozaburo forced Seto into a rigorously accelerated school program, forcing him to study several subjects, including economics, social studies, foreign languages, and game strategy.

Gozaburo also had an ulterior motive: he wanted to adopt Seto because he was bright enough to be motivation for his own son, Noah Kaiba, to do better so that Noah could inherit KaibaCorp. With Noah's untimely death (his mind was placed into a virtual world), however, Gozaburo focused his energies to Seto Kaiba. On Seto's birthday, he was given a 2% share of KaibaCorp (in the English anime, 10 million dollars) and was told that although he could spend the money any way he wished, he must return one hundred times (in the English anime,10 times) the amount in one year. In an unknown method, Seto returned all the money within a single day. (In the anime, he did this by buying 51% shares of a small company that cares for its employees, Seto then made the president buy it back, under threat of it being shut down and leaving the employees jobless.)

Six years later, Seto Kaiba took over his step-father's company by gaining the 51% that he needed to be in control. Gozaburo commited suicide off-screen, but not before he downloaded his mind into Noah's virtual world.

After taking control of KaibaCorp, Seto shifted its economic interest from the manufacturing of weapons of mass destruction to gaming-oriented equipment. One of Seto's ultimate dreams was to build an amusement park for orphaned and underprivileged children called KaibaLand. At the start of the series, only one KaibaLand had been built, in Domino (in the English anime, none of the parks had been built, and KaibaLand was touted as the KaibaCorp headquarters).

Duelist Kingdom
Kaiba became the Duel Monsters World Champion. He overhears that Solomon Muto might have the fourth "Blue-Eyes White Dragon". He challanges Solomon to duel in order to claim the "Blue-Eyes" after Solomon refused to trade it and sell it. Yugi and his friends catch up, finding Solomon has already been defeated and Kaiba rips the "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" in two in front of them. An outraged Yugi duels Seto, and discovers Seto has the other three Blue-Eyes White Dragons in his deck. Yugi finally defeats him by using "Exodia".

After his defeat, Seto drops out of playing Duel Monsters. But after Pegasus kidnaps Mokuba in an attempt to take over KaibaCorp, an enraged Seto flies to Duelist Kingdom to save his brother. Ultimately, Seto loses a duel to Pegasus with his soul as the stakes, and Pegasus uses his Millennium Eye to strip Seto's soul from his body. Seto, Mokuba, and Solomon Muto are restored after Yugi later defeats Pegasus using mind shuffle.

Legendary Heroes
Kaiba's mind was trapped in the "Virtual World" by five shadowy figures known as "The Big Five" while testing out a virtual reality machine that he created. The Big Five had been working with Pegasus to take over KaibaCorp, and Kaiba subsequently fired them. By then, they were all out for revenge against their previous employer. Yugi and Katsuya Jonouchi (Joey Wheeler) entered the virtual world at Mokuba's request and in this video-game like setting, saved Kaiba. The Big Five took the form of Five-Headed Dragon in the Virtual World, trying to stop the rescue, but were defeated - now doomed with their minds in this virtual reality setting forever.

Battle City
In the start of the Battle City arc, Ishizu Ishtar gives Seto the Egyptian God card "Obelisk the Tormentor" to convince him to host the Battle City tournament. Ishizu also shows Seto a tablet that shows him and Yugi dueling in ancient Egypt. Seto refers to this as superstition, but plays into Ishizu's plan by deciding to hold the "Battle City" tournament. Kaiba goes through with the tournament in the hopes of gaining the other two Egyptian God Cards with an ante rule and so he can defeat Yugi and reclaim his title as World Champion. Various injuries occur in the tournament to which Seto shows little or no concern. Despite witnessing the power of the Millennium Items he still dismisses the idea of magic, particualary while dueling Ishizu in the quarter-finals, who uses the power of her Millennium Necklace to predict the future and forsees her victory against Kaiba. An unknown instinct (In the English amine he felt like his blue eyes was calling out to him) tells him to summon his Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Seto follows it, claiming he makes his own future and tributes Obelisk the Tormentor to play Blue-Eyes hence avoiding his defeat.

Virtual World
While traveling to the finals, the blimp goes out of control and is guided by an outside source into an underwater submarine. Noah Kaiba appears on a screen and threatens to kill Seto and his guests if he does not step out. Seto and the others step into a room where the Big Five appear on an image screen and report that they will now have their revenge on Seto. Seto and the others then fall into the Virtual World. Noah shows various revealing flashbacks of Seto and Mokuba's past in attempt to turn Mokuba against Seto. The guests duel and defeat the Big Five in duels that involve using Deck Masters. Noah brainwashes Mokuba into taking him in as his new brother. Seto ends up dueling Noah and, even while on the verge of defeat, fortunately breaks through to Mokuba, freeing him from Noah's mental grip. Noah turns Seto and his brother into stone, and Yugi ends up finishing Seto's duel with Noah. Seto and Mokuba are unfrozen and reunited, and Seto decides to duel Gozaburo - who reveals himself to have been controlling Noah's actions. Seto defeats Gozaburo and escapes with Yugi as the Virual World crumbles. Gozaburo attempts to stop Seto's escape but fails and Kaiba exclaims, "I won't be buried with you Gozaburo".

