Orchid: Sun and moon

It's alright.  

I have a bit of mixed feelings about the first Yu-Gi-Oh series—not recommendations, just personal thoughts. I enjoy the original series; Duelist Kingdom had its rough patches, and the final arc was solid. However, I always felt the original series was the strongest.  

Curious to see what came next, I gave GX a try. Interestingly, GX exists in the same universe as the anime but tells a distinct story. It seems everything in this manga is unique to it and is executed well. The characters, though, lack sufficient development, likely because the manga assumes readers are familiar with the anime. While I know some of the story, I've never watched the show.  

That said, these mangas are primarily about epic battles and unexpected twists, and GX shares a recurring issue with the original Yu-Gi-Oh: many of the cards featured hadn't been released yet (according to the card lists in the manga). I'm unsure how much effort went into integrating these cards into a real meta. There are the usual "asspulls" where Jaden has a well-built deck but keeps pulling nearly any card he needs, often something new, and still wins.  

Despite this, GX offers a more mature take on the franchise compared to the somewhat childish tone of the anime. It's not as dark as the original series but still delivers a good story. Although the ending feels rushed and the main villain is underdeveloped beyond being the bad guy, I enjoyed it overall. It reignited my interest in playing Yu-Gi-Oh, which is why I appreciate this franchise. If you liked the original, this is worth checking out. It's more of a light, enjoyable read. I'd give it an 8 if you're looking for something fun and lighthearted. It’s not top-tier material, but fans of Yu-Gi-Oh will find satisfaction here.

After reading the manga for the third time, I've decided to write a review on it.

Plot and story:  
The Yu-Gi-Oh GX manga features one continuous storyline, unlike the anime, which introduces a new "story" each season. The narrative follows Jaden as he embarks on his journey to emulate his idols—Yugi and Koyo. The primary antagonist is the father of one of the characters, who is possessed by the shadows. Using this dark power, he manipulates strong duelists, turning them into puppets for his quest for ultimate dominance. One minor flaw in the story is that it doesn't depict Jaden's arrival at the academy or how he meets the other characters. While I understand how Jaden formed these connections because I've watched the anime, what about those who haven't? Despite this, the gradual introduction of characters throughout the story works better than presenting everyone all at once.

Characters:  
In the anime, Jaden comes across as an overpowered character who rarely loses, offering little insight into his background. Here, we learn more about Jaden's past, such as how he acquired the Elemental Heroes and why dueling holds such significance for him. This version makes Jaden far more relatable. Chazz, Jaden's rival, is significantly improved compared to his portrayal in the anime. He isn't just a lovesick buffoon; he's actually stronger than Jaden and undergoes meaningful development. Additionally, his motivation for becoming a professional duelist feels more genuine here. Syrus also benefits from this retelling, showcasing determination to surpass his older brother rather than constantly doubting himself as in the anime. Alexis no longer plays the role of a damsel in distress but remains independent, though her backstory, goals, and relationship with Atticus remain unexplored. Bastion receives a better showcase of his analytical skills and is portrayed as more powerful. Jesse, my favorite character from the anime, disappoints somewhat due to the lack of depth—his past, goals, and bond with Jaden aren't explored, and his Crystal Beasts are absent. Adrian shines as a compassionate individual whose goal is to earn money for his younger brother's surgery, making him far more sympathetic than his anime counterpart. Among the new characters, Koyo, Midori, and Mac are well-developed, while David feels underutilized. However, the absence of Hassleberry and Zane's limited appearances feel like missed opportunities.

Design and art:  
Most characters resemble their anime counterparts, except for Alexis, whose design falls flat. Otherwise, the artists excel at rendering both familiar and new monster cards effectively.

Ending:  
I appreciate that Jaden isn't the sole hero in this tale. In the anime, Jaden almost always saves the day, with only rare exceptions, such as when Zane had to confront him after his transformation into the Supreme King. Even then, Jaden ultimately faced the main villain alone. In contrast, the manga has Jaden teaming up with Chazz against the antagonist, showcasing excellent teamwork. While I would have preferred seeing Jaden and Jesse team up as they did in Season 4, this resolution still satisfies.

