Tag: yugioh

Building a Legacy – Farewell, Akira Toriyama Sensei

Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened. – Dr. Seuss

There are a few individuals I consider my heroes and role models. Foremost among them is my grandfather. The very manner of his passing dealt a big blow to everyone in my family and left an everlasting impact on my life. His death forced me to understand the reality of time and come to terms with what is a natural aspect of life. From my struggles to my greatest triumphs, my grandfather remains an inspiration in everything I do. His legacy is the deeply cherished memories we shaerd in our time together.

I can say much of the same with regards to the works of Toriyama sensei, and in particular, the Dragon Ball franchise. I didn’t grow up with the franchise as many others did. In fact, it all started with Dragon Ball Z, the official sequel to the original Dragon Ball. I was in Singapore at the time, on a family trip with my parents and my sister. My parents were eager to take us out shopping and touring but I wasn’t having any of it.

No, I was too busy hooked onto the TV watching an incredibly buff guy, with crazy hair, falling off what looked like a gigantic snake supported by clouds, and into hell. Amazingly enough, he would pat off the damage from his fall as if it were nothing, and then proceed immediately to fly straight back up to the clouds willling himself to find a way back onto the path.

And that is all I would remember about this character for some time. My parents dragged me out of the room and took us out for the day. A few years later, I would reunite with this character again at my friend’s home while playing Dragon Ball Z: Budokai on his PlayStation 2 (incidentally, also my first PlayStation 2 game ever). I was hooked and would soon get fully immersed and acquainted with the world of Dragon Ball Z and its diverse array of characters.

The series’ protagonist Son Goku was (and remains) my favorite. Goku’s ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challanges, his enduring willpower, his undying love for friends and family, as well as his healthy appetite and joyful approach to life (a major shonen trope these days, after all, Toriyama pioneered the modern shonen manga) made it look like he had it all. For a teenager like me who was experiencing racism and segregation at school, and with barely any friends to relate to, Goku was a hero. I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to be courageous enough to accept my weaknesses and strong enough to overcome them.

Now, looking back, I can proudly say I accomplished exactly that. From overcoming my personal inhibitions to putting 100% towards my goals, I am a confident individual happily pursuing my dreams. Most importantly, through Goku, I learned the lessson of humility and to acknoweldge those who have supported and encouraged me in my journey. A quick call out to Master Roshi, I have also done my best to work hard, eat well, and sleep well, too! (Though, it has been a little more difficult, recently, with a hyperactive toddler!)

It is funny what invisible strings connect us all. I still remember those days, lying on my bed, lost in my imagination, in scenarios where I’m saving the world or facing my demons, while imitating Goku’s signature Kamahameha. Those moments are now cherished memories. Berserk’s Kentaro Miura, Yugioh’s Kazuki Takahashi, and now, Dragon Ball’s Akira Toriyama. It truly feels like the end of an era. Toriyama sensei, you have left behind a monumental legacy. Dragon Ball was my initiation into the worlds you created. Thank you for everything you did to bring your characters to life and to share their stories, as well as yours, in what has been an inspirational journey.

Yu-Gi-Oh! – A never-ending journey

Hi everyone, it is nice to be back.

While I had originally been planning to write a completely different post, news about the untimely passing of Kazuki Takahashi-sensei, the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh, changed my plans.

Having watched the anime series as well as being a hardcore fan of the manga and the card game, news about Takahashi-sensei’s passing came as quite a shock.

I discovered Yu-Gi-Oh when I was around 11 years old. My family was living in Egypt at that time, which made it all the better, as the core plot of Yu-Gi-Oh revolved against the backdrop of Egypt and its ancient history.

The card games themselves were very popular at school. This was great for a kid like me especially since it was a means through which I could find some form of inclusion (against the racism and bullying) among my peers at school. On most occasions, I would be a silent observer watching my peers play and have a riot of a time during lunch breaks.

As I didn’t have the resources to buy the actual cards, I would instead watch the aired episodes, note down the cards used by my favorite characters, find images of them online (thank god for Google), print the images at the library, and then cut them out to have my own deck of printer paper quality cards.

It would take a while before I could join in on some games with my peers. There was some mockery of my cheap deck but that would change once I began winning the games. Slowly, but surely, my victories would become a means to communicate who I was as a person to my opponents. As a result, I would gain friends and a measure of acceptance, through the game, among my peers.

Twelve years would pass until I bought my first actual Yu-Gi-Oh deck in 2017. The actual decks were cool but I still felt nothing could beat the old paper deck I made back in Egypt. Thankfully, I have kept it to this day. The cards themselves are pretty worn out but the memories they hold for me are eternal.

I have re-watched the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series several times. While some may find its plot to be childish or incoherent on occasion, its message and themes make up for all of its flaws. There is a constant callback to the power of memories, especially of loved ones who may have passed away. There is also the strength that one can find in friendship, and through it, the courage to make your own path in life.

The card games, in many ways, mirrored the emotions and reflections of the characters and their personalities.

Altogether, the series provided quite a few powerful lessons for a kid like me who, back then, was struggling with bullying and racism in what was a constant battle to find a place for myself among my peers and as an individual.

