Pharaoh's Memories

The Millennium World, known in the English anime as the Dawn of the Duel, is the fourth story arc of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga series and the final story arc of the Yu-Gi-Oh! second anime series.

In the original manga, the storyline goes directly from Battle City to the Pharaoh Memory World. There, Dark Yugi (Yami Yugi) gets the three Egyptian God cards, which allow him to regain his memories of the past.

In the anime, Yami Yugi tries to do the same thing, but Dartz's organization (Doma Organization in the Japanese version) causes the "ritual" to fail, and also adds a twist in which the stone tablet at the museum turns to ice, thus causing the ritual to fail. The Grand Championship (KC Grand Prix in the Japanese version) occurs because Yugi Muto (romanized as Yugi Mutou in the English language manga) and his friends need to get back home, and can only do that by entering Kaiba's tournament to promote his company. Note: Because the anime and manga versions of this story arc are so different, explanations will be given whenever there is a difference between the two versions)

Yugi is back home. In the anime, this was after a battle against Dartz and his Doma Organization. Now, one more quest is about to be undertaken - knowing the true past of Dark Yugi, the spirit of the puzzle. Dark Bakura and Dark Yugi face off, but Dark Bakura tells Dark Yugi to play the ultimate Shadow Game at Egypt. (In the manga, Yugi never changes to Dark Yugi, so he and Dark Bakura do not talk about the ultimate Shadow Game)

In the manga, they do not travel to Egypt; the stone tablet is still in the museum. In the anime, the gang travels to Egypt, where they meet Marik Ishtar, Ishizu Ishtar and Odion Ishtar (Rishid in the Japanese version). Ishizu explains that the stone tablet at the museum had been moved back to Egypt, deep within the chambers of the Tomb Keepers. The Ishtars leads them to the stone. Before Dark Yugi presents the God Cards, Anzu gives him a cartouche that she had just bought so he could write his name on it when he found it. Dark Yugi shows the three God cards to the tablet. This time, a portal is opened, and Dark Bakura suddenly goes into the tablet. (In the manga, Dark Bakura doesn't enter the tablet, because he knows his shadow in the Millennium Puzzle will be able to enter it)

Moreover, in the anime, Dark Bakura also duels Seto Kaiba (Kaiba doesn't play a part in the Millennium World saga in the manga), telling Kaiba that something interesting is happening, and Kaiba should go to Egypt, and play the ultimate game. Kaiba, even though he doesn't show signs of it, agrees, and goes to Egypt.

Dark Yugi's friends realize that the Memory World may be quite dangerous, and Dark Yugi has a very difficult task to do. Therefore, they want to get into the Memory World, but cannot go through the portal in the tablet. Thus, Shadi appears and helps them find the "real" door to the Memory World, deep within the mazes of Dark Yugi's mind in the Millennium Puzzle. The stage is set for the ultimate game. Note: Because the anime and manga versions of this story arc are so different, explanations will be given whenever there is a difference between the two versions)

Yugi is back home. In the anime, this was after a battle against Dartz and his Doma Organization. Now, one more quest is about to be undertaken - knowing the true past of Dark Yugi, the spirit of the puzzle. Dark Bakura and Dark Yugi face off, but Dark Bakura tells Dark Yugi to play the ultimate Shadow Game at Egypt. (In the manga, Yugi never changes to Dark Yugi, so he and Dark Bakura do not talk about the ultimate Shadow Game)

In the manga, they do not travel to Egypt; the stone tablet is still in the museum. In the anime, the gang travels to Egypt, where they meet Marik Ishtar, Ishizu Ishtar and Odion Ishtar (Rishid in the Japanese version). Ishizu explains that the stone tablet at the museum had been moved back to Egypt, deep within the chambers of the Tomb Keepers. The Ishtars leads them to the stone. Before Dark Yugi presents the God Cards, Anzu gives him a cartouche that she had just bought so he could write his name on it when he found it. Dark Yugi shows the three God cards to the tablet. This time, a portal is opened, and Dark Bakura suddenly goes into the tablet. (In the manga, Dark Bakura doesn't enter the tablet, because he knows his shadow in the Millennium Puzzle will be able to enter it)

Moreover, in the anime, Dark Bakura also duels Seto Kaiba (Kaiba doesn't play a part in the Millennium World saga in the manga), telling Kaiba that something interesting is happening, and Kaiba should go to Egypt, and play the ultimate game. Kaiba, even though he doesn't show signs of it, agrees, and goes to Egypt.

Dark Yugi's friends realize that the Memory World may be quite dangerous, and Dark Yugi has a very difficult task to do. Therefore, they want to get into the Memory World, but cannot go through the portal in the tablet. Thus, Shadi appears and helps them find the "real" door to the Memory World, deep within the mazes of Dark Yugi's mind in the Millennium Puzzle. The stage is set for the ultimate game.

(Note: For information on the new characters for this story arc, check out Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and manga characters.)

As Dark Yugi entered the Memory World, he was shocked to find out that he was in the body of his past self. Around him were the six priests: Seto, Akhenaden (Aknadin in the English anime), Mahado (Mahad in the English anime), Isis, Shada, and Kalim (Karim in the English anime), each with their own Millennium Item. Also next to him there was his vizier, Siamun Muran (Shimon in the English anime).

Meanwhile, back in the real world, Yugi and his friends, Katsuya Jonouchi (Joey Wheeler), Anzu Mazaki (Téa Gardner), and Hiroto Honda (Tristan Taylor) were shocked to find out that Dark Yugi had left the puzzle. So Bobasa (in the manga), or Shadi (in the anime), helped them by using the Millennium Key to open the way to the Maze of Yugi's heart to try and find the door to the Memory World.

Back in the Memory world, Dark Yugi had little time to react his surroundings, because at that moment, Thief King Bakura showed up, possessed by Dark Bakura, who had entered Bakura's body after entering the Memory World. (In the manga, Thief King Bakura was not possessed, since Dark Bakura had not yet entered the Memory World) He summons his Ka spirit Diabound and attacks the priests. Bakura reveals his plan to take the seven Millennium Items and gain the Shadow Power of the Evil God Zorc Necrophades by putting them all in the stone slab in an underground crypt in the village of Kul Elna (based off the village of Qurna). The Pharaoh has had enough, and summons Obelisk to attack Diabound, something the other priests are shocked by. Bakura retreats, leaving the priests to discuss what happened. Later on, Seto tells Akhenaden about his plan to use the Kas of villagers to create a Ka stronger than Diabound, which Akhenaden objects to.

The next day, the priest Mahado plans to lure Bakura into a trap. He leads Bakura to a tomb he made to look like Akhenamkhanen's tomb. He battles Bakura, but is defeated in the end. He sacrifices his life to fuse his Ka and Ba to turn himself into the Dark Magician. While Bakura does get the Millennium Ring from Mahado, Mahado attacks him and destroys the tomb. But somehow, Bakura manages to escape.

By this point, Yugi and the others had found the door to the Memory World. Yugi, Jonouchi, Anzu, and Honda had to go alone, because Shadi couldn't enter it for some reason. (In the manga, they were being escorted by Bobasa, so they didn't have this problem. Also in the manga, the shadow of Dark Bakura that had been left in the Millennium Puzzle was following Yugi and the others throughout the Puzzle. When they reached the door, he followed them out) When they arrive in the Memory World, they meet up with Bobasa, who promises to help them. (Since they were already being escorted by Bobasa in the manga, this did not happen. The Bobasa in the anime and the Bobasa in the manga are basically two completely different characters) They go to the Palace but cannot get inside. They can pass through other buildings and people like ghosts, but they cannot enter the palace gates.