The Most Popular Yu-Gi-Oh Series, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the series you think is the most popular!
Updated on May 2, 2024 06:53
Fans of Yu-Gi-Oh understand the challenge of choosing between the various series, each bringing its own unique flavor of dueling adventures and mystical cards. Whether one enjoys the classic battles of early series or the intricate strategies in newer installments, the task of deeming one series as the favorite over another adds to the fun of the fandom. It helps to have a system that collects and reflects broader fan preferences.
Here, every fan's vote contributes to the ordering of the series, highlighting which are resonating the most with audiences today. This dynamic, ranked list not only fuels discussion among the community but also guides new viewers towards what might interest them most. Voting is quick and keeps the list fresh and reflective of current trends.
What Is the Most Popular Yu-Gi-Oh Series?
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177votes
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
Kazuki TakahashiThis series, also known as the original series, is the most popular Yu-Gi-Oh series to date. It follows the story of Yugi Muto as he solves ancient puzzles and battles other duelists using the power of the Shadow Realm.Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters is a Japanese anime series based on the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. It is the second anime adaptation of the franchise, following the original Yu-Gi-Oh! series. The series revolves around a young boy named Yugi Mutou, who solves an ancient Egyptian puzzle and becomes host to a mysterious spirit named Yami Yugi. Together, they participate in a card game called Duel Monsters, where players use magical cards to summon powerful creatures and cast spells to defeat their opponents.- Original run: April 18, 2000 – September 29, 2004
- Number of episodes: 224
- Main protagonist: Yugi Mutou
- Main antagonist: Seto Kaiba
- Card game: Duel Monsters
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238votes
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Kazuki TakahashiThis spin-off series follows the story of Jaden Yuki as he attends Duel Academy, a school for aspiring duelists. It introduced new card types and game mechanics to the franchise.Yu-Gi-Oh! GX is the second Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series, following the original Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters. The story is set in a fictional Duel Monsters' boarding school known as Duel Academy, where students train to become professional duelists. The main protagonist, Jaden Yuki, embarks on an adventure to improve his dueling skills and uncover various mysteries within the academy.- Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Card game
- Original network: TV Tokyo
- Original run: October 6, 2004 – March 26, 2008
- Episodes: 180
- Opening theme: Tenjou Tenge
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318votes
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Kazuki TakahashiThis series takes place in a futuristic city where dueling is done on motorcycles. It introduced the Synchro Summoning mechanic to the game.Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's is a popular Yu-Gi-Oh series that aired from 2008 to 2011. It follows the story of Yusei Fudo, a skilled duelist in the futuristic Satellite sector, who aims to defeat the tyrannical regime known as the Dark Signers and save the world.- Genre: Fantasy, Action, Card game
- Original run: 2008-2011
- Number of episodes: 154
- Main protagonist: Yusei Fudo
- Setting: Neo Domino City, Satellite sector
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427votes
Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Masahiro HikokuboThis series follows the story of Yuma Tsukumo, a young duelist who seeks to become the world's best. It introduced the XYZ Summoning mechanic to the game.Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal is the fourth Yu-Gi-Oh! anime television series, which aired from April 2011 to March 2014. It follows the story of Yuma Tsukumo, a young and energetic duelist who seeks to become a skilled duelist like his father. With the help of Astral, a mysterious spirit from another dimension, Yuma embarks on a journey to recover his memories and collect the 100 Numbers Cards to prevent evil forces from destroying the world.- Original Run: April 11, 2011 – March 23, 2014
- Episodes: 146
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Main Protagonist: Yuma Tsukumo
- Main Antagonist: Vetrix (Tron Family)
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516votes
Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V
Kazuki TakahashiThis series follows the story of Yuya Sakaki as he competes in the world's largest dueling tournament. It introduced the Pendulum Summoning mechanic to the game.Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V is the fourth spin-off anime series in the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise. It was created by Kazuki Takahashi and aired from April 2014 to March 2017. The series follows the story of Yuya Sakaki, a talented duelist who aims to become the champion of the Action Dueling, a new form of dueling that combines virtual reality with real-life action.- Number of seasons: 3
- Number of episodes: 148
- Original network: TV Tokyo
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Main character: Yuya Sakaki
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618votes
Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Kazuki TakahashiThis series takes place in a virtual world where dueling is done through computer programs. It introduced the Link Summoning mechanic to the game.Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS is the sixth animated series in the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. It is set in the near future where virtual reality dueling has become a popular form of entertainment. The main protagonist, Yusaku Fujiki, becomes embroiled in a plot involving a mysterious hacker group known as the Knights of Hanoi.- Studio: Gallop
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Original run: May 10, 2017 – September 25, 2019
- Episodes: 120
- Opening theme: With the Wind by Hiroaki TOMMY Tominaga
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711votes
Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens
Studio BridgeThis series follows the story of Yuga Ohdo, a young duelist who seeks to create his own new type of dueling. It introduced the Rush Dueling mechanic to the game.Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens is the seventh Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series, which serves as a fresh start for the franchise. It follows the adventures of Yuga Ohdo, a student at Goha 7th Elementary, who aims to revitalize the Duelling Club and bring back the popularity of dueling. With a new style of dueling called Rush Duel, Yuga and his friends face various opponents while uncovering mysteries within the city.- Anime Type: TV series
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Original Run: April 4, 2020 – Present
- Number of Episodes: Ongoing
- Target Audience: Children, Teenagers
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84votes
Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters
Kazuki TakahashiThis mini-series follows Yugi and his friends as they are transported to a mysterious world where they must battle monsters using capsule technology.Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters is a mini-series within the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime franchise. It is set in a different universe from the main series and features a unique gameplay called the Capsule Monsters Board Game.- Genre: Adventure, Action, Fantasy
- Release Date: 2006
- Number of Episodes: 12
- Setting: Alternative universe
- Main Protagonist: Yugi Muto
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911votes
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions
Kazuki TakahashiThis movie takes place after the events of the original series and follows the story of Yugi and his friends as they face a new threat.Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions is a Japanese animated film based on the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and anime series. It serves as a sequel to the original Yu-Gi-Oh! series, set after the events of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga's conclusion.- Release Date: April 23, 2016 (Japan)
- Director: Satoshi Kuwabara
- Screenplay: Kazuki Takahashi
- Studio: Gallop
- Running Time: 130 minutes
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107votesThis movie takes place during the original series and follows the story of Yugi and his friends as they face a new villain who seeks to unleash the power of the Pyramid of Light.
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Discussion
Ranking factors for popular series
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Overall popularityThis includes the number of viewers, fans, and sales figures.
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StorytellingThe quality and complexity of the plot, character development, and overall narrative structure.
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Fan receptionPositive feedback from fans and critics, including ratings, reviews, and reactions on social media.
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LegacyThe impact the series has had on the franchise as a whole, whether that is in terms of introducing new characters, mechanics, or storylines.
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VisualsThe quality of animation, character design, and backgrounds.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular Yu-Gi-Oh series. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or series is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 1651 views
- 224 votes
- 10 ranked items
Movers & Shakers
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each series once every 24 hours. The rank of each series is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular yu-gi-oh series
Yu-Gi-Oh is a Japanese trading card game that has gained immense popularity all over the world, especially among children and teenagers. The game was created by Kazuki Takahashi in 1999 and has since then spawned numerous anime series, manga, and video games. The Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game involves using a deck of cards to defeat your opponent by reducing their life points to zero. Each card features a unique character, spell, or trap that players can use to gain an advantage over their opponent. The game has become so popular that it has even been adapted into a live-action movie and a TV series. With so many different Yu-Gi-Oh series out there, it can be challenging to determine which one is the most popular. At StrawPoll, we've conducted a poll to help you find out which Yu-Gi-Oh series is the most beloved among fans.
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