Yugi Mutou (manga)

Yugi Mutou ( Mutō Yūgi) is a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. This is the original depiction of Yugi Mutou.

Yugi was a timid boy, who was frequently bullied and spent much time alone. However through gaining a number of friends, mainly Dark Yugi, Anzu Mazaki, Katsuya Jonouchi, Hiroto Honda and Ryo Bakura, he overcame his problems becoming stronger and more independent.

After solving the Millennium Puzzle, Yugi unknowingly shared his body Dark Yugi, the spirit of an amnesiac ancient Egyptian Pharaoh, who would protect Yugi and his friends through the use of Shadow Games. Yugi became aware of Dark Yugi, when he faced Death-T, a theme park designed by Seto Kaiba to kill the Yugis, and met Dark Yugi for the first time, when Dark Bakura separated Yugi's consciousness from his body in a game of Monster World.

Yugi helped Dark Yugi in winning the Duelist Kingdom tournament, to rescue his grandfather. He defeated Ryuji Otogi in Dungeon Dice Monsters by himself and reassembled the Millennium Puzzle inside a burning building to avoid losing Dark Yugi. Together the Yugis won the Battle City tournament.

The Yugis were separated when they entered the World of Memories. There Yugi helped Dark Yugi relearn his name, Atem, and defeat Zorc Necrophades. When they returned to the real world, Yugi defeated Atem in the Ceremonial Battle, a ritual necessary for Atem to pass on to the afterlife.

Design
Kazuki Takahashi describes Yugi's hair as "an open hand with hints of a dried autumn leave". When designing characters, he tried to make them instantly recognizable by their hair alone. The hair was made so extreme with the intention of making an impactful character. Yugi's hair initially had red lines, but as it was difficult to add shadows to pure red, this was changed to a shade of purple. He designed the hairstyles of the protagonists of the next two series, Jaden Yuki and Yusei Fudo, such that Yugi, Jaden and Yusei's hairstyles represented paper, rock and scissors, respectively.

The series original setting was a school and Takahashi felt an ordinary uniform jacket and would be boring. So Yugi was given bondage elements under the jacket, with influences from Edward Scissorhands.

History
Yugi lives with his mother and grandfather, Sugoroku in the family game shop, Kame Game. His father was away on business.

Yugi found the Millennium Puzzle on a shelf in the shop. He spent eight unsuccessful years trying to solve it.

Ushio
One day, Yugi stayed in the classroom during lunch time, declining an offer to play basketball with the rest of class. As he worked on the disassembled Millennium Puzzle, he was interrupted by Honda and Jonouchi who took the puzzle box from him. Jonouchi managed to secretly steal a piece and offered the box back, under the condition that Yugi would punch him. Yugi refused to do this and reacquired the box after Anzu Mazaki arrived and caught the box as Jonouchi tossed it to Honda. Jonouchi and Honda left after Anzu told them off. Yugi told Anzu that the Puzzle was a memento to his grandfather, Sugoroku Mutou and he had spent eight years trying to solve the Puzzle, believing a wish will be granted a wish upon completing it.

The hall monitor Ushio believed Yugi was being bullied by Honda and Jonouchi, so he took it on himself to be Yugi's bodyguard, although Yugi denied that Honda and Jonouchi had been troubling him. Regardless Ushio beat them both up and showed them to Yugi. Yugi protested as Ushio continued to hit them, resulting in Ushio attacking him too. Afterwards Ushio imposed bodyguard fees of ¥200,000 and threatened him with a knife should he not pay.

That night, Yugi worked on the Puzzle, while thinking of way to make the money. Unlike other days, he was able to assemble the Puzzle more easily and quickly, until he realized the last piece was missing. As he searched the room, his Grandfather appeared and gave him the last piece, which Jonouchi had returned earlier.

When Yugi assembled the Puzzle, he became the Guardian of the Shadow Games and his body came to bear host for the spirit of the 3,000-year-old Nameless Pharaoh. The spirit, known as Dark Yugi shared Yugi's body, unbeknownst to Yugi.

Dark Yugi arranged to meet Ushio, defeated him in the Money and Knife Shadow Game and inflicted a Penalty Game on him. Dark Yugi changed back to Yugi, who had no knowledge of what has passed.

The next day at school, Jonouchi answered Yugi's riddle, "something you can show, but can't see," saying that is friendship and that they are friends.

ZTV director
On the way to school, Jonouchi told Yugi about a pornographic video, Video Girl♡, he had watched and offered to lend it to Yugi.

When they arrived at school, they spotted a ZTV van and suspected someone famous might go their school. When Yugi tried peering into the van, he was seen by the director, who decided to use him in his staged bullying documentary, Caught on Camera: School Violence, with his assistant Fujita playing the bully.

As Jonouchi began to spread rumors of a star attending the school, Yugi tried telling him that they did not know that for definite, causing Jonouchi to angrily leave him to search for the star himself. Having overheard this exchange, Fujita lied to Yugi about there being a star and that he could meet her behind the gym after recess if he came alone. When Yugi arrived, Fujita proceeded to beat him up on camera. Jonouchi managed to break up the fight, but could not cease the production.

Yugi switched to Dark Yugi, who later confronted the director and beat him in a dice game Shadow Game.

Another day, Jonouchi brought the Video Girl♡ tape to school to give to Yugi. As he tossed it to him, Anzu caught the tape midair and teasingly asked what it was and if she could borrow it.

Sozoji
The untalented singer, Sozoji, forced Yugi to sell tickets to his concert. After Hanasaki tried to sell Yugi a ticket, Yugi took all Hanasaki's tickets off his hands. Knowing neither of them were going to be able to sell the tickets, he tried to spare Hanasaki the burden. The day of the concert, Yugi informed Sozoji that he couldn't sell any tickets. As punishment, Sozoji forced Yugi to listen to music at full blast and revealed Hanasaki, beaten-up, as the audience for the next song. Dark Yugi once again took over and beat the bully in the silence game Shadow Game.

Escaped prisoner
Yugi was keen to eat at Burger World with his friends one day after school. However Anzu strongly discouraged this idea. Yugi and Jonouchi noticed Anzu was acting suspicious and avoiding walking home from school with them. To get to the bottom of it, they followed her home from school and found that she had been working at Burger World. Since part time jobs were against school rules, she got them to promise they wouldn't tell. An escaped convict entered the restaurant, took Anzu hostage and blindfolded her. Everyone else had to lie on the floor apart from Yugi, who was forced to serve him vodka and Lucky Stripe cigarettes. Dark Yugi took control of Yugi's body and faced the convict in the one finger BATTLE! Shadow Game. Anzu thought his voice sounded like Yugi's, but his actions and bravery were completely different. Dark Yugi defeated the convict, setting him alight. Yugi was oblivious to the game when he regained control of his body.

Kokurano
Yugi became envious of the alleged psychic Kokurano, as he tried to seduce Anzu. For Yugi's disbelief in his powers, Kokurano said that in Yugi's future countless letters would fall from the heavens and bring disaster upon him. Later that day Kokurano knocked over bookshelves on top of Yugi. Dark Yugi then emerged to punish Kokurano and save Anzu.

Goro
For the Domino High school festival, the class followed Yugi's suggestion to set up a section for Carnival Games. However Goro Inogashira and his classmates tore down their stand to make way for their own. Yugi got injured trying to protect their stand and was taken to the infirmary. Anzu took care of him for a while, but after she took her eyes off him he disappeared, having changed to Dark Yugi in order to get revenge on Goro.

Ms. Chono
Despite Honda's wishes, Jonouchi let Yugi in on the secret that Honda had a crush on Miho Nosaka, and asked him for help. Yugi suggested that they browse his family's store for a present, where they decided on a love letter jigsaw puzzle. Having never sent a love letter before, Honda got Yugi to write one and threatened him, should Miho not like it. The next day at school, the teacher Ms. Chono found the puzzle on Miho's desk before Miho. She confiscated it and demanded the sender come forward. Yugi, Jonouchi and Honda all claimed to have done so, but Chono continued to solve the puzzle to find out who really sent it and planned to punish the others for lying. Dark Yugi emerged and turns the puzzle into a Shadow Game, Dark Puzzle; as Chono continued to complete the puzzle, she felt the pain she was inflicting on others. The makeup on her face began to crack-up, revealing her true ugly self. Chono fled the room, sparing the boys any trouble. After Miho turned Honda down for a date, Yugi and Jonouchi treated him to a hamburger to cheer him up. Since then Honda became good friends with Yugi.

Junky scorpion owner
After Jonouchi bought a pair of Air Muscle shoes from the Junky Scorpion, he, Yugi and Honda were ambushed by the Muscle Hunters, who stole the shoes. After finding out that they were sent by the store owner, Dark Yugi emerged and returned to the store, to win back Jonouchi's shoes. Not knowing how he got the shoes back, Yugi returned them to Jonouchi.

Kaiba
Yugi introduced Jonouchi and Anzu to Duel Monsters at Kame Game. Seto Kaiba arrived and took interest in Yugi's grandfather's rare "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" card. Unable to buy it off him, he attempted to steal it from Yugi the next day at school, by switching it with a counterfeit. Despite noticing this, Yugi waited until no one else was around, before asking for the card back. Kaiba denied stealing it, but when Yugi persisted, he struck him with a briefcase mocking Yugi and his grandfather's attitude. Dark Yugi then took control and defeated Kaiba in a Shadow Game of Duel Monsters, winning back the card and giving Kaiba a Penalty Game, making him believe he was in the Duel Monsters Spirit World, where he suffered the experience of death.

Hirutani's gang
After realizing Jonouchi had missed school for the first time, Yugi, Anzu and Honda investigated. They visited Jonouchi's apartment, but got scared off by his father, who mistaking them for Jonouchi, yelled at them for disappearing for two days. The trio searched the city and found Jonouchi with Hirutani's gang, attacking a boy. Yugi ran over to ask Jonouchi what was going on, but Jonouchi denied knowing him. As Yugi continued to plea with Jonouchi, one of the gang members punched Yugi in the face. Yugi refused to believe Jonouchi had changed so they followed the gang to J'z. Honda insisted that Yugi and Anzu wait outside, for their own safety, while he went inside. However Honda could only report that the gang had left, so the trio split up to look for Jonouchi. Unable to find Jonouchi, Yugi clasped the Millennium Puzzle and asked it to tell him where Jonouchi was. Dark Yugi took control of his body and went to Hirutani's torture chamber, where the gang had Jonouchi tied up. Dark Yugi managed to take out the gang in Landmine Search Network and relinquished control to Yugi, who escorted Jonouchi out.

