Yusei Fudo

Yusei Fudo is the 18 year old protagonist of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's and one of the Signers. He is known for his genius style dueling, his considerable duel skill, and his cool and clever personality. He uses a Bike-themed Duel Disk called a Duel Runner.

In comparison to other series' protagonists, Yusei is entirely different from Jaden Yuki in personality, but has a small number of similarities to Yami Yugi. He has a far more calm and serious attitude than either of them, and is overall depicted as having having a no-nonsense personality, but is protective of his friends and shares a bond with his cards, like Yugi and Jaden. Unlike them, he has a tendency to act on his own more often. In the English version, he is afraid of bugs and insects.

Design
Yusei's character design was done by Shuji Maruyama. He has blue eyes and black hair with yellow highlights. The upper layer of his hair points upward while the lower layer points down. Yusei wears a long-sleeved blue jacket with a high collar and amber gems over a sleeveless black shirt with a red symbol. His lower body consists of jeans and a belt. After episode 5, he acquires a jagged criminal marker on the left side of his face. His dragon birthmark is a red outline of the tail, which is permanently burned onto his arm after the events concluding the Fortune Cup story arc.

Prior to the pilot
Yusei was born in the Tops area of New Domino City. His parents were lead developers for the first Enerdy system. After the Zero Reverse accident, they were killed and Yusei was sent to an orphanage in Satellite. His foster mother in Satellite is Martha.

Yusei grew up in Satellite, where he befriended Kyosuke Kiryu, Jack Atlas, Rally Dawson, Blitz, Nervin, Crow, and Tank. As residents of Satellite, they were made labors for the residents of New Domino City and denied many luxuries, often enjoyed in New Domino.

Being forced to survive on what he could, Yusei developed several expert level skills while growing up in Satellite; some of which include hand-to-hand combat, computer skills, motorcycle riding, engineering, and of course dueling. He along with Kiryu, Jack, and Crow, became part a group known as Team Satisfaction. Believing they could never leave Satellite, they tried to make the most of their lives there. They began taking over various regions. During their team dueling days while facing the final dueling gang, one tries to kill Yusei by throwing him off the roof. However as he's falling, Kiryu intervenes and saves him, and with the final gang being defeated eventually, they have been able to conquer all the zones. Sometime later, for some unknown reason, Kiryu committed the horrible act of taking the life of a Sector Security member.

Then, Yusei acts against this murderous act by engaging in a fight against Kiryu, as the police arrives, Kiryu is arrested and presumed dead. The team broke up after Kiryu's apparent death.

Yusei was able to pick up TV signals from New Domino, allowing his friends to witness Turbo Duels. He fell out with Jack after a difference in goals, as Jack wanted power and to lead people. With his friends help, Yusei was able to make his own Duel Runner. However, Jack stole the Duel Runner and Yusei's ace card, "Stardust Dragon" in order to escape to New Domino and become the "Turbo Duel King." Yusei had considered these stolen items to be "bonds of friendship" belonging to him and his friends. After Jack stole them, he vowed to get them back.

Escape from Satellite
After building a new Duel Runner with the help of Rally,Blitz, Tank, and Nervin Yusei ventures to New Domino City to recover Stardust Dragon from Jack. In the process, he runs into Trudge, a Public Order Security officer, who frames Rally with an acceleration chip (in the original, he wants to arrest him for stealing the chip). Trudge agrees to duel Yusei under the condition that if Yusei won, Trudge would forget the events of that day; if Trudge won, Yusei would give himself up to Trudge. After accepting the challenge and losing, Trudge swears to crush Yusei, but lets him go.

Yusei manages to find Jack, who tosses Stardust Dragon back to him, telling Yusei he can have it. Yusei refuses, saying that he would rather duel him for it to prove he can get it on his own. Jack agrees, but their Turbo Duel is interrupted by the appearance of a Crimson Dragon right before the winner is determined. The Dragon causes Jack's already permanent Birthmark to glow and burn as well as revealing Yusei's Mark, the Dragon's Tail. Yusei is arrested shortly after for trespassing into New Domino while Jack leaves safely. Rex Goodwin and Lazar, who had been monitoring the duel, reveal that if the Crimson Dragon hadn't appeared, Jack would have lost.

The Facility
After his arrest, Yusei got a marker, signifying his criminal record, and was sent to the Facility, where he met Yanagi Tenzen. He informs Yusei of the Crimson Dragon and the Signers, telling him that those who have the birthmarks were chosen by the People of the Stars. Yusei's birthmark is the Crimson Dragon's Tail, which appears on his arm when he fights alongside Stardust Dragon or encounters another Signer. He also learns of Bolt Tanner, a former Pro Duelist, from Tenzen who later duels him and loses. Yusei offers a rematch against himself using Tenzen's deck. Yusei wins the duel and Tanner offers his assistance to him after defeating the corrupt warden, Mr. Armstrong, and gaining their freedom. During his duel with Armstrong, Yusei was put in a pinch, using cards from different inmates. Although freed, Yusei retained his status as a criminal due to his marker, and therefore can be traced by the authorities at any time.