Overall:  
The main characters shine brighter in the manga compared to the anime—they're more relatable, better developed, stronger, and more intriguing overall. The writers skillfully incorporate elements from the anime, like Shadow Games and the abandoned dorm, while crafting a unique narrative. Best of all, there's no Yubel. Honestly, I'd prefer this manga to serve as the canonical story instead of the anime.

I'm giving this manga an 8. Although it surpasses the anime in several aspects (in my opinion), certain drawbacks prevent it from achieving a higher score. I recommend this manga to fans of the Yu-Gi-Oh series or anyone curious about it. Plus, with only 64 chapters (9 volumes), it's a relatively quick read.

The Yu-Gi-Oh GX manga differs significantly from the anime. While the same characters (excluding the villains) appear in the story, many of them contrast sharply with their animated counterparts, and their screen time varies as well. Spanning only nine volumes, it offers a brief but enjoyable read.

Plot  
The GX manga leans more towards the original Yu-Gi-Oh series; the main antagonist originates from Ancient Egypt and frequently possesses people, akin to how Yami Bakura would possess Ryou during his schemes. The manga focuses on one storyline, presenting two tournaments before concluding once the villain is defeated. The primary antagonist randomly selects individuals to possess, providing an excuse for characters to duel each other. This aspect is somewhat disappointing, as the manga could have explored the characters' three years at Duel Academy further.

Characters  
As mentioned earlier, the characters are similar yet distinct compared to the anime. The most notable difference is Manjoume. In the anime, he served as comic relief, employing various unique decks and winning primarily for character development (though, to be fair, this applies to every character outside Judai; season 3 revolves around Judai in nearly every duel). In the manga, he is far more confident and serious, using only one deck—a dragon deck centered on Light and Darkness Dragon—and actually emerging victorious. This was the biggest surprise for me, as he boasts a good win-to-loss ratio and poses a genuine challenge to Judai, whom he may not always defeat. Judai remains largely unchanged, though his "get your game on" attitude is slightly toned down, making him more serious. His deck still revolves around E-HEROs, but these are new ones created exclusively for the manga. My issue with his deck is that he uses them due to his admiration for his hero, making Judai seem like a copycat who hasn't fully stepped out of someone else's shadow. The other characters (Sho, Asuka, and Misawa) remain mostly the same, except Misawa has a crush on Asuka while Manjoume appears indifferent to her. Unfortunately, Asuka doesn't get enough opportunities to shine and suffers the most defeats. Other characters use different decks, adding fresh elements for fans of the anime to enjoy.

Art/Duels  
The art is commendable; some manga-original characters look quite distinct due to the art style. One character has oddly drawn breasts that appear tight under her coat, giving them a bizarre appearance. The duels themselves are intriguing and mostly unpredictable. Judai loses a few duels, which makes the experience more enjoyable than having him win every time.

Conclusion  
The GX manga is a fantastic read; although much shorter than the anime and focusing on a single villain, it still delivers a swift, entertaining journey. If you were weary of Judai dueling in every episode, rejoice, as everyone gets their chance to shine with multiple duels. Rest in peace, Ojama Bros.

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX is a manga that closely mirrors the anime, but with distinct differences. In the manga, the main characters utilize different decks, which I personally believe are superior to those in the anime.

Story - The narrative takes a unique direction, focusing on characters' ability to perceive duel monster spirits. It features numerous duels set in diverse scenarios. Many of the cards are exclusive to the manga and are quite impressive.

Art - The artwork is commendable. The depiction of monsters is particularly well-done.

Character - There's reasonable character development for some key figures. While more detail would have been appreciated, this isn't the primary focus of the manga. Overall, it's satisfactory.

Enjoyment - Personally, I enjoy the manga, largely due to the card choices. Judai employs his Nature E-Heroes, Asuka favors Ice-type cards, Manjyome uses Dragons, Misawa opts for Fiends (referred to as apparitions in the manga), and Sho experiments with various Roid monsters unseen in the anime.

In conclusion, if you're fond of the GX characters and dueling, you'll probably find this manga enjoyable.