Shadi
Yugi read that there was to be an Egyptian exhibition, Egypt Unearthed at the Domino City Museum in the newspaper, Japan Daily News. Two months later the exhibition took place. Since his grandfather knew Professor Yoshimori, the archaeologist who discovered the tomb, Yugi was allowed come for free and invited his friends too. Anzu noted that Egypt is where the Millennium Puzzle came from and reminded Yugi that his grandfather had said all the archaeologists involved in finding the puzzle had died mysterious deaths. Yugi assured his friends that he isn't cursed. However he thought to himself that he had suffered memory loss, but opted not to tell his friends thinking they'd find it creepy.

Outside the museum, Yugi was introduced to Professor Yoshimori, who in turn introduced him to Curator Kanekura. Kanekura begged Yugi to let him put the Millennium Puzzle on display and Yugi reluctantly allowed him to borrow it for one day. During the exhibition, Yugi didn't feel right without the Puzzle. Yoshimori showed Yugi and his friends around and Yugi bumped into Shadi, who claimed to be bearing the tears of the mummy that was unable to cry itself.

After the exhibition closed, Yugi returned to collect his Puzzle. Unable to find Kanekura, he met Shadi and explained what he was looking for. Shadi was astonished to learn that Yugi may be the one who solved the Puzzle. To check, he used his Millennium Key to look into Yugi's soul room. However he found two rooms, one for Yugi and one for Dark Yugi. Shadi left Yugi's mind, after he was defeated by Dark Yugi. He returned the Puzzle to Yugi, saying that there is no need to thank him as he is in his debt, since Yugi's other self had saved him. However Yugi laughed at the idea of there being another person living inside him.

After hearing the news of Kanekura's unexpected death, Yugi, Sugoroku, Jonouchi and Anzu went to Domino University to cheer him up. However Yoshimori, possessed by Shadi, started attacking Yugi's friends. Shadi redecorates Anzu's soul room and ordered the other Yugi to appear. He told Yugi that he can make Anzu die by commanding her to do so. This prompted Dark Yugi to appear and face Shadi in the Trial of the Mind to save his friends.

At one point in the game, Shadi created an illusion of Jonouchi with his old bully persona, having caught of a glimpse of it while visiting Yugi's soul room earlier. As the illusion mocked Yugi's emotional attachment to the Millennium Puzzle again, Yugi very briefly regained control of his body and wept. This caused two of the ushebti, used in the game, to break, having detected weakness in his heart.

Dark Yugi ultimately won the game. Anzu and Jonouchi, who had noticed Yugi had been acting differently approached him. However Dark Yugi relinquished control to Yugi, causing them to think they had been mistaken.

Kujirada
Yugi got a Digital Pet, which he named U2. At school, he connected it Jonouchi's pet, where it initially got bullied, but they started to get along afterwards.

Kujirada, having let his pet eat both Jonouchi and Anzu's, connected it to U2. Initially U2 was chased around, but using data it incorporated from its connection with Jonouchi's pet, it transformed into a more powerful form. The powered-up U2 struck Kujirada's pet defeating it.

As U2 reached the end of its life expectancy, Yugi stayed awake to watch him disappear.

Delinquents
Tomoya Hanasaki introduced Yugi and his friends to Zombire, by bringing comics to school. Later that day, he invited them to his house, to show them his Zombire collection. Later that night, Hanasaki's father secretly paid three delinquents to stage a crime scene and allow Hanasaki, dressed as Zombie to break it up.

The next day, two of the delinquents approached Yugi, asking if he knew Hanasaki, which he denied. That night the delinquents, lured Hanasaki into a trap, by sending him a message, claiming that they had kidnapped Yugi. Shortly afterwards, Yugi traveled to Hanasaki's house to collect paint for a Zombire figure. There Hanasaki's father explained what had happened and that he could not afford to pay the delinquents to let Hanasaki win this time. Yugi switched to Dark Yugi, who saved Hanasaki by defeating the delinquents in the Maze of Fire Shadow Game.

Mokuba
Kaiba's brother, Mokuba, approached Yugi in search of revenge. Using his gang, who were armed with dangerous weapons, he forced Yugi into a game of Capsule Monster Chess. As Mokuba's minions tried to mess with Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, Dark Yugi emerged, as Mokuba had hoped for. Even though Mokuba rigged the dispenser to give Yugi low level monsters for the game, Dark Yugi accepted the ante of having one of Yugi's fingers cut off should he lose, provided he may subject Mokuba to a Penalty Game, should Mokuba lose. Dark Yugi won and Mokuba warned him Death-T was coming, before he believed himself to be trapped in a giant capsule, as his penalty.

Street Fighter
At an arcade, Yugi heard rumors of Kaiba building the ultimate game. He took his mind off it, by playing a fighting game, Virtual VS. He received multiple challenges from Street Fighter, defeating him each time. Not too pleased with this Street Fighter beat up Yugi and stole the Millennium Puzzle. After Jonouchi saw what happened he chased down Street Fighter and won the Puzzle back in the Game of Death.

Prior events
Shortly after leaving the arcade, Yugi and Jonouchi were invited via limousine to Kaiba Manor. At the mansion, Mokuba treated them to a meal, which turned out to be a game called Russian Roulette Dinner, in which he poisoned Jonouchi. In order to save Jonouchi Dark Yugi emerged and defeated Mokuba.

The next day, Kaiba took Yugi and Jonouchi to the Kaiba Land grand opening, as special guests. Yugi began to think that he had misjudged Kaiba when he learned that Kaiba had invited children to visit the park for free, three days before the main opening. Although he was slightly taken aback when Kaiba was accused of murdering his own father, Gozaburo, by Gozaburo's right-hand man.

Yugi and Jonouchi rode the 3D Simulation Ride, after which Kaiba informed them he had prepared a special show, just for Yugi, which was to be the main attraction of the opening ceremony. He took them to an arena, where they were surprised to see Yugi's grandfather, Sugoroku, who had been kidnapped by Kaiba, in a Battle Box.

Kaiba faced Sugoroku in a game of Duel Monsters, where realistic simulations of the cards were created by the Battle Box. Kaiba won the Duel, using the three "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" cards, he had acquired, and proceeded to tear up Sugoroku's "Blue-Eyes White Dragon". Kaiba then subjected him to a virtual reality recreation of the "Experience of Death" Penalty Game, Dark Yugi had inflicted on Kaiba. In order to end the simulation and stop his Sugoroku going insane, Yugi agreed to take part in Death-T, a theme park, Kaiba created to exact revenge on Yugi. Before being taken to hospital, Sugoroku handed Yugi his Deck, to use against Kaiba.

Death T-1
Jonouchi insisted on helping Yugi face Death-T. Honda who had brought his nephew, Johji, to Kaiba Land came out of the crowd, to help too. The four of them entered Death T-1, where they were surprised to be greeted by Anzu, who had gotten a job at Kaiba Land. Initially oblivious to the fact that the theme park had been designed to kill Yugi, she acted in character and explained the rules of the game. Yugi, Jonouchi and Honda had to play a three-on-three shootout game, where players had to eliminate their opponents by shooting the sensor on their vest. However Kaiba had hired professional hitmen, armed with lethal guns as their opponents, while Yugi and his friends' guns were ineffective.

Jonouchi managed to take out one of the opponents in an unconventional surprise attack, while Honda and Johji used Anzu's working gun to take out the other two in a fake surrender.

Death T-2
During Death T-2, the Horror Zone, Yugi and his friends were subjected to the Electric Chair Ride, where they resisted screaming to avoid being electrocuted.

The ride took them to the Murderer's Mansion, where they get their hands stuck in a guillotine. Yugi had to think fast as he solved the bllood puzzle riddle in time to save the group from getting their hands sliced off.

In the final part of the stage, Jonouchi was locked in a room, where he faced the Chopman in a deathmatch. While the Chopman's weapon was stuck, Yugi drew Jonouchi's attention to a candlestick he could use to pick the lock on his cuff. He then instructed Jonouchi to lock the cuff onto the door with the candle slipped inside it. After the Chopman unstuck his weapon he yanked the chain, ripping out the door. Jonouchi made his escape, while the candle hit the tar covered floor, incinerating the Chopman.

Death T-3
At the start of Death T-3, Yugi and his friends were left waiting in a empty room for a long time. Yugi used the time to apologize to his friends, blaming himself for dragging them into this. However Jonouchi seized him, demanding that he never say that again. Jonouchi and Honda then admitted that through Yugi, they have come to like themselves. Anzu asked them to hold out their hands as she drew a smiley face on them. She commented that if they wound up taking separate paths in life, they could remember the symbol and they would remember being there together as friends.

After the challenge started, blocks fell from the ceiling, while the gang climbed on top of them in order to escape through a hole in the wall, high off the ground. Anzu made use of her dancing skills to read the rhythm the blocks are falling and help the others avoid them. However Honda got his coat stuck under a block while the others made their escape.

Upset over what happened to Honda, Yugi admitted to Jonouchi and Anzu that he believed there is another Yugi living inside him. He had withheld this information before, in fear that they would not want to be friends with him. However Jonouchi swore that he would always be friends with Yugi, even if there is another person, living in him.

Death T-4
Yugi, Jonouchi and Anzu proceeded to Death T-4, where Jonouchi and Anzu knowingly witnessed Yugi change to Dark Yugi for the first time as he prepared to faced Mokuba in a game of Capsule Monster Chess.

Death T-5
Dark Yugi faced Kaiba in a game of Duel Monsters in Death T-5. During the Duel, Yugi witnessed Dark Yugi considering that he was going to lose and noticed the "Forbidden One" cards in his hand. Yugi imagined that his grandfather was there. His grandfather reminded him how he was suffering before but managed to put the Millennium Puzzle together and commented that the cards are also like pieces of a puzzle. This led Dark Yugi to suspect that the "Forbidden One" cards were the pieces of "Exodia", after remembering Grandpa telling Yugi about "Exodia". Dark Yugi managed to Summon "Exodia" and defeat Kaiba. He then inflicted the Mind Crush on him.

After completing Death-T, Yugi was reunited with his friends, including Honda, who was saved by Mokuba. From that day, Yugi remembered all the battles that he and Dark Yugi had fought.

Tsuruoka
Yugi scattered white socks across his bedroom floor in an attempt to exercise his sixth sense through the Sock Concentration game he had come up with. He correctly turned over the two socks he had marked and began to celebrate. But his mother scolded him and told him that Anzu was waiting for him outside.

On the way to school, Anzu gave Yugi a Lovely Two, which initially got no response when he checked for love compatibility with Anzu. While Anzu was concerned that their results in an achievement test were going to be put on public display at school, Yugi was looking forward to it, as he had intended to play the Achievement Test Bingo Game with Jonouchi and Honda.

Yugi managed to win the bingo game, but the guidance counselor, Tsuruoka caught him, Jonouchi and Honda having fun over the test results, despite scoring poorly themselves. He publicly ridiculed them and confiscated Yugi's Lovely Two, prompting Dark Yugi's arrival.

Dark Yugi, Jonouchi and Honda wound up in a game, where they had to find the Lovely Two or face suspension (expulsion in the English version). Anzu became bashful, knowing she was speaking to Dark Yugi and gave him her Lovely Two. After trying the love compatibility test, as Dark Yugi, the Lovely Twos began to beep, revealing the other one's location.