After hearing the news of Takahashi-sensei’s death, I came across a tweet that posted the afterword he had written following the final chapter of his manga,

Suffice to say Takahashi-sensei, you succeeded. Atem said it best,

The gift of kindness you’ve given me, and the courage I’ve given you will remain with us, and that will forever bind us together.

Thank you for the gift you have given me and many others around the world through your work, and the characters you brought to life.

There, in the desert, I found a puzzle. Within it, resided a story. A story about the power of friendship, the value of compassion, the strength of courage, and the never-ending journey that is our memories of our loved ones. Thank you, Takahashi-sensei. You remain an inspiration for me in my own journey as an aspiring artist and writer.

It’s time to d-d-d-duel…in Egypt!

“It’s time to d-d-d-d-duel!!!”

The exclamation would be followed by a flurry of cards being swept onto the table with spectators joining the fray as two opposing duelists settled their wits on a classic trading card game that took the world by storm in the early 2000s. I was a shy, introverted personality back then, engaging dutifully in my studies at middle school at Cairo American College, while still getting used to living in Egypt.

The country remained very much a fantasy land to me during my family’s stay there. From its rich history to the diverse tourist venues that were available, Egypt was a plethora of archaeological and cultural mysteries to explore. For a nerdy kid like me, this was jackpot. Unfortunately, monologues about ancient Egyptian history or culture didn’t really receive much traction in middle school student life.

Yu-Gi-Oh! helped me in that department immensely. In retrospect, when I think about it, Yu-Gi-Oh! was my actual initiation into Japanese anime. Shortly, Yu-Gi-Oh! or “King of Games” is a Japanese manga series about gaming written by Kazuki Takahashi. Owing to its popularity, various spin-offs continue to be released to this day.

There is one additional series that came out in 2017 in Yu-Gi-Oh! VRains.

The original series (all the way to the left in the above image) that set the foundation for the various anime series was published as a manga in Weekly Shonen Jump between September 1996 and March 2004. The plot follows the story of a young boy named Yugi Muto, who solves the mystery of the ancient Egyptian artifact called the Millenium Puzzle. By doing so, Yugi awakens a gambling alter-ego or spirit from the Puzzle to assist in his conflicts using various games.

Millennium Items | YuGiOh! World
The Millenium Puzzle (the upside down triangular pyramid) is one of several others that are of great importance to the plot of Yu-Gi-Oh! with each granting diverse powers and abilities to their hosts.

Two anime adaptations would follow with the one titled Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, spawning a media franchise in a trading card game and numerous other video games. The game would have players utilize cards to “duel” each other in a mock battle of fantasy “monsters”.

YU-GI-OH! TRADING CARD GAME | Licensing Magazine

For a kid my age, what better way to spend your day than collecting cards of ancient monsters and “dueling” with your friends in a fantasy world of our own. While I didn’t get the chance to watch the anime series until many years later (manga and anime, in general were yet to hit their peak popularity in Western mainstream media), I would get to follow Yugi and his adventures on an episode guide at Yu-jyo.net.

Egyptian culture/history as shown in the series had no correlation to reality but for a nerdy kid like me it provided the perfect playground for imaginative pursuits. From the vast horizons of the desert to the dark tombs of the Pharaoh, the Millenium Items called forth monsters of a world beyond our own to be our guides in whatever obstacles that stood in our way.

The trading cards themselves were far too expensive to purchase and as such I would resort to making lists of my favorite character’s cards by order of appearance in the animated series (the episode guide helped me on this one). Weekend sessions at the library would be spent scouring images for these cards on Google which I would then print in black and white to make my over-sized paper deck.

Not having too many friends in my social circuit back then, “dueling” would largely be relegated to playing against myself or my little sister. I would eventually get my chance one day to play a challenge duel against an acquaintance at school using my over-sized paper deck. Winning or losing wasn’t the point, for in Yu-Gi-Oh!, what mattered was the excitement of the duel (albeit with greater stakes for the characters of the anime).

Much like Yugi Muto who would garner life-long friendships and rivalries, and find his own place in life, by playing the game, I would in many ways find a means to satisfy my nerdy personality and loneliness by playing the game.

Despite it being nearly 20 years since then, I’ve still held on to my original paper deck for it has become my own Millenium Puzzle. While it may not necessarily host an ancient Egyptian pharaoh’s lost consciousness, within it are many precious memories: countless duels with my doting little sister, long-lasting friendships, and adventures in life.

Speaking of friendships, I would find an ideal duel partner in my then girlfriend and now wife who is an avid Yu-Gi-Oh! fan. Now all that remains is to pass our decks on to our little one when she grows up to have her own “duels” someday!

While the original animated series came to an end in 2004, the episodes are largely available for everyone to enjoy on Youtube and most online streaming websites alongside several games available on various platforms. Yu-Gi-Oh! will always remain among my list of favorite anime just for its insanely campy and fun atmosphere. With its lore set in an Egyptian background, the show is also a massive bout of nostalgia taking me back to my adventures in Egypt, when at any moment of the day, it was time to d-d-d-d-d-d-duel!