Fortune Cup
Yusei is later given refuge by the twins Leo and Luna. In the Japanese version, he fears that he would only cause them trouble by staying, but they manage to talk him into a Duel and staying for the night. In the English version, Yusei has lost his memory after his Duel with Trudge and can't even remember his name. He duels Leo in the hopes of regaining his memory.

After leaving the twins, he is threatened into participating in the Fortune Cup by Lazar, who holds his Satellite friends hostage. Yusei is later given more incentive to participate when Jack gives "Stardust Dragon" back and personally demands that he face him. In the quarter-finals of the Fortune Cup, Yusei faced Hunter Pace, disguised as Shira, and won, moving to the semifinals. His opponent in the semifinals is Greiger.

After Yusei defeats Greiger, Greiger attempts to take revenge on Goodwin for what he did to his village, but Yusei manages to stop him. Before security takes Bommer away, he tells Yusei to fulfill his own mission. In the English version, Yusei stops Greiger from knoking down the tower Goodwin was in to get revenge on what Goodwin did to his village, but a spike broke through the glass at the top of the tower (where Goodwin is) from the collision with Greiger's Duel Runner and Yusei's Duel Runner and Goodwin stopped it with his hand. As security takes Boomer away, he tells Yusei to be careful in the finals in the English Version.

Yusei faces Akiza in the finals. Previously, he had thought that she only felt anger and rejection. But after Akiza's first move, he notices and points out that she has a pleasure and joy for destruction. Akiza replies that cannot be true, however, later on the duel, after people insult her again, she accepts it all because of being the "Black Rose". According to her, this other side of her is the one who enjoys destruction all because of the powers caused by the Mark of the Dragon. He learns that after she was found by Divine, he told her to feel but not to think, to let him do that for her. But even still, she puts on her mask just to feel; this prompts Yusei to fight this duel to change her.

Which by the end of the Duel begins as he says that her pain which came from all the destruction she caused was turned into one that the other Signers shared. Yusei tells her that the birthmark may hold the answer for her pain, but in order to find out, she must think and love herself. Akiza still intends to deny this by winning the duel without noticing, as pointed out by Yusei, who has seen through her, that she is crying. Thus he eventually wins, resulting in her mask cut in half due to Cosmic Blast and after she falls, Akiza tells him to "help her".

He faces Jack near the end of the Fortune Cup. Although he is pushed to a corner in the middle of the Duel, Yusei wins using various combos with "Stardust Dragon" to destroy Jack's "Red Dragon Archfiend" and becomes the new King of the Turbo Duel.

Dark Signers
Following his victory against Jack, Yusei flees the stadium with Tanner, Yanagi, Luna, and Leo to avoid being mobbed by reporters and fans. They hide out at Blister's place at the edge of the city.

Yusei spots a man with a glowing birthmark. Believing him to be a Signer, Yusei chases him to a construction site where he faces him in a Shadow Duel. The opponent, Dick Pitt reveals himself to be a Dark Signer and states their motives to destroy the Signers. After Dick loses, he has no memory of the Duel, his Deck changes and his dark mark disappears. Yusei fleas after Security appears to examine the damage caused by the Shadow Duel. After returning to the hideout, Security led by Trudge track him down. Yusei walks out to meet them and says he wanted to talk to Goodwin anyway.

Yusei is taken to meet Goodwin at an incomplete bridge pointing in the direction of Satellite. Here Goodwin tells him about the battle between the Crimson Dragon and the Earthbound Immortals, where the Five Dragons sealed the Earthbound Immortals in the Nazca Lines. Goodwin says that those bearing the mark of the Crimson Dragon and the Earthbound Immortals' servants, the Signers and Dark Signers have been battling for 5,000 years. Their battle is destined to determine the fate of the world. The old Enerdy system in Satellite is a door to the Underworld itself, which the Dark Signers plan opening, to release the evil sealed in the Nazca Lines. Yusei understands Goodwin deliberately isolated Satellite from New Domino to restrict the battlefield to Satellite, only harming the Satellite residents. Yusei requests that they evacuate Satellite, but Goodwin says can't, since it would allow the Dark Signers to target the city, insuring a greater amount of casualties. Goodwin arranged a helicopter to airdrop Yusei and his Duel Runner into Satellite.

After arriving in Satellite, Yusei is reunited with Crow. The two head back to Yusei's Satellite hideout, where he is reunited with Rally and the others. Security had been following Crow, so Yusei and Crow team up to get rid of them, beating them in a Tag Turbo Duel. After the Duel Yusei and Crow meet up with Rally and his others at Crow's base at Daedalus Bridge. here Yusei tells his friends about the disastrous vision shown by the Crimson Dragon and the story told by Goodwin. He listens along with the others the story about the man who made the bridge. During the night both he and Crow had head to the B.A.D., where the old Enerdy system is. They are confronted by Kyosuke Kiryu, who is now a Dark Signer. Kiryu shows great hatred to his old friends and forces Yusei into a Shadow Turbo Duel. Kiryu takes the upperhand with "One-Hundred Eye Dragon". Yusei is able to comeback with "Stardust Dragon", but Kiryu turns the tables and Summons his Earthbound Immortal, "Ccapac Apu". Before Yusei is defeated his Duel Runner breaks down and the Duel is canceled. Yusei is then found impaled in the abdomen by a large shard.