ZTV producer
When Jonouchi won a spot on The Get the Million Game, Yugi suggested that he, Anzu and Honda all be part of the studio audience, so that they could cheer him on. During the shows intermission, while Yugi was searching for the toilet, he overheard the producer talking to a technician. The producer asked to technician to make sure the game was rigged and mentioned that they were using Jonouchi's struggle to gain ratings. Outraged, Yugi switched to Dark Yugi, who faced the producer and technician in the Red Paint Lottery game he set up impromptu and prevented them from rigging the game.

Nagumo
Yugi took up the game, Monster Fighter, which proved to be a big hit, with Yugi asked numerous times at school if his family's store has any in stock. Among Yugi's opponents was Koji Nagumo, who cheated by punching Yugi and stole his Monster Fighter. Yugi borrowed Jonouchi's Monster Fighter and changed to Dark Yugi, who used it to defeat Koji in a Shadow Game of Monster Fighter.

Playing Card Bomber
During the summer vacation, Anzu asked Yugi out to Domino Park. On the way to the park, Yugi was more interested in reading about the Playing Card Bomber in the newspaper, which irritated Anzu.

At the pool, with Anzu's vision obscured by the sunlight, she mistook Yugi for Dark Yugi, until he chased after a child for spraying him with a water pistol. Intent on making Dark Yugi appear, Anzu faked being in danger. During a bomb scare, she opted not to evacuate and got separated from Yugi as he got pushed by the crowd.

When Yugi found Anzu she was on a Ferris wheel, which he heard from the police had a bomb planted on it. The police chief asked if anyone preset was a good card player, when the bomber gave them a chance to stop the bomb detonating by playing a card game. Yugi switched to Dark Yugi, who played a game of clock solitaire, set by the bomber. After being saved, Anzu attempted to continue the date, with Dark Yugi in control of Yugi's body.

Imori
Yugi's classmate, Imori, having read about games from ancient Egypt, realized that Yugi had gained powers of darkness from solving the Millennium Puzzle. He planned on claiming that power for himself by defeating Yugi in a Shadow Game. Imori visited Kame Game, with a sealed up box and jar, to ask Sugoroku for information on them. Unaware of his intentions, Yugi had hoped to befriend Imori. Sugoroku recognized the items as the Dragon Cards and warned Imori that breaking the seal would result in a dangerous warped power.

A few days later at school, Imori took the puzzle from Yugi's locker during PE and left a note, instructing Yugi to come to room C alone. When Yugi arrived, Imori broke the seal on the Dragon Cards. He explained that the dragons would cause eternal disaster, unless they played a Shadow Game, in which the loser's soul would be fed to the dragons to calm their wrath.

Without the puzzle Yugi was unable to switch to Dark Yugi. Imori having studied the game thoroughly knew what dragons Yugi was trying to play and gathered the necessary cards to play dragons with an elemental advantage, easily winning the game. One of the dragons then reached into Yugi's body and pulled his soul into the jar.

Yugi's soulless body dropped to the table, but managed to touch the Millennium Puzzle, allowing Dark Yugi to emerge. Staking his own soul, Dark Yugi challenged Imori to a rematch. He managed to win, recovering Yugi's soul, while Imori's was instead fed to the dragons.

Hirutani
Yugi and Jonouchi agreed to help their classmate, Nezumi, get back at three people who had mugged him using yo-yos. However Imori had double crossed them and led them to the Hirutani's gang, which had much more than three members. Hirutani had one of his minions hang Yugi from a hook, threatening to let him die, if Jonouchi did not rejoin the gang. However Jonouchi endured a bombardment of yo-yos and helped Yugi down. Jonouchi borrowed the Millennium Puzzle to incapacitate a number of the gangsters. Yugi then switched to Dark Yugi and he and Jonouchi took out the remaining gangsters.

Monster World
Yugi made friends with Ryo Bakura, after Bakura transferred to Domino High School. Bakura told Yugi and his friends of his interest in Monster World. But he advised them against playing it with him, as people he had faced in the past wound up in comas. When Bakura misses a day of school, Yugi, Jonouchi, Anzu and Honda visited his apartment. Bakura tried warning them to leave, but he became possessed by Dark Bakura, who invited them inside.

Dark Bakura had a Monster World game set up and had created miniatures to resemble Yugi, Jonouchi, Anzu and Honda to use as their avatars. He then got them to fill out data for their characters and touched up their miniatures accordingly. Yugi choose for his character to be a half-elf beast tamer.

In the game, Yugi and his friends played the role of the adventures, while Dark Bakura was the Dark Master. The adventures went to a tavern to find information on what to do. They learned that Zorc had been terrorizing the kingdom, from the Villager D character and Yugi became slightly suspicious of how lifelike the villager miniature seemed.

On the way to Zorc Castle, the adventurers found an unconscious stranger, not knowing it was Zorc in disguise. Yugi was cautious that it could be a trap, but the group decided to wake him. The stranger told them of a holy sword capable of defeating Zorc, which a monster had stolen from him in the forest. Yugi remained suspicious, but the group decided to help the stranger locate the sword.

Inside the forest, the adventurers encountered a group of monsters, including Pokii, which Yugi tamed into an ally, while Honda and Anzu defeated the others. Zorc then revealed his true identity and having caught the adventurers off guard, was able to attack first. Dark Bakura rolled a super critical for Zorc, allowing him to trap Anzu's consciousness in her miniature. During the next few dice rolls, he also trapped Jonouchi and Honda in their miniatures. Yugi demanded that Dark Bakura do the same to him. Dark Bakura explained that with no one left to roll the dice, Yugi's team would lose, but still complied with Yugi's wishes. With Yugi's soul in his miniature, Dark Yugi took control of his body and continued to roll the dice for the adventurers.

Being within a separate body, Yugi was able to meet Dark Yugi for the first time. Dark Yugi credited the meeting to Yugi's courage.

With Dark Yugi rolling, the adventurers severed Zorc's left hand, which mutated into more monsters. Zorc returned to the castle, leaving his spawn to battle. Dark Yugi for his team members, defeating the monsters, apart from Pao, which he got Yugi to tame.

The adventurers proceeded to Zorc Castle, where they inspected a tower. Yugi suspected the markings on a pedestal inside the tower were of significance. However entering the tower, triggered a trap where the spiked ceiling fell on the adventurers' heads. Dark Yugi managed to save them by completing a support pillar before the miniatures broke under pressure.

Dark Yugi, whose double hit technique had been outlawed earlier began to roll more critical hits by channeling the anger of Yugi and his friends into the dice. This unleashed an onslaught of powerful attacks on Zorc, who was largely unharmed due to his high level. Using brainwashed dice, Dark Bakura rolled a super critical for Zorc's next attack, which hit all of the adventurers. However Ryo Bakura, who had regained control of his left hand, following Zorc's mutilation, interfered with the damage calculation, so Yugi and his friends survived with 1 HP each.

Anzu was given sufficient time to heal Yugi and the others, due to Ryo Bakura continuing to sabotage Dark Bakura's moves. When Dark Bakura deliberately injured his hand to disenable Ryo's interference, Yugi began to suspect that there were two Bakuras and his friends agreed. On Yugi's turn he used his beast training hand to pull Ryo Bakura's miniature, White Wizard Bakura, from the stump of Zorc's right arm.

Wizard Bakura lowered Zorc's defenses, allowing Yugi's team to inflict serious damage on Zorc, prompting him to transform into Last Zorc, increasing his offensive and defensive power. Yugi wondered why Zorc did not assume this form sooner and Dark Yugi realized that it had exposed a weak point, an eye which is briefly exposed after Last Zorc attacks. Pokii flew into the eye to hold it open and Yugi used his training hand to punch the eye and simultaneously pull Pokii to safety. The other adventurers attacked Last Zorc and Ryo Bakura sacrificed his soul to destroy Dark Bakura's doppelganger dice, preventing Last Zorc's self-destruct attack.

After defeated Zorc, Yugi and his friends were returned to their bodies, including Bakura, whose soul was still alive in the White Wizard.

A few days later, Bakura made a diorama featuring himself, Yugi, Dark Yugi, Anzu Jonouchi, Honda, Pokii and Pao, as a memento of their adventure.

Invitation
Yugi visited Seto Kaiba in the hospital and found he had not recovered from Death-T. Yugi abstained from taking part in the Japanese National Duel Monsters Championship, as he had decided that when he was to enter a tournament, it would be to fight Kaiba in a fair Duel.

At lot of Yugi's classmates played Duel Monsters during their lunch breaks. Following a losing streak, Jonouchi turned to Yugi for help. Yugi quickly pointed out the imbalance of Jonouchi's all-monster Deck and invited him to his house to train. They began by watching the national championship finals.

Yugi opened a package he had received, containing a a VHS, featuring Maximillion J. Pegasus. Although claiming to a prerecording, Pegasus challenged Yugi to a Duel on the spot. Despite the seemingly impossible nature, Yugi rose to the challenge, seeing it as a dream to play against the creator of Duel Monsters.

In addition to knowing what cards Yugi played, Pegasus was also able to tell what cards were in Yugi's hand and correctly predict what moves he was planning. When the picture on one of Yugi's cards got sucked into the TV screen, Dark Yugi realized that they were playing a Shadow Game and took control. Pegasus won the Duel and as Penalty Game, he sucked the soul of Sugoroku into the TV, coaxing the Yugis to participate in the Duelist Kingdom tournament to save him.

By putting the videotape into a camcorder, Yugi was able to move his grandfather to a different screen, making him portable enough to communicate with wherever he went.

Having recently attained the ability to tell what his other self is feeling, Yugi told his friends that Dark Yugi felt bad for losing to Pegasus. They filled Ryo Bakura in on what happened and considered entering the Duelist Kingdom tournament to return Sugoroku to normal.

When Yugi arrived home, he found the invitation to Duelist Kingdom attached to the door. Jonouchi, Anzu, Honda and Bakura appeared and informed him that Jonouchi had also received a videotape in the mail, which they feared could be from Pegasus. Since he did not have an 8 mm VCR of his own, he asked if they could watch it on Yugi's. However the tape was a message from Jonouchi's sister Shizuka Kawai, who discussed her inevitable blindness. As Jonouchi wept about being unable to afford the surgery to help her, Yugi switched to Dark Yugi, who split his Star Chips with Jonouchi, urging him to enter the tournament for the prize money.

Yugi and Jonouchi spent the next week training for the tournament. During this time, Yugi gave Jonouchi the card "Time Wizard".

Boat ride
The day before the tournament, Yugi, Jonouchi, Anzu, Bakura and Honda went Domino Pier to board the ship to the tournament. There they met Mai Kujaku, who informed Yugi that he was famous for defeating Kaiba and teased him over his size.

