Seto Kaibais undoubtedly one of the most important and beloved characters in theYu-Gi-Oh!anime franchise. His contributions to the story, as both an early villain and Yugi’s rival, were vital, and most could not imagine what the series would be like without him in it. His amazing strategies, memorable lines, and never-ending determination have helped him achieve a level of popularity that few characters could aspire to.
WhileKaiba has several of the strongest cardsand most iconic moments in the series, one of his most popular early appearances continues to baffle fans to this day. During episode #1 of the Duel Monsters anime,Seto decided to destroy Solomon’s copy of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, which seemed strange at best. The real reason behind this event, which was never explained in the show, makes Kaiba’s actions seem far more reasonable.
Kaiba Destroying the Blue-Eyes Is Confusing
In episode #1 of theYu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monstersanime, Seto Kaiba kidnaps Yugi’s grandfather, Solomon, to force him toduel for the right to own the fourth Blue-Eyes card. After the duel was over, the boy stood victorious, holding his prize in front of the heroes’ eyes before ripping it in half. The boy claimed that he did so to prevent anyone from ever using the monster against him,as the Blue-Eyes White Dragon had a strenght that could rival the gods. Although this scene is undoubtedly memorable, it fails to explain the reasoning behind Kaiba’s decision.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Has an Iconic Anime Dub But It Completely Butchered Yugi’s Best Arc
Yu-Gi-Oh!’s English dub is infamous for the many liberties it took with the script, and in one case, it completely butchered Yugi’s best arc.
Despite acquiring it in a less than moral way,Seto was the rightful owner of this Blue-Eyes, and no one could take it from him unless he bet the card on a duel. Even if Yugi had challenged him to avenge his grandfather, Kaiba had no reason to return the card, as he could simply keep it for himself. A large majority of the fans have expressed confusion after watching this scene, and with good reason.
The Origins of the Scene Explain It All
FewYu-Gi-Oh!fans are aware of the reason why the anime decided to depict Kaiba destroying one of the most iconic cards in the franchise.The origins of this event come from the first manga series, one that is several times darker and more chaotic thanDuel Monsters. In this version of the story, Seto is introduced as a rich boy who had spent his entire life hunting down the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. When he learned that Yugi’s grandfather had one, he decided to attack the elder and take the monster.
Later that day, Kaiba was challenged to a duel by Atem,who acted more like a monster than a heroat the time. When Seito tried to use the Blue-Eyes card, the spirit of the monster refused to obey, causing him to lose and be tortured by the Pharaoh. Kaiba would later return, this time with three copies of the monster. He would use these cards to defeat Solomon and take his Blue-Eyes, to thendestroy it for having dared to ignore his orders in the past. This version of the events makes much more sense, but the anime could not use it in episode #1.
While Kaiba’s first iconic moment in theYu-Gi-Oh!anime might not make sense without knowing its origins, it does not mean that his introduction is any less epic. There are plenty of valid reasons why Kaiba is considered one of the best characters and duelists in the original anime, and his personality and ruthless playstyle are only some of them.