Battle City finals
Kaiba, his colleagues and guests arrive safely at the finals afterwards, where Kaiba is defeated by Yugi in the semi-finals causing him to forfeit Obelisk the Tormentor to Yugi. Joey survives an attack from The Winged Dragon of Ra in his semi-final against Marik Ishtar but falls just before he can declare victory. Kaiba admits to himself that he was impressed by Joey's performance. However upon facing Joey (who awoke from his coma during Kaiba and Yugi's duel) in a friendly duel, he still shows no outward respect for him and defeats Joey. Before Yugi's duel with Marik, mainly due to Ishizu, he hands Yugi the Fiend's sanctuary card, which helps Yugi win the duel.

Waking the Dragons
Kaiba, along with Yugi Muto and Joey Wheeler, are the three "chosen duelists" each given a Legendary Dragon card (the The Fang of Critias in Kaiba's case) in order to save the world from Dartz, who had been using the power of The Seal of Orichalcos to steal people's souls to release his legendary serpent, "The Great Levitian". Kaiba is challenged by Alister who was one of Dartz "Swordsmen of Doma." Alister blames Kaiba for tragic events that happened in his life due to Gozaburo. Alister has also somehow managed to take control of a large portion of KaibaCorp. Unable to convince Alister that he is not responsible Kaiba defeats Alister, who loses his soul. Kaiba ultimatly loses to Dartz while dueling alongside Yugi. However using Kaiba's contributions to the duel, Yugi defeats Dartz.

Grand Championship
Kaiba hosts the KaibaCorp GrandPrix after to regain control of his company after it was bought out by Dartz. Kaiba only duels once in this arc. His old economic competitor, Zigfried von Schroeder, returns hoping to collapse KaibaCorp, but Kaiba defeats him and Yugi defeats his younger brother, Leon, to maintain his title as World Champion and save KaibaCorp.

Dawn of the Duel
Kaiba is challenged to a duel by Yami Bakura. Bakura leaves before they can finish the duel and gives him the Millennium Eye so he can gain entry to the Memory World. Despite his misbelief, he travels to the Millennium World. Still convinced it is an illusion he summons Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon to fight Zorc Necrophades, he attacks telling Zorc that he is nothing more than a hologram that he used to deal with, and that his first words were Neutron Blast, which is Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's attack. His Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, however, could not defeat Zorc, just as Zorc could not defeat it. Zorc explained that the ultimate force of darkness and the ultimate force of light were now in collusion implying that it was the Light attribute of Kaiba's Blue-Eyes that allowed it to hold its own against Zorc better than the Egyptian Gods. But with Atem's help they summoned Dragon Master Knight, which in turn was then defeated by Zorc, most likely because it was no longer a pure light monster. Later Kaiba, protected Yugi and his friends using his Ring of Defense giving Atem more time to recover his name so he could re-summon and fuse the Egyptian God Cards. After witnessing the presence of both Atem and Yugi in the same place Kaiba mumbled to himself "Maybe there is some truth to this junk", but when Joey Wheeler inquired as to what he said of the whole Millennium Arc events being real, Kaiba replied "Nice try I said this was all a mind trick.", it can be assumed that Seto merely denied it out of pride (In the Japanese dub, he is more accepting of the existence of magic).

After returning to the present he wishes to duel Atem in the Ceremonial Battle, but is refused the privilage as Yugi states his intentions to duel the Pharaoh. He responds to the refusal saying he didn't come this far to see Yugi lose his title to his imaginary friend. Nevertheless Kaiba watches the duel and witnesses the Pharaoh seperate from Yugi's body and finally be put to rest. During the duel, he for the first time openly shows respect for Yugi by calling him the "True King of Games" when he defeats all three Egyptian God Cards in a single turn. After this performance he admits that there may have been more to this magic, but withdraws his statement when Joey asks if he heard him right.

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Though not seen much in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX series, Kaiba is referred as the one who set up Duel Academy and named the dormitories personally. He made several appearances, the first being when he made a bet on his ownership of the school. He seemed bold and had full confidence in the duelist representing Duel Academy, Chazz, would win despite the unfair advantage in the duel (in the Japanese episode, Kaiba stated at the end that anyone who was a student at his academy should be able to win a duel no matter what the stipulations are, and in the English version stated that Chazz's brothers needed to learn a little bit more about world domination). During the second year, he also appears in Jaden's flashback, announcing a card illustration project, and again when he allows Sartorius (Takuma Saiou) the use of KaibaLand during the Academy's field trip. The Duel Monster spirit "Kaibaman" who duels against Jaden is based on Seto Kaiba and uses the same deck, including his three Blue-Eyes White Dragons.

In the fourth season, Seto is the only citizen of Domino City who survives Trueman's attack. In episode 76, Sartorius says that "Kaiba hasn't aged in years". This is likely an inside joke to fans on how the character animation for Seto is nearly identical in both series, despite the fact that GX takes place ten years later, making Seto nearly 28 years old. This joke, however, only appears in English dubbing. There was no such quote in original Japanese version.

Deck
Main article: Seto Kaiba's Decks

Although Kaiba's best known cards are his three "Blue-Eyes White Dragons" and the fusion monster formed from the three dragons, the "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon", other Duel Monsters Cards have been utilized in his Deck, including the XYZ series.

Kaiba appears to favor the Beatdown type of strategy, meaning he favors using cards and monsters that completely overpower his opponents.