Yugi spent some on the ship conversing with Haga, who leaked word of new rules being in use for the tournament and advised Yugi on the tactical advantages of staying in the same room as the other participants.

On the ship's deck, Sugoroku discussed the suspicious nature of the tournament with Yugi. Haga then appeared and requested to see the "Exodia" cards Yugi used to defeat Kaiba, only to throw them overboard. Jonouchi dived into the water but was only able to recover two of the five cards. Yugi then changed to Dark Yugi, who vowed to take out Haga first in the tournament.

Day 1
When the tournament started, Haga led Yugi to the forest, before their Duel, to make benefit of the Field Power Source. By wagering his life in addition to his one Star Chip, Dark Yugi was able to take both of Haga's Star Chips when he won, eliminating Haga from the tournament.

Yugi spent much of his time as Dark Yugi, who watched Jonouchi Duel Mai, and himself Dueled Ryota Kajiki, Mokuba Kaiba and the Ventriloquist of the Dead. Through defeating the ventriloquist, he acquired Kaiba's stolen Deck and awoke Kaiba from his coma.

Agreeing not to help Jonouchi in his Duel against Dinosaur Ryuzaki, Dark Yugi returned control to Yugi. However as Jonouchi was being overpowered, Anzu, Honda and Bakura tried convincing Yugi to help him, reminding him that Shizuka could go blind if Jonouchi lost. Yugi agreed to help, but was stopped by Dark Yugi, who explained the necessity of Jonouchi's independence and directed his attention to the determination in Jonouchi's eyes.

Night 1
During the night of the preliminaries, Mai proposed a ceasefire and shared her food with Yugi and his friends. Yugi gathered firewood to help Bakura with the cooking. As they ate, Mai made it clear that they would go back to being enemies the next day and that she intended to defeat Yugi. Before trying to go to sleep, Yugi spoke with Sugoroku on the camcorder, briefing him in on his progress in the tournament.

After Jonouchi, Honda and Bakura fell asleep, Mai arranged for Yugi and Anzu to meet up, telling Yugi that Anzu wanted to speak with him. The two met at the cliff and Anzu began to talk about old times. Yugi suspected that she wanted to speak with Dark Yugi and offered to change, but Anzu refused and tried to convince herself that both Yugis were the same person. She held his hand and told him he was fine the way he was.

Yugi and Anzu's meeting was interrupted by the sound of Mai screaming. They located her and found that she had been beaten by the Player Killer of Darkness, who took all eight of her Star Chips. The Player Killer then challenged Yugi, who switched to Dark Yugi and defeated him, winning back Mai's Star Chips. Mai reluctantly accepted his offer to take them back and said that she owed him one.

Yugi, Jonouchi, Honda and Bakura slept outside under the trees. They were woken several times, including once by Bakura, who to their surprise had brought the Millennium Ring to the island. He showed them that the ring was pointing to Pegasus Castle. Yugi reminded Bakura that the ring was dangerous and advised him against putting it on.

Later that night, Kaiba arrived on the island. Yugi returned his Deck, which he had recovered from the ventriloquist. Kaiba thanked him, but said not to be mistaken, as he intended to defeat Yugi in a Duel sooner or later. Jonouchi, unwilling for forgive Kaiba for Death-T tried to pick a fight with Kaiba. As Yugi and Honda tried to restrain, he challenged Kaiba to a Duel. When Kaiba defeated and mocked Jonouchi, Yugi questioned if Kaiba had changed at all to which Kaiba replied that Yugi's friendship still disgusted him. Before leaving Kaiba warned Yugi of Pegasus' apparent ability to read minds, which he believed even Yugi would not be able to overcome.

Day 2
The next morning, Mai had left by the time the rest of the group woke up, but left some supplies and a note to Yugi saying that she owed him eight Star Chips. As they discussed their plans, Yugi said that they should not waste time as the preliminaries would be over after four people have collected ten Star Chips. He also warned that the remaining Duelists should be stronger than ones from the previous day.

When Jonouchi got separated the group, the group split up and searched to no avail. Yugi then switched to Dark Yugi, who with the power of the Millennium Puzzle sensed Jonouchi was underground, helping them find Jonouchi in a cave, just after he defeated Ghost Kozuka. However, before the group could leave, Bandit Keith got his gang to trap them inside the underground by rolling a boulder in front of the entrance.

As Yugi's group searched for another exit, they encountered the Meikyû Brothers, whom Dark Yugi and Jonouchi defeated in order to escape to the surface and raise both their Star Chip counts to ten.

At the entrance to Pegasus Castle, Dark Yugi was challenged him to a Duel by Kaiba. As Dark Yugi was about to win, Kaiba threatened to jump to his death should Dark Yugi attack. Dark Yugi refused to lose and tried attacking, but Yugi took over and stopped the attack. Kaiba won on the next turn, taking five of Yugi's Star Chips.

Yugi wept over how close he had come to killing Kaiba. Anzu began to comfort Yugi, telling him he had done the right thing. However Kaiba insisted that Yugi had lost, as a consequence of showing weakness at the end and that caring for the enemy's safety is the most foolish thing he could do. Anzu argued that Kaiba was the one, who had shown weakness, by being afraid to live with defeat and that Yugi's actions had shown true courage. As Kaiba left, Jonouchi told him not to forget that Yugi saved him when he was willing to throw his life away.

Yugi and his friends rushed to find an opponent for Yugi to win back his five Star Chips, but were stopped by Saruwatari, who claimed Yugi was to be disqualified. He informed them that four participants had already collected ten Star Chips, Keith, Jonouchi and a third, who had left to collect the fourth, and that the other participants had all left the island.

Jonouchi tried convincing Yugi to take five of his Star Chips, but Yugi would not accept. Mai then arrived and offered Yugi the six additional Star Chips she had earned, in order to repay her debt. Yugi still refused to accept, insisting it was was not something Dark Yugi would do. Jonouchi told Yugi that he should not feel inferior to Dark Yugi and that he was fighting for things more important than "Duelist's pride". Mai said that while she had collected the extra Star Chips, hoping it would give her the right to face Yugi, she had also done it with the hope of seeing Yugi and his friends again, as she was happy that they had considered her to be their friend. Yugi finally accepted the Star Chips and Jonouchi offered to kick Dark Yugi's but, if he was to complain.

Upon entering Pegasus Castle, Yugi and his friends spotted Bandit Keith, who directed their attention to a Duel between Kaiba and Pegasus, which was about to start. Seeing how Kaiba was fighting to save Mokuba, Yugi opted to support him and warned him of the "Dragon Capture Jar" in Pegasus' Deck. Yugi learned of Pegasus exclusive "Toon World" card. When Kaiba lost and his soul sealed in the card, "Soul Prison", Yugi said that Kaiba's motives were no different than his or Jonouchi's and vowed to never forgive Pegasus.

Night 2
During the night, Yugi heard noise coming from Jonouchi's room and went in to check it out. He found Keith, who tried to quieten Yugi by punching him, but Jonouchi woke up and fought Keith off. Keith then left, without them knowing that he had taken Jonouchi's participation card, "The Honor of the King's Right".

While Anzu tended to Yugi's face, where Keith had hit him, he admitted to feeling embarrassed, having to always be helped; by her, Jonouchi and Dark Yugi. He reminded her how she had said that he was fine the way he was, but insisted that he could not stay that way. He said that he could not protect her that way and that he intended to become stronger one way; strong enough to not lose to Dark Yugi.

Day 3
On the final day of the tournament, Yugi spoke with Sugoroku and vowed to defeat Pegasus and return Sugoroku to his body. Sugoroku informed Yugi that a Duelist's self-esteem can turn into pride and dig their own grave. He believed that Yugi and Dark Yugi balanced each other's hearts and that when Dark Yugi becomes overconfident and loses his sense of justice, it becomes Yugi's duty to help.

Dark Yugi initially played poorly in his semifinal Duel against Mai. But as Mai informed him that a Duelist's courage is tested in defeat, not victory, he realized that he had been afraid to lose against Kaiba, while Yugi had not. He saw that Yugi's strength had made up for his own weakness and that the two of them fight best together. He proceeded to win the Duel.

After Jonouchi defeated Keith, a final Duel between Yugi and Jonouchi was deemed unnecessary and Yugi immediately advanced to face Pegasus.

Dark Yugi struggled against Pegasus' Mind Scan, during their Duel. However Yugi managed to speak with Dark Yugi inside their soul room for the first time. He suggested that Pegasus might only be able to read one mind at a time and proposed the Mind Shuffle strategy, where they would take turns making moves. This way after one Yugi made a move, Pegasus would only be able to read the mind of the other Yugi, who would not know what move the first Yugi had made.

Using the Mind Shuffle strategy, the Yugis mislead Pegasus as to which of the "Magical Hats" "Dark Magician" was hidden under and Yugi Set 2 cards, without Pegasus knowing what they were. This prompted Pegasus to use "Magic Neutralizing Force" to get rid of the hats, before trying to attack the "Dark Magician". However this allowed Yugi to use the cards he had Set, "Living Arrow", causing "Magic Neutralizing Force" to nullify the effects of "Toon World" and "Mirror Force" to destroy Pegasus' monsters, which were no longer protected by "Toon World".

Pegasus commended Yugi's strategy and regarded him as worthy of possessing a Millennium Item. He then said that he would Duel Yugi with the power and respect he deserved and changed the Duel to a Shadow Game. He told Yugi that ancient Egyptian magicians used to seal monsters in tablets and use them to battle and that he created Duel Monsters to recreate those battles in the modern world.

Dark Yugi knew that Yugi's heart would not be strong enough for the burden of maintaining the monsters' ethereal, but Yugi insisted on fighting. He spent some time in control to stop Pegasus reading Dark Yugi's mind, but the Duel proved physically draining for him. Before collapsing, he Set a card, telling Dark Yugi to use it to defeat Pegasus. Pegasus declared that Yugi's soul had died, but Anzu remembered Yugi telling her that as long as one Yugi's soul lived, the other would live too. Since Dark Yugi was still alive, she deduced that Yugi was alive too.

With Yugi disengaged, Pegasus continued to read Dark Yugi's mind, until one turn where an apparition of Dark Yugi's friends, including Yugi, began blocking his powers. Yugi slowly regained consciousness, in time for Dark Yugi to play the card he had Set, "Dark Magic Ritual", which was critical in their strategies to stop "Jigen Bakudan" exploding and defeat "Thousand-Eyes Restrict", which led to their victory.

As agreed, Pegasus released the souls of Sugoroku, Kaiba and Mokuba and had his men get Yugi's prize money, which Dark Yugi gave to Jonouchi. Pegasus also told Dark Yugi how he acquired the Millennium Eye and that the Millennium Items contain an evil intelligence. Although Dark Yugi himself came from a Millennium Item, Yugi assured him that it did not matter where he came from; he was glad to have him.

