Television Review: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this show is a bit more
sophisticated than previous
Yu-Gi-Oh series. The characters seem older and have
become societal superstars in a futuristic,
Blade Runner-esque world. Parents new to the world of
Yu-Gi-Oh! should also know that young fans of the
franchise must hold a series of dueling/card game rules in
their head that makes chess look like Go Fish. Point tallies
quickly head into the thousands. It's a silly game and a
sillier show, but it's not for the faint of brain, and that's
its redeeming factor.
Families can talk about the relationship between entertainment
and products. Would having and playing the related video or
card games make watching this series more fun? Why or why not?
What do you think the show's primary goal is -- to entertain
kids or encourage them to buy more stuff?
YU-GI-OH! 5D'S takes the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! further into the future than previous series have. Episodes still revolve around duels fought between characters and their decks of magical cards -- which create or bring forth monsters and dragons to fight one another in complex ways -- but the duels are now fought in stadiums and on motorcycle-like vehicles called Duel Runners. This time around, lead character Yusei seeks revenge against his former best friend, Jack Atlas, who stole his Duel Runner and prize dragon and has used both to become the "Duel King."
The animation here is stylish and the action smooth -- although the voice dubbing creates an odd effect for viewers who aren't used to it (the series is produced and originally aired in Japan). The duels remain laughable for adult viewers, mostly because, as they fling their cards out with panache and produce their monsters, the characters are forced to narrate their actions and the effects (as in "Ha! Your move is foolish, because I shall produce this card, which makes your card upside-down and useless and calls back my hydra-dog from the grave! Fool!").
This brand extension loses some of the charm of earlier versions by raising the stakes -- these characters, while not adults, are fighting for adult things like fame and fortune, whereas in the earlier series, the kids were younger, dueling for their schools or their honor.
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