SHONEN JUMP

A Rare Interview With the Creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!

SHONEN JUMP is proud to bring you an ultra-rare Q & A with Kazuki Takahashi, the beloved creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!, the world-famous manga that spawned two television series, several graphic novel lines, a feature film and a multitude of trading cards enjoyed by Duelists all over the world! Read on about the manga-ka who started it all.


SHONEN JUMP:		Where did the original idea of Yu-Gi-Oh! come from?

Kazuki Takahashi:		When expressing the notion of Shonen manga (boys' comics) = battles, I wanted to create a story using the rule of battling without causing physical injuries. That led to my coming up with the idea of battling within a game.

SJ:		Where did the idea of Elemental Heroes and Neos come from?

KT:		Since most of the Yu-Gi-Oh! monsters back then were founded on fantasy, I wanted to introduce something more real, more life-size. That's when I thought of heroes in American comics. Based on the life-size presence of American comic book heroes, I created Elemental Heroes and Neos.

SJ:		Why did you base your theme on Egypt?

KT:		It was a way to incorporate "mysticism" into my manga. Whenever I thought of something mystical, I always envisioned Egypt.

SJ:		Are Yugi and Anzu going to be together in the future?

KT:		Anzu is now in America, studying dance. If she still feels the same when she comes back to Japan, or she feels more than she did before toward Yugi, the two may even get married! [laughs]

SJ:		What was your impression of Comic-Con?

KT:		It was my first time visiting Comic-Con, and I was absolutely amazed to see the enormous collections of figures and toys! I didn't have much time to walk around. I don't think I would have been bored even if I had stayed there another week! [laughs]

SJ:		What did you think of the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship?

KT:		It was great to see so many people from so many different countries dueling like that! I liked the scene where people around Dario were trying to cheer him up when he lost in the Finals! I truly felt that there are so many people supporting Yu-Gi-Oh!, so thank you all! ©1996 KAZUKI TAKAHASHI ©2004 NAS • TV TOKYO

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