Yugi and his friends met Kaiba and Mokuba after their souls had been restored. Kaiba admitted that he owed Yugi for saving Mokuba, but told him to tell Dark Yugi that their battle was not over yet. When Bakura reported that there were no boats on the island, Kaiba begrudgingly agreed to let them ride in his helicopter, but insisted that they would be even once they got back to Japan. As they flew over the ocean, Yugi bade a silent farewell to Duelist Kingdom.

Dungeon Dice Monsters
Yugi replaced the string he used to wear the Millennium Puzzle with a chain, which he felt represented the bond between him and Dark Yugi. As he discussed the new look with Dark Yugi, his mother, unaware of Dark Yugi's existence, noted that Yugi had been talking to himself a lot.

Despite his grandfather, Sugoroku, feeling his business was threatened by the new game store, the Black Crown, Yugi insisted that he and Anzu have a look at the store on their way to school, the day before it opened. There he learned that a new game, abbreviated D.D.M. was to be released.

Having went up a grade, there were some new students in Yugi's class, including Ryuji Otogi, whose popularity made Jonouchi jealous. Ryuji proposed a bet with Jonouchi, where the loser would do the others bidding for a week. Ryuji had to move a die from inside an upside-down cup to his hand without touching the cup. Yugi coped on to Ryuji's ploy, when he tempted Jonouchi into moving the cup, but Jonouchi fell for it and gave Ryuji an opportunity to grab the die. Yugi argued that the game was not fair, but Ryuji explained that his actions fell within the rules.

Yugi was unsuccessful in talking Jonouchi out playing another game with Ryuji, Four Aces. Jonouchi lost and Ryuji proceeded to issue orders and humiliate him, prompting Dark Yugi to challenge Ryuji to a game for Jonouchi's freedom. Yugi asked Dark Yugi if he planned on playing Four Aces and admitted his suspicions that the game may be rigged. Dark Yugi confirmed and explained how the apparent 50-50 chance of winning was in fact a one-in-three chance. After modifying the rules to balance the odds, Dark Yugi defeated Ryuji.

Yugi attended the Black Crown grand opening with Anzu, Ryo Bakura and Jonouchi. As they queued up, unaware that Sugoroku was behind him, Yugi asked the others not to tell him that he was shopping there and blamed the lack of popularity of his family's store on Sugoroku's old-fashioned taste in games.

Inside the store, Yugi got separated from the others and was constantly cut in front of. However Mr. Clown moved Yugi up in the queue and discretely slipped D.D.M packets into Yugi's pocket. Security then pulled Yugi into an office, where they accused him of stealing the packets and confiscated the Millennium Puzzle. Yugi was then brought to another room, where he he met Ryuji, who informed him he was the creator of D.D.M., Dungeon Dice Monsters, and imposed a game.

Ryuji handed Yugi a briefcase, filled with dice and instructed him to assemble a pool of twelve. Yugi choose a mixture of blue, white, black dice for Warriors, Spellcasters and special abilities. Each player was given a Dungeon Master with three Life Points and each turn they were dealt three of the dice they had chosen. Without the Millennium Puzzle, Yugi had to play without Dark Yugi's aid. He got Ryuji to promise to return the Puzzle, if he won.

By rolling at least two Summon Crests per turn, Ryuji was able to dimension his dice, unfolding them into a path on the board and revealing the creatures inside. He quickly managed to Summon four creatures, before Yugi, who had chosen high-level dice, managed to Summon his first.

Although Yugi's monsters were of a higher level, Ryuji's knowledge of the game allowed him to overpower Yugi at first. As Yugi started to doubt he had a chance. Ryuji explained that he knew Yugi fulfilled a prophecy, by completing the Millennium Puzzle, earning him the title "King of Games", and that he had defeated numerous opponents using the Puzzle's power. He said that he had stolen the Puzzle in order to test Yugi's true power and demanded that he not be disappointed. Yugi asked how Ryuji knew about the Millennium Puzzle and was told that Ryuji's father, Mr. Clown, had been Sugoroku's apprentice. Ryuji said that Clown had challenged Sugoroku to the Devil's Board Game for the ownership of the Puzzle, only to lose and that he and Yugi were now fighting a battle which had been passed down through the generations.

Yugi placed the die for "Iron Golem Gorogon" on the field, without dimensioning it and baited Ryuji's monsters into lining up, at the cost of a Life Point. He then played "Gorogon", whose effect destroyed Ryuji's two monsters that were in line with it. Ryuji played "Flame Armor Dragon", which Yugi defeated with "Duker of Twin Swords". However this was a deliberate sacrifice to block Yugi's dice path, leaving with little room to dimension more dice.

Ryuji dimensioned a rare black die, placing a "Warp Crest" on the field and hoped to play another one to easily teleport his monsters closer to Yugi's Dungeon Master. However Yugi also dimensioned a rare black die, completing the warp path and teleporting his "Black Ninja" to Ryuji's territory, where it defeated "Dark Eye Stalker" and took out one of Ryuji's Life Points.

By rolling a triple crest, Ryuji Summoned "God Orgoth" at LV4 and used three Magic Crests to raise its ATK to 2000. Yugi also three Magic Crests to allow "Black Ninja" to dodge an attack from "Orgoth", allowing "Black Ninja" to attack Ryuji's Dungeon Master again next turn, leaving him with one Life Point.

Mr. Clown entered the room, annoyed that Ryuji was having trouble defeating Yugi and forbade Ryuji from losing. As Clown argued with Yugi about returning the Puzzle, Ryuji asked him to stay out of the fight and not get in the way. Intent on helping Ryuji, Clown disassembled the Millennium Puzzle to break Yugi's will to fight. Yugi wept and asked how Clown could break his other heart. Disapproving of his father's actions, Ryuji apologized to Yugi and helped him pick up the pieces. Nevertheless, he resumed the game and maintained that the winner would keep the Puzzle.

"God Orgoth" proceeded to slay all of Yugi's monsters, bar "Duker of Twin Swords". As, Yugi began to wonder if he was really going to lose, Dark Bakura entered the room and asserted that Ryuji would be incapable of handling the Puzzle. Yugi realized that Ryo Bakura was being possessed again, but Dark Bakura claimed to now be his friend, having turned over a new leaf. He examined the board and acknowledged that Yugi was in a bad, but not hopeless situation and believed that Yugi, powerful enough to be the Puzzle's chosen host, would win.

Yugi was suspicious about Dark Bakura's claims to be an ally, but decided to focus on winning the game. Yugi spent all his Attack Crests to make "Duker of Twin Swords" stronger than "Orgoth", but Ryuji blocked his attack with "Anagora". "Orgoth" progressed, destroying "Duker" and attack Yugi's Dungeon Master. Yugi thought there was no longer any way he could win the game and Ryuji began trying to reassemble the Puzzle, but Dark Bakura remained confident that Yugi would win.

Yugi noticed a space on the board capable of fitting on oddly-unfolded dice and used it to Summon "Armor Wizard Pazoo". As Yugi struggled to think of how he could defeat "Orgoth" with such a weak monster, Dark Bakura told him that this was another test to see that he was the true successor to the Millennium Puzzle. He claimed that there was only one person capable of solving the Puzzle and chosen for the duty of awakening the King's, Dark Yugi's, memories and that person is Yugi.

Yugi used his monster's secret power, which turned itself into a shield his Dungeon Master used to block the next attack from "Orgoth" and then a sword, which defeated "Orgoth", winning the game for Yugi.

Yugi explained that it was not a desire for the power of the Puzzle, but his wish to be reunited with Dark Yugi, that led to his victory. As Dark Bakura picked up the Puzzle pieces to return to them to Yugi, Yugi acknowledged that he would not have won without his support and thought that he would like to think Dark Bakura is a friend. Unbeknownst to Yugi, Dark Bakura used his Parasite Mind ability to seal a part of his soul in a piece of the Puzzle. Despite losing, Ryuji said he had no regrets and could not hate Yugi.

Pretending to apologize, Clown put the Puzzle's chain around Yugi's neck. However he tightened it and dragged Yugi into a secret room, where he locked the door and pinning down a piece of the Puzzle by its chain. He prepared to face Yugi in the Devil's Board Game to make him suffer the same hyper aging it had inflicted on him. Clown tried to reconstruct the Millennium Puzzle himself, hoping to use its power to win the game. Yugi urged him to stop, warning him that he was angering the Puzzle. Clown began to suffer hallucinations, causing him to knock over the candles, setting the room on fire.

Yugi saved Mr. Clown by rolling him on the floor to stop his clothes burning. The door was jammed, leaving them unable to escape until Jonouchi and Honda arrived and broke the door open. With a piece of the Puzzle still pinned to the table, Yugi could not take it with him. Despite his friends suggestions, Yugi refused to leave without seeing Dark Yugi once more to apologize and began to reassemble the Puzzle. He quickly completed the Puzzle, but collapsed as he inserted the last piece. Jonouchi tried to carry him out, but could not loosen Yugi's grip from the chain. Using the Devil's Board Game board as a level, he was able to pull the pin out and rescue Yugi.

Prior events
Following the fire at the Black Crown, Yugi spent some time, recovering at Domino City Hospital. Over the course of three days, he and Dark Yugi assembled a new Duel Monsters Deck. When visited by his friends, he Dueled Jonouchi, who had left his Deck unchanged since Duelist Kingdom. Having come up with a strategy to counter it, he was able to beat Jonouchi each time and suggested that he build a new Deck. Yugi was shown a newspaper advertisement for The Art of Egypt, by a man, who noticed the similarity between Yugi's Millennium Puzzle and an item worn by Ishizu Ishtar in the advertisement. Yugi was certain that this was a Millennium Item and that something big was about to happen.

Before leaving the hospital, Yugi spoke with Dark Yugi about what Dark Bakura concerning Yugi having the duty of awakening the king's memories. He asked Dark Yugi if he was king, but Dark Yugi had no memory of where he came from. He suggested that going to the store tablet in Egypt for the Millennium Items might help him. Yugi dropped the subject and the two agreed that they would rather stay together forever than have Dark Yugi regain his memories. Yugi wept and offered to share his memories with Dark Yugi.

After the hospital, Yugi noticed that Dark Yugi had been feeling uneasy, but unwilling to talk about it. At school, he asked Anzu if she was free that Sunday to spend time with Dark Yugi to cheer him up. Yugi put on some accessories and told Dark Yugi he was meeting Anzu, before saying it was actually Dark Yugi's date. While visiting The Art of Egypt exhibition, Dark Yugi and Anzu learned that Dark Yugi was the soul of a Pharaoh, but decided not to tell Yugi, as he they felt he was not ready to accept the consequences of Dark Yugi regaining his memory.