"It wasn't in the manga, therefore it isn't canon" is a frequently encountered argument among fans of certain anime series. This statement often arises when enthusiasts attempt to defend their favorite series by attributing only the original author's material as authentic, rather than accepting the extended anime adaptations. I begin this review with this observation not to debate what qualifies as canon but because Yu-Gi-Oh! presents an especially intriguing case in this regard.

Why? Because if asked, I suspect most Yu-Gi-Oh! fans would consider the anime as the primary source of canon, while being largely unaware of how abruptly Takahashi's manga concludes. As far as Takahashi's Yu-Gi-Oh! is concerned, it essentially covers "Season 0," "Duelist Kingdom," "Battle City," and possibly the last movie (though I admit uncertainty about Takahashi's involvement in other YGO-related projects). The anime series and trading card game became too profitable to rely heavily on slow manga releases. Consequently, the TCG and anime continued independently, while the manga had to adapt to its larger counterparts. Eventually, new storylines featuring the same characters were introduced. The first attempt was Yu-Gi-Oh! R, which aimed to serve as a sequel to the Battle City arc. Following that, they created a GX-manga, explicitly avoiding any connection between the anime and manga universes. With that context, I must warn that this review will extensively compare the two versions. Additionally, as a casual fan of the card game, I may include references relevant to those familiar with the TCG.

Overall, the concept was promising, but did it succeed?

Story (-):
The premise mirrors the anime: a wildly popular card game leads to specialized schools for aspiring players. The characters engage in daily campus life, playing card games, until ancient evil seeks vengeance. It follows the standard YGO formula. The plot progression lacks surprises; events unfold predictably, resolved through card games. Duels are "rigged" in favor of favored characters drawing necessary cards. Predictable yet entertaining.

I enjoyed the first half of the series, but the second disappointed me. It feels rushed, introducing characters from later anime seasons without proper development or utilization. Furthermore, many plot developments revolve around returning duelists, accompanied by foreign competitors, necessitating tournaments and exhibition matches.

Characters (☆):
Although I'm lenient in awarding this star, I appreciate the main character's twist. In the original anime, Jaden Yuki initially appears as a blank slate, requiring seasons to develop beyond being a likable, talented individual. The manga version has a backstory aligning well with the plot, and I enjoy his "Elemental Heroes" and "Masked Heroes" decks.

Chazz Princeton differs significantly. While the anime Chazz evolves from narcissism to humility and success, the manga version starts as a prodigy misunderstood due to family connections. Unfortunately, his past championship undermines this narrative. His deck lacks excitement, with random dragons introduced until the writer resorted to reusing earlier cards.

Other recurring characters receive minimal attention. Bastion Misawa remains the card-game "bookworm," now infatuated with Alexis Rhodes, reduced to a skilled female player without her brother subplot. Syrus Truesdale maintains his role as Jaden's best friend and self-proclaimed "little brother," though his relationship dynamics differ slightly from the anime.

Villains remain generic. David Rabb, the antagonistic jerk, receives limited focus compared to his more interesting colleague Reggie MacKenzie. The main villain proves unremarkable, though his buildup is decent.

Art (☆):
Naoyuki Kageyama competently mimics the anime's style, rarely producing poor panels. However, the art lacks distinct personality, typical for a series like "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX."

Rating System:
Using a star system inspired by Yu-Gi-Oh!'s MAL entries, I assess the series in four categories influencing the final score. Categories aren't equally weighted; story and characters hold greater importance than art or soundtrack. Ratings use a four-stage scale:
(-) - bad, a series/movie is terrible in this category
(☆) - okay, it's fine, tolerable, but likely nothing special
(☆☆) - good, it's good, but may have flaws or isn't quite among the best I've seen in the category
(☆☆☆) - great, the highest rating for truly remarkable performance

In conclusion, despite my ratings, I found the GX-manga enjoyable overall. It's adequate, depending on personal preference. For fans seeking fun card battles and an alternative take on the anime, this should suffice.

Final score: 4/10

hard to read. too may spelling mistakes. please take time to proofread your work

thanks mate, oh and your comment make me Chuckle a bit