Crow takes him to Martha's refuge facility, in order to receive the required surgery. Dr. Schmitt, assisted by Martha manage to save Yusei's life. After waking up he sees that Rally and the others brought his Duel Runner all the way from the B.A.D. Yusei gets scolded by Martha for putting himself in danger, without asking his friends for help. She reminds Yusei of his idea of "believing in friends" as they will always be there supporting and helping him out. As he recovers, he checks his Duel Runner and thinks that Kiryu is too powerful for him to defeat.

As Akiza is about to duel against Misty, his birthmark reacts. he rushes outside and sees Hummingbird and Lizard Earthbound Immortal marks. He is aware a Duel between a Signer and Dark Signer is about to begin, but is unable to assist.

As Akiza is taken to the hospital her parents appear. Due to their disastrous relationship with their daughter, they turn to Yusei for help. Yusei agrees and is teased by Martha for having a crush on Akiza.

When Akiza awakens, she is initially glad to see Yusei, but after seeing her parents, turns against him. Unable to calm her, Yusei tries to reach her by dueling. Yusei takes damage through the Duel, but Hideo steps in to protect him. With Hideo's determination, Yusei is able to show Akiza that her parents love her.

Mina shows Akiza and Yusei information regarding the Arcadia Movement and Sayer's true motives, involving the abduction of children to create an army of Psychic Duelists. Yusei comforts Akiza from the devastation.

The Signers are invited to Rex Goodwin's house. Despite his distrust of Goodwin, Yusei decides to go, as this is the only way he get information on the Signers and Dark Signers. Yusei asks about reverting a Dark Signer back to normal. Goodwin reluctantly tells them that Dark Signers cannot be brought back as they are dead and no longer of this world. Yusei loses confidence in returning Kiryu back to normal and blames himself for Kiryu's current stte. Jack, who is sickened by Yusei's whinging and self-doubt, punches him in the hopes of returning some sense to Yusei. Jack's actions and words, alonging with some moral support from the twins, restores Yusei's confidence.

When the four Signers return to Satellite along with Mina, Leo and Trudge meet up with Martha. They learn that Rally, Blitz, Tank, Nervin and Crow have disappeared. While everyone is sitting down to supper, Rudger interrupts. Jack wants to duel him, but Yusei tells him that its too dangerous to duel here with the flaming geoglyph. Yusei instructs Jack to take Martha and the kids to a safer place.

Yusei duels Rudger, while accompanied by Akiza. During the Duel, he witness two of the children, who stayed behind and Martha get sacrificed to Summon Rudger's Earthbound Immortal. After Yusei Summons "Stardust Dragon", Rudger leaves and revives Rally as a temporary Dark Signer to face Yusei. Rally sacrifices himself to help Yusei. To avenge Rally's sacrifice, Yusei swears the Dark Signers be defeated with everything he has.

With goal set in mind of defeating their rivals, each of the 4 Signers separates towards each of the 4 Old Momentum controllers where their respective opponent is waiting. Therefore as Yusei is heading towards where Kiryu is waiting for their rematch. As he is headed there he spots a column of light coming from Luna area. Yusei finds Leo in battle against Demak. Yusei tries to stop the match but can not due to the rules of the duel. Yusei can only watch helplessly as leo is faces off against Demak.

Deck
Yusei's Deck uses many speed themed cards and revolves around the Synchro Summoning of the "Warrior" Synchro Monsters, "Junk", "Nitro", "Turbo" and "Road", while keeping his ace card, "Stardust Dragon," in reserve for special occasions (and sometimes uses his Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode when possible). Most of his non-Synchro Monsters are low in Level, giving him more fine control over which Synchro Monster he is able to summon at a given time. His basic strategy usually entails either swarming the field with many low-level monsters all at once for a high-level Synchro Summon or else using his lower-level Synchro monsters as a bridge to summon the higher-level ones (example:Junk Warrior+Nitro Synchron=Nitro Warrior).

Thematically, many of Yusei's cards tend towards being either Warrior or Machine-type monsters, and even his non-Machine cards tend to have a Machine-like appearance (such as his Warrior Synchro Monsters) or are similarly themed, like "Scrap-Iron Scarecrow" or "Junk Barrage". Some of his cards also focus on Burn effects, such as Armory Arm, Junk Barrage, Cosmic Blast, and Meteor Stream.

Also, some of Yusei's cards focus on changing the levels of his monsters to better suit his use of Synchro Summoning.

Yusei uses 2 Decks, one for Turbo Duels and one for normal Duels. His Turbo Deck strongly focuses on Trap Cards to bypass the limitations Speed Spells contain.

In his Lightning Deathmatch against Mr. Armstrong, Yusei used a Deck made of cards given to him by inmates at the Facility. Many of the monsters in this Deck are outlaws or otherwise unsavory.