Yugi learned about Kaiba Corporation's Battle City tournament from Dark Yugi and decided to enter, hoping it would give him a chance to face Kaiba in a fair Duel. Knowing Dark Yugi's distaste for playing with an ante, Yugi found it odd that he also wanted to enter and suspected he had another reason. The day before the tournament, Yugi and Jonouchi went to the RPG Hobby Trading Cards shop to collect Duel Disks, which were necessary to participate. Having the highest possible Duelist level in Kaiba Corporation's Duelist database, Yugi was entitled to a free Duel Disk.

At home, Yugi spent some reviewing Jonouchi's new Deck and after Jonouchi left, the Yugis stayed up all right working on their Deck.

Preliminaries
The morning of the tournament, Dark Yugi confessed that he was fighting to find himself in Battle City and that he would need Yugi's help. Yugi respected his decision to not be more specific and hoped to go with him to find the answer.

At the beginning of the preliminaries, Yugi, as Dark Yugi, defeated the Rare Hunter, who had taken Jonouchi's "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" and learned about their enemy Marik Ishtar, who used the Millennium Rod to control people and entered the tournament to get the God cards.

As Dark Yugi sought out Marik's Rare Hunter Ghoul underlings, Yugi expressed concern regarding Jonouchi Dueling without the "Red-Eyes Black Dragon". Dark Yugi explained that by holding onto the card they were bringing out Jonouchi's true strength, by giving him something to fight for. Yugi agreed and thought Jonouchi would be fine. As Dark Yugi wondered how the Rare Hunters knew Jonouchi had "Red-Eyes", Yugi remembered that the clerk at the card shop had seen data on their cards before he gave them the Duel Disks, leading them to suspect the shop was a front for Rare Hunters.

At the basement of the card shop Dark Yugi defeated Pandora in a Duel, where the loser's feet were to be sawn off. Marik stopped Pandora from saving himself, but Yugi took back control of his body and unlocked the shackles around Pandora's feet, freeing him.

Marik took control of Pandora to speak to Yugi, whom he referred to as "the vessel". He told Yugi that his family had protected the Millennium Items and memories of a king, who would be risen and identified by having the three God cards. However, since this duty had brought suffering on his family, he planned to kill the king in vengeance and wield the God cards to become the new king. Now knowing that Dark Yugi was fighting to regain his memories, Yugi thought again about how this could mean their separation, but ultimately decided it was the right option to pursue. Marik warned Yugi that he would be killing him too and that while he was still on his way to Domino City, he had a Rare Hunter, the "Doll", with a God card in the city ready for them.

When Dark Yugi proposed that they wait for their enemies to appear, Yugi disagreed, fearing that they could be planning something. He admitted to knowing the Ghouls were trying to kill Dark Yugi and that Dark Yugi had entered the tournament to recover his memories and felt it was his duty to help Dark Yugi.

Yugi was approached by the Doll, possessed by Marik, who imposed a Duel. Yugi warned Dark Yugi about the God card, "Slifer the Sky Dragon", which Dark Yugi proceeded to win through the ante rule, but then learned his friends lives were in danger.

Dark Yugi defeated a few more Rare Hunters, qualifying him and Yugi for the final rounds.

Brainwashed Jonouchi
Dark Yugi was forced into a Duel against Jonouchi, possessed by Marik, in which the loser would be dragged to the bottom of the sea. Determined to help, Jonouchi, Yugi insisted that he fight this Duel. Dark Yugi allowed him, but stipulated that he would take over if Yugi's life was in serious danger. With Dark Yugi being the one he wanted revenge on, Marik demanded that he switch back, but Yugi refused.

Yugi used "Exchange" while holding "Red-Eyes Black Dragon", a card of sentimental value to Jonouchi. He hoped showing it to Jonouchi would invoke true heart. It was enough to make Jonouchi disobey Marik's order and take a card other than "Red-Eyes". Yugi then Summoned "Red-Eyes" and claimed it wanted Jonouchi to revert to his old self.

As the Duel got more intense, Dark Yugi wanted to take over, but Yugi removed the Millennium Puzzle, uncoupling his control. Dark Yugi warned him of the dangers, but Yugi said that he trusted Jonouchi. He also felt that he needed to independently become stronger for Dark Yugi to ever be able to leave him.

Knowing he would not bring himself to defeat and kill Jonouchi, Yugi gave the Puzzle to Jonouchi to ensure it would not get dragged to the bottom of the sea. As Marik ordered Jonouchi to throw away pieces of the Puzzle, it reminded Jonouchi of how he had become friends with Yugi, allowing his true self to resist the order.

With one minute left in the Duel's time limit, Yugi, certain that have Jonouchi fully overcome Marik's control, declared Marik to be the true loser; a failure to be branded in his memory even if Yugi and Jonouchi were both to be pulled into the ocean. He then urged Marik to try and defeat him. Marik responded by playing "Meteor of Destruction", but Yugi activated "Mystical Rift Panel", allowing him to choose the target of the meteor. Expecting it to be redirected to Jonouchi, Marik thought he had lost the Duel. Jonouchi then fully snapped out of Marik's control and asked why he and Yugi were fighting, but Yugi replied that they were not really fighting each other; Jonouchi was fighting Marik's influence, while Yugi was ensuring they stayed friends and that they had both won. Yugi let Jonouchi know that he loved him and was grateful for everything he had thought him, before finally choosing himself as the target of the meteor, causing Yugi to lose the Duel.

As an anchor was about to pull Yugi and Jonouchi into the ocean, Yugi, before falling unconscious, instructed Jonouchi to use the key, he had unlocked as winner, to uncuff himself from the anchor. However Jonouchi got "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" to attack causing himself to also be defeated, unlocking Yugi's key too. Jonouchi grabbed Yugi's key just before they both got pulled into the water and used it to free Yugi. While Mokuba pulled Yugi onto the pier, Kaiba dropped the other key into the water to allow Jonouchi to free himself.

Jonouchi felt bad, but Yugi told him not to blame himself. After the Millennium Puzzle was returned to Yugi, Dark Yugi thought to himself that he had learned from Yugi that in kindness lies the greatest strength of all and that one day Yugi would surpass him in every way. As Kaiba left for the finals, he asked Yugi to tell Dark Yugi that Yugi and his friends had given him "the answer".

Battle Ship
Yugi, Anzu, Jonouchi, Honda, Ryuji and Shizuka all squeezed into Mai's car to travel to Domino Stadium for the finals. Yugi was surprised to see Bakura arrive as a finalist, as he had been in the hospital earlier that day. Yugi was suspicious of Bakura's participation and thought that it momentarily looked like Bakura had been controlled by Dark Bakura. He also got bad vibes from the finalist, Namu, who was actually Marik undercover, but when Bakura and Anzu identified him as a friend, Yugi dropped his distrust. Bakura showed Yugi his Millennium Ring reacting to the proximity of another Millennium Item, as Rishid, posing as Marik arrived as another finalist. The finalists and companions then boarded the Battle Ship blimp, the stage for the next round, when it landed in the stadium.

Prior to the quarterfinals, Yugi added "Slifer the Sky Dragon" to his Deck, partly following advice from Kaiba. The first quarterfinal Duel featured Yugi and Bakura, each controlled by their alternate serves. Dark Yugi won the Duel, but noted his similarity to Dark Bakura in terms of protecting his host. However Yugi felt they were different as unlike the Bakuras, the desire to help each other was shared by both Yugis. Yugi took back control of his body and declined his permission to take one of Bakura's cards via the ante. In analysis of the Duel, Yugi discussed Dark Bakura seemingly putting Bakura in danger, only to pull him back to safety and concluded it was actually Marik, who had exposed Bakura to the danger.

In Jonouchi's quarterfinal against Rishid, Yugi witnessed Jonouchi expose Rishid as not being Marik. During the Duel, Jonouchi and Rishid were knocked unconscious by Ra, causing Jonouchi to have a dream, featuring his friends, including Yugi, helping him get ready for a tournament. With Rishid's defeat, Yugi also witnessed the real Marik becoming exposed and controlled by Dark Marik.

Dark Yugi stayed in control of Yugi's body for the remaining two quarterfinals, seeing Dark Marik defeat Mai and Kaiba defeat Ishizu.

When Yugi and his friends went to visit Mai, who had been comatose, following her Duel with Dark Marik, they were accompanied by Ishizu. As Ishizu told them about her family enduring suffering in the line of their duty, Yugi realized that she was Marik's sister and asked her about Marik's motives. She told them about her family protecting the Millennium Items, a painful ritual Marik had to endure, them meeting a man, whom Yugi recognized as Shadi, and Dark Marik's first surfacing, in which he killed their father. With the Millennium Tauk no longer working for her, Ishizu passed it on to Yugi and said that he would need it to get all seven Millennium Items to awaken Dark Yugi's memories.

Yugi had trouble sleeping that night, thinking of what Ishizu said. He assured Dark Yugi that they would collect all the Items and awaken his memory and insisted that they get some sleep, while he secretly wept.

After falling asleep, Yugi found himself inside his soul room. He sensed something bad happening in Dark Yugi's soul room and went inside for the first time. He got a freight when Dark Yugi appeared behind him. Dark Yugi got the same uneasy feeling as Yugi and unbeknownst to them, they were watched by the portion of Dark Bakura's soul that had been sealed in the Puzzle, before its latest reassembly. Dark Yugi asked if Yugi found it odd that his room was a maze, but he said it made sense considering Dark Yugi had no memories, he did not know which path led to his true heart. Dark Yugi told him about the time Shadi had trespassed, looking for the door that led to the true soul room, but not even Dark Yugi knew of the door's location. Yugi suspected the door was related to the lost memories, before agreeing to return to his own room to get some sleep.

Duel Tower
The Battle Ship landed on the island, Alcatraz, whose Duel Tower was the location of the next round of the tournament. Yugi, as Dark Yugi faced the other semifinalists in a battle royal, to determine the pairings for the semifinals, resulting in Jonouchi facing Dark Marik and Yugi facing Kaiba.

Jonouchi was left unconscious and declared dead by Dark Marik, following their Duel. While Yugi and Dark Yugi grieved, they noticed the Millennium Tauk glowing. Its power of foresight showed them a future, where Dark Yugi and Jonouchi prepared for a friendly Duel.

When Dark Yugi defeated Kaiba in the second quarterfinal, the Yugis got the God card, "The God of the Obelisk", and qualified for the finals. After the Duel, they were relieved to find that Jonouchi had recovered.

Dark Marik turned the final Duel into a Shadow Game, where Yugi and Marik appeared out-of-body next to Dark Yugi and Dark Marik respectively, as sacrifices. As players lost Life Points their corresponding sacrifice would synchronously disappear into darkness, suffering pain in the process and dying upon full consumption when their player loses. Unlike the Mariks, Yugi's death would also result in Dark Yugi's death.

Marik apologized to the Yugis for his misguided hatred and urged them to defeat Dark Marik, despite it meaning his death, but Yugi remained adamant that they save Marik. He theorized that they could exploit an effect of his God card, "The Sun Dragon Ra"; its ability to fuse with a player would result in Dark Marik being treated as a monster. With that in mind, Dark Yugi prepared to use "Dimension Magic" to destroy the fusion of "Ra" and Dark Marik. The Yugis were hesitant to proceed, realizing Marik lacked to willpower to survive with 1 Life Point. Following a motivation boost from Rishid, Marik convinced Dark Yugi to continue. With "Ra" and Dark Marik, defeated, Marik remained as the Yugis opponent, with Dark Marik as his sacrifice. He then surrendered the Duel, vanquishing Dark Marik, resulting in Yugi winning the tournament.

Marik gave the Yugis the "The Sun Dragon Ra", the Millennium Rod and the Millennium Ring, he had acquired from Dark Bakura. He also showed them his back, which had a prophecy for the pharaoh tattooed onto it.

The group boarded the Battle Ship to return to Japan, after Kaiba announced that Alcatraz was to self-destruct. Yugi agreed with Dark Yugi's decision to lie to Bakura about not knowing where the Millennium Ring was, but Bakura found it and took it back when the group split up to look for the Kaibas.

Project R.A.
At school, Yugi was challenged to a Duel by a Solid Vision projection of Pegasus' protégé, Yako Tenma. Dark Yugi took control and accepted the Duel. After showing Yugi the Wicked God card, "The Wicked Avatar", Yako ended the Duel and revealed that he had kidnapped Anzu. He intended to use her as a sacrifice for Project R.A. and instructed Yugi to come to the KaibaCorp head office, if he wanted to save her.

As Dark Yugi and accompanied by Jonouchi and Honda, Yugi went to KaibaCorp headquarters. After Dark Yugi defeated three of Yako's Card Professor minions, Yugi assured him that Jonouchi and Honda, whom they had been separated from would be fine. While searching for the next Card Professor, Yugi asked Maico Kato if she had seen a Duelist. He assumed her to be a bystander due to her age, but to his surprise discovered she was a Card Professor. Yugi switched back to Dark Yugi and defeated her in a Duel.

God card theft
Yugi's grandfather, Sugoroku, grew very fond of Yugi's God cards and frequently asked to see them. Yugi allowed him, but declined his request to put them on display in the store. He let slip a mention of Dark Yugi when telling his grandfather that he did not know the life or death Duels they had to go through to earn the God cards. However he was surprised to find that Sugoroku already knew that the pharaoh's soul resided in Yugi's body. Sugoroku informed Yugi that it was the fate of the one who solved the Millennium Puzzle to be endlessly tested and encouraged Yugi to never give up.

Yugi made plans to visit Domino City Museum, knowing that the slab there and the God cards were linked to Dark Yugi regaining his memories. He found it hard to sleep the night before and thought about what Sugoroku and Dark Bakura had told him about his duty. Dark Yugi also had trouble sleeping and assured Yugi that no matter what, he would treasure the memories of his time with Yugi and their friends.

After Yugi managed to fall asleep, he was awoken by a burglar, who grabbed the Millennium Puzzle box, containing the God cards, and left the house. Yugi made chase and maintained that this was his duty when Dark Yugi tried to take control. By the time Yugi caught up, the burglar had been attacked by Dark Bakura.

Dark Bakura returned the cards to Yugi, but scolded him for allowing them to be taken. Yugi thanked him, but drew attention to the fact that he had the Millennium Ring. Dark Bakura was aware that Yugi would be needing the ring eventually and promised to return it when that time came, but no sooner. As a pledge of allegiance, he gave the Millennium Eye to Yugi. Yugi asked what happens when the Millennium Items are placed inside the Memory Tablet, to which Dark Bakura replied that the doors to the underworld would open. Still cautious about trusting Dark Bakura, Yugi asked why he was helping. Dark Bakura claimed that like the pharaoh, he was a 3000-year-old spirit sealed in a Millennium Item, wanting to move on. Before parting, Dark Bakura said that Bakura was looking forward to going to the museum with Yugi tomorrow and that he would be watching from the shadows.

The next day at school, Jonouchi told Yugi that his VCR had been fixed and asked if he could have the Video Girl♡ tape back, but Yugi thought his grandfather had taken it. They were both caught off guard by Anzu, who asked what they were talking about.

Mind's Labyrinth
After school, Dark Yugi presented the God cards to the slab at the museum, causing his consciousness to be separated from Yugi and taken to a table to play the Shadow RPG. Yugi was left worried as he reported no trace of Dark Yugi in the Millennium Puzzle or his heart, but Bobasa informed Yugi and his friends that Dark Yugi had traveled to the World of Memories, where he was to re-experience his life as pharaoh, including his death.

Intent on helping Dark Yugi, Yugi and his friends asked Bobasa to take them to the World of Memories. Using the Millennium Key, he transported Yugi, Anzu, Jonouchi and Honda to Dark Yugi's soul room, while Bakura, who failed the Millennium Scales character test was refused entry, despite Yugi's wishes.

They awoke in the soul room, which was a maze of doors and stairs. Yugi wondered if it would be possible for them to do anything of consequence in the World of Memories, considering they did not exist in this part of the pharaoh's memories and Bobasa informed them that it would be their duty to find the pharaoh's name, hidden within his subconscious.

While searching for the "true door", which would lead to the World of Memories, Yugi opened a door, which led to a moment in Dark Yugi's past, where he nearly killed Kaiba during Duelist Kingdom. Yugi thought that the doors contained Dark Yugi's feelings, as he felt a jab to his chest from opening that door. As the group grew frustrated trying to find the right door, Yugi theorized that the maze was a reflection of their own hearts, not Dark Yugi's, resulting in its complexity increasing in sync with their uneasiness. He got the group to put their hands together in unity and focus on their goal. This caused a new door, which led them to the World of Memories. Unbeknownst to them, they were followed by the portion of Dark Bakura's soul, which had been sealed in the Millennium Puzzle.

Ka hunt
The group consciously found themselves in an Ancient Egyptian street, where they were invisible to the locals and would pass through certain matter that they tried to touch. Their unconscious bodies were placed inside coffins in another room of the museum, while they unknowingly became non-player characters in the Shadow RPG, which was set in the World of Memories.

In the game world, Yugi and his companions happened upon Kisara, who was being stoned by a group of people. They tried to intervene, but were incapable of interacting with the local people. Kisara was instead rescued by Seto, whom they recognized as looking like Seto Kaiba.

Battle with Thief Bakura
Yugi and his friends followed Seto and his men to the palace, but were unable to enter, as it was protected by the will of Dark Yugi, the pharaoh. They opted to wait outside the palace and were woken up that night by the sound of the pharaoh chasing Bakura, King of Thieves on horseback.

Yugi eventually caught up with the pharaoh, whose ka, Slifer the Sky Dragon, had just been defeated by Thief Bakura's Diabound. Yugi shared his strength with the pharaoh, allowing him to summon The Sun Dragon Ra, which defeated Diabound and Thief Bakura, diverging from how events played out in the pharaoh's past. Yugi and his friends were relieved to find that the pharaoh could see and remember them and Yugi informed him of their mission to find his real name.

Using one of his hourglasses RPG items, Dark Bakura had time rewound to undo Yugi's interference. This time, the portion of Dark Bakura's soul that had been sealed in the Millennium Puzzle blocked Yugi from getting to the pharaoh. Dark Bakura explained that he was there to stop them saving the pharaoh, as was necessary for his progenitor Zorc Necrophades to enter the real world. He demonstrated their ability to manipulate matter in the memory world, by causing a Duel Disk to grow on his arm. Yugi and his friends also managed to create Duel Disks with Decks. The world was plunged into darkness following the pharaoh's defeat to Thief Bakura, abruptly ending their encounter with Dark Bakura.

Zorc's awakening
Following role-playing game decorum, Yugi went to a bar, the Winking Camel, to find information and overheard that the pharaoh was now in the village of thieves.

While focused on another part of the RPG, Dark Bakura used another hourglass to freeze time. Everyone around Yugi and his companions became immobilized. As Anzu noted similarities to the Shadow Game they had played against Dark Bakura before, Yugi began to suspect the World of Memories' true nature as a game world.

Bobasa's body lit up as the Millennium Items had been placed inside the stone. He warned Yugi that Zorc had been awakened, before transforming into Hasan. Hasan informed Yugi and his friends that they could find the pharaoh's name in his tomb, before he flew away to protect the pharaoh. Figuring they could fly, if they were in a game world, Yugi leapt into the sky to quickly make way to the tomb at Valley of the Kings.

Duel with Dark Bakura
Inside the tomb, Yugi warned his friends that there could be traps. After he, Anzu and Honda rescued Jonouchi, who tried flying over a pit, Yugi explained that like in Duel Monsters, they could not fly in a dungeon. With time still frozen, they were safe from the moving statues, while they crossed the pit's maze-like bridge. However Yugi found a "Destiny Board" Duel Monsters card and realized somebody else was there. Time suddenly unfroze and the group had to rush to the end of the pit to avoid being attacked by the statues.

At the bridge before the final room, they met Dark Bakura, the portion which had been inside the Millennium Puzzle. In order to pass, Yugi faced Dark Bakura in a Shadow Game of Duel Monsters, in which the loser would die. The players composed Decks from 40 cards they imagined, with Yugi building a Deck distinctly different from what he had used alongside Dark Yugi.

Yugi leveled up his "Silent Swordsman", under the protection of "Marshmallon" and "Marshmallon Glasses". Using "Turn Jump", he neutralized the effect of Dark Bakura's "Death Spirit Zoma" and further leveled "Silent Swordsman", leaving Anzu and Jonouchi surprised by how strong Yugi was by himself.

Dark Bakura used "All Killing Death Card", while his field was heavily populated due to the effects of "Multiply" and "Accursed Necrotwins", which caused his deceased monster to linger on the field, with no Graveyard. This caused Yugi to send massive amounts of cards from his own Deck to his Graveyard each turn.

Yugi Summoned "Gandora the Dragon of Destruction" to clear the field, apart from "Silent Swordsman", which he protected with "Magic Barrier". With "Silent Swordsman", he attacked and defeated Dark Bakura, banishing him to the shadows.

Battle with Zorc
Using his final hourglass, Dark Bakura used Zorc's "Natural Catastrophe" ability, making the ground to sink in the World of Memories. This caused the pharaoh's tomb to begin collapsing, while Yugi and his friends were still inside. Before escaping they managed to find the pharaoh's name, but were unable to read the hieroglyphics.

The group managed to get out of the tomb and flew to the aid of the pharaoh, who was battling Zorc Necrophades. This time Yugi employed the Deck he had built with the pharaoh and using his Duel Disk Summoned the Dark Magician from it to battle Zorc. Along with monsters Summoned by Jonouchi and Honda, they launched an unsuccessful attack on Zorc. As Zorc retaliated, the group were shielded by Hasan, who told them they would need to make the pharaoh see his name. Under the pressure of Zorc's attack, Hasan's mask broke, allowing Yugi and the others to see that he was Shadi, just before he died.

Anzu instructed the others to concentrate on the hieroglyphs in order to etch them onto the cartouche pendant she had given the pharaoh. With that, the pharaoh learned his name was Atem and upon announcing it, the three Gods were Summoned from Yugi's Deck. Atem then united the gods into The Creator God of Light, Horakhty, who quickly eradicated Zorc.

Horakhty credited Yugi and his friends for protecting Atem and said that they had been the true keys to unlocking his name and driving back the shadows. With Atem having his own name, Yugi said that he was finally his own person, separate from Yugi. While it made him somewhat sad, he knew it had to be that way. Atem thanked Yugi and the others for their help, but with the world still collapsing from the "Natural Catastrophe", he urged them to find a way out of the World of Memories. Yugi did not want to leave without him, but Atem had to see the world of his memories through to its future and promised to come back after them. Isis and Mana bid Yugi, Anzu, Jonouchi and Honda farewell and thanked them as they flew to the Millennium Puzzle in the sky to exit the world.

Aftermath
Yugi, Jonouchi, Anzu and Honda reawoke in the museum in the modern world and were soon joined by Atem, who returned to Yugi's body. They checked on Bakura, who was alive but unconscious. The Yugis took the Millennium Ring back from him again.

As Atem picked up the Millennium Puzzle, he and Yugi agreed that it was "almost time".

Ceremonial Battle
One month after the Shadow RPG, Yugi, Anzu, Jonouchi, Honda, Bakura, Ryuji and Sugoroku Mutou traveled to Egypt. Yugi opted to continue calling Atem "other me", while they resided in the same body.

They planned to fly with Marik and Rishid from Cairo to Luxor to get to the Valley of the Kings. The airport at Luxor was closed due to a sandstorm, so Ishizu arranged for a ship from the government to take them.

Yugi took out a photo the Ishtars had sent him earlier. They informed him that the photo depicted the door to the afterlife and that the surrounding hieroglyphics explained how to send the send the pharaoh's spirit to the afterlife. The door was to be opened by placing the Millennium Items in the Memory Stone and speaking the pharaoh's name and the pharaoh's spirit could not be put the rest, while carrying his sword. Yugi realized that this meant someone would have to defeat Atem in a Ceremonial Battle.

Anzu who was uncomfortable with the idea of Atem leaving, tried talking to Yugi, but was unable to do so and changed the subject to Honda's medicine. Unable to sleep, Yugi went onto the ship's deck, where he met Jonouchi. Reminded of the journey to Duelist Kingdom, Jonouchi spoke about how he had changed since then thanks to Atem. He joked that they should forget their mission and throw the Millennium Items overboard. Yugi thought he was serious for a moment and was reminded of Insector Haga. Yugi then informed Jonouchi of his decision to be the one to fight Atem.

Atem had heard Yugi and Marik talk about the battle, so he kept away to give Yugi privacy to build a Deck. When Yugi had done so, Atem surfaced. Yugi promised to use all his strength to beat Atem. He then warned him that he knew Atem's Deck's weak points, before giving him privacy to build his new Deck.

The next morning, Yugi, Atem and their companions went to the Shrine of the Underworld, where the tombkeepers clan gave them the remaining Millennium Items, the Key and Scales. When Atem placed all seven items in the Tablet of the Pharaoh's Memories, the Eye of Wadjet shone upon him and split him and Yugi into separate bodies. Despite needing to lose to pass on, Atem intended to make every effort to win the Ceremonial Battle.

Yugi quickly Summoned the three "Gadget" monsters with "Ties of the Brethren" and used them to power up "Stronghold the Moving Fortress". However Atem held it back from attacking, by using "Bounce" on Yugi's "Swords of Revealing Light". Yugi was relieved at this point to see Atem was taking him seriously.

Using "Tricky's Magic 4", Atem gathered enough sacrifices to Summon "The God of the Obelisk" and dispose of "Stronghold". Yugi used "Turn Jump" to power up "Silent Swordsman LV0" and significantly weaken "Obelisk" with "Crumbling Axe", resulting in the two monsters destroying each other.

Yugi suspected Atem had only included one God card. With it in the Graveyard, he predicted Atem would eventually use "Monster Reborn", so he selected it for "Gold Sarcophagus" in anticipation.

Atem Summoned "Dark Magician" in order to defeat Yugi's "Marshmallon". Having found it reassuring to have "Dark Magician" on his side before, Yugi recognized it as a strong enemy. He failed to destroy it with "Gandora the Dragon of Destruction", due to Atem's "Mirror Force". When "Dark Magician" attacked, Yugi played "Magician's Circle" to Summon "Silent Magician", while Atem Summoned "Dark Magician Girl". Atem combined his monsters attacks with "Magicians Unite", but Yugi powered up "Silent Magician" with "Card of Sanctity", allowing it to defeat the "Dark Magicians".

Atem attempted to use "Monster Reborn" to revive "Slifer the Sky Dragon", which he had discarded earlier. Yugi then revealed his choice of "Monster Reborn" for "Gold Sarcophagus", preventing the revival. Ishizu suspected this was Yugi's message to Atem that the souls of the dead must linger in the world of the living. Yugi then attacked Atem with "Silent Magician", winning the Duel.

Upon winning, Yugi dropped the ground and began sobbing. Atem insisted that as winner, he should not be on his knees, but Yugi replied that he was too weak. However, Atem told him otherwise and had always had a power that no one could ever beat; the power of friendship and kindness, which he had taught Atem. Yugi began to say "other me", but Atem corrected him, saying he was not "the other Yugi" anymore and that Yugi is no one, but himself and the only Yugi Mutou in whole world. After Honda, Anzu and Jonouchi said their last words to Atem, Yugi said "we'll never forget you", before he passed through the gate to the underworld.

When the door finished closing, the shrine began to cave in and pulled the tablet and Millennium Items into the depths of the Earth. Yugi bid farewell to Millennium Puzzle, as he and the others ran outside to safety. On the surface, Yugi thought about how everyone has a story of their own and that his was just beginning.

The Dark Side of Dimensions
KaibaCorp commissioned an excavation of the Shrine of the Underworld and issued the workers a picture of Yugi wearing the Millennium Puzzle to show them what they were looking for.

Yugi met up with Anzu, Bakura, Jonouchi and Honda for lunch and discussed their futures, including Yugi's desire to become a game designer. At the end of the school day, Yugi got back his Deck, which had been confiscated, leading him to reflect on Atem's departure. He, Jonouchi and Anzu spotted the new student, Aigami, being picked on by Kudaragi and his gang. After Jonouchi drove the gang away, Aigami thanked the trio and insisted he was okay.

Yugi, Anzu, Bakura, Honda and Jonouchi were hanging out at Otogi's cafe, when they heard news of Kaiba announcing his new Duel Disk and that it would be exhibited in a feature match at Kaiba Land.

While Yugi was rehearsing his speech for his school graduation, he was approached by Aigami, who displayed interest in getting to know him. So, Yugi and his friends took Aigami bowling and ate at Burger World, where they briefed him on some of their adventures. They discussed Yugi's skills at Duel Monsters and later agreed to a friendly Duel between Yugi and Aigami.

At Kame Game, while Yugi assembled a Deck to use against, Aigami, Sera entered he store and began talking to him. When she left, Yugi noticed that she had left a piece of the Millennium Puzzle, in its box, which he had been using for his cards.

After Aigami sent Bakura and Jonouchi to other dimensions, Honda reported Jonouchi missing to Yugi. They were soon reunited with Jonouchi and as they searched for Bakura, Yugi encountered Kaiba. Kaiba insisted that Yugi would be the one to take part in the exhibition Duel at Kaiba Land and that would he accept no excuses. He showed Yugi the near-reassembled Millennium Puzzle, saying it was missing two pieces and expressed his desire to facing Atem, while indicating he had otherwise little interest in Yugi. After Kaiba left, Yugi was almost hit by traffic, but saved by Sera, who said that it was up to Yugi to complete the puzzle or not and asked him to save Aigami.

At Kaiba Land, Aigami was also brought forward for the exhibition. Kaiba announced that he would be Dueling Aigami and Yugi for their pieces of the Millennium Puzzle. Yugi was annoyed at what Aigami had done to his friends and still keen to find Bakura, so he demanded that he be the one to Duel Aigami. Kaiba accepted and gave Yugi one of the new Duel Disks to use.

During the Duel, Aigami claimed that he wanted to leave their current corrupt world go to another dimension and that Yugi should come with him. Yugi refused to give up on the future of the current world and proceeded to win the Duel, causing Aigami to disappear. With his victory, Bakura was returned to their world.

As Kaiba got ready to face Yugi, he stated his goal to bring, "the other Yugi", back as they had unfinished business. He thought his Duel with the regular Yugi would not take long. Although Yugi tried telling him that Atem was gone, Kaiba placed the Millennium Puzzle in the middle of the arena and they began their Duel.

A few turns in, Yugi insisted the Duel was pointless and tried to demonstrate this by inserting the last two pieces into the puzzle. Nothing happened, which Yugi explained was due to Atem no longer being inside the puzzle. Kaiba was furious and accused Yugi of deceiving him. The two continued their Duel and Yugi eventually attack Kaiba, who had 2500 Life Points, with "Dark Magician", which had 2500 ATK. However Kaiba's Life Points stopped dropping at 100, when the power shut down.

Aigami, corrupted by the evil of the Millennium Ring appeared before Yugi and Kaiba, leading the two to team up and Duel him. Kaiba was defeated, but before disappearing, urged Yugi to call Atem. Yugi put on the Millennium Puzzle and continued the Duel. While Aigami was causing the world to dissolve, Yugi struggled to remain conscious, until Atem took partial control of his body. Together they drew and Summoned Mahado the Protector Priest, which they used to defeat Aigami.

Yugi and Atem split into separate bodies again. The two faced each other and Yugi nodded, after which Atem pressed on the Millennium Puzzle, making it disappear and himself disappear. Kaiba returned, following the defeat of Aigami, and acknowledged Yugi as a competent Duelist.

At the graduation ceremony, Yugi read his speech. He and his friends later went to the airport to say goodbye to Anzu, as she left to go to America.

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
At Duel Academy, Yugi was considered to be a legendary Duelist. Jaden Yuki thought of him, Seto Kaiba, Mai and Jonouchi when he said that he was not going to back down in his Duel against Ryuga, like how the legendary Duelists never gave up.

Duel Monsters Deck
Yugi plays a Strategy Deck, containing various flexible strategies for any situation, which he shares with Dark Yugi. Among its various strategies, the Deck often focuses highly on "Dark Magician".

Within the World of Memories, Yugi used his own Deck independent of Dark Yugi, which included toy-like monsters and the "Silent Magician" and "Swordsman".

Dungeon Dice Monsters
Yugi used the following in his game of Dungeon Dice Monsters with Ryuji